Posted on 10/20/2006 8:03:33 PM PDT by zarf
Ford partisans are suggesting that this stunt takes the focus away from the Ford Family and mutes the potential headlines Corker might have captured. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A Ford partisan sees this video and sees a fightin' Democrat taking the fight to enemy. They would see that if Ford went up and punched Corker in the face, too.
Everyone else, however, sees a foolish young man, an arrogant young man, a man not quite ready for the upper chamber. This is what Ford needs to understand. He is young. He is a bachelor. In terms of coming off "Senatorial", he is already behind in the count.
This press conference by Corker was never going to be a big story. An article in the paper and a mention on the evening news. That's all it was gonna be. Very routine.
This confrontation does take away from whatever it was that Corker actually said at the conference. No doubt. But who comes off better in the confrontation?
If you are watching the same video I am, you have to admit that Corker comes off very well. Even standing several inches above him, Harold Ford comes across the smaller man.
Senator's don't confront -- not like this. They reason and they deliberate. They do not let their blood get up and pull stunts like this.
It may have worked had Ford stayed off to the side and answered questions from the press. However, once Corker came over to Ford to confront him, Ford lost the day.
Corker had previously been seen as running a bit scared -- afraid to stand toe-to-toe with Ford. But today he walked right up to Ford looked him in the eye and said his peace about the inappropriateness of his being there.
Ford got sloppy. No other way to put it. He showed up hoping to take the headlines away from Corker and he instead gave the public an opportunity to see something from Corker that they had never seen before. Toughness. A quiet reserved toughness, but toughness all the same.
Those who think Corker did not win this day, watch the video again. See how Ford reacts once Corker walked away. He clearly didn't see this going down this way.
Ford miscalculated badly here. Again, he got a bit too brash. He got caught being childish and Corker, surprisingly, walked right up and pulled his punk card and put it right in his face.
Thank you!!
You're right. I stand corrected. But he got there because of the "Memphis" vote which is his district. I don't think the whole state will vote for him over Corker, even though Bob Corker is considered somewhat of a moderate. Generally speaking, the state of Tenn is conservative.
QFE. You nailed it.
Ford is not too comfortable running a statewide race. Running for a Congressional seat in your own district is far different then running for one of two Senate seats in the entire state.
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