Ophelia (l) and mouthpiece
"I'M NOT AS THINK AS YOU DRUNK I AM!"
Posted on 05/19/2007 10:10:10 PM PDT by SmithL
MEMPHIS - State Sen. Ophelia Ford says a chronic health condition and eating problems caused her to fall from a bar stool at a Nashville hotel, while a 911 call recording indicates that she may have been intoxicated.
Ford, who was taken to a hospital Tuesday and kept overnight, told WMC-TV that she has been struggling with anemia and hasn't been eating well. She dismissed reports that she was intoxicated Tuesday night.
"I might have a glass of wine, but I'm sorry, that ain't true," she said. "My problem is blood related and not eating."
An employee at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel, where Ford was staying while in Nashville for the legislative session, called 911 and told dispatchers that a guest had fallen from a bar chair and needed medical attention.
When a dispatcher asked the employee if the guest needed an ambulance, the man responded, "she's extremely intoxicated, so I can't tell," according to a 911 recording released by Metro Nashville Office of Emergency Management & Emergency Communications Center.
The employee said the guest was breathing normally and alert but had landed on her neck and back when she fell.
Sheraton managers declined to comment on the incident.
Ford, 56, has missed much of this year's Senate session, which is expected to last until at least the end of May, and has said her problems with anemia have kept her from working.
One day before going to the hospital, Ford shocked lawmakers and observers with an off-topic tirade that lasted nearly two minutes in a committee meeting that was focused on the state Department of Children's Services.
Ford's brother, Shelby County Commissioner Joe Ford, said that her family is very concerned.
"I want to sit down and really talk to her and find out what the problem is," he said. "What I saw on TV wasn't the sister that I know and there are some concerns. I don't know what the problem is because I haven't spoken to her because she hasn't made it home yet."
Elected to the Senate in 2005, Ford replaced her brother, John Ford, who resigned after 30 years in the Legislature following his indictment on federal corruption charges.
Republicans in the Senate later nullified the election results because of voting irregularities and ousted Ophelia Ford, but voters returned her to the Senate in November.
A little more detail than I was able to give this week.
A little of Granny’s blood tonic she whipped up for Jed Clampett
Video of that weirdness is over at Youtube. She's got some bigtime problems.
Republicans in the Senate later nullified the election results because of voting irregularities and ousted Ophelia Ford, but voters returned her to the Senate in November.
Does this mean she’s a democrat?
Well, if she says so, . . .
She’s a Memphis Ford.
‘nuf said.
“Well, if she wasn’t drunk, what was it?”
She could be diabetic and had very low blood sugar. It’s exactly like they’re drunk and goofy. They will usually be perspiring heavily also.
I know, it happened to a cousin of mine while I was riding in her car with her. When she finally got the car stoped in traffic, I shoved the gear in park, turned the ignition off, yanked the keys out and made her get into the passenger seat.
I drove her right to the emergency clinic. Her blood sugar was about 30 to 40.
It’s useful to know how to test a diabetics blood sugar level and what to do when it’s low. They should have their test kit with them. Give them a soda with sugar or some glucose tablets, some carbs, peanuts or something.
Don’t care if she was drunk. All we should care about is whether she can do her job. Sounds like she’s having issues in that area.
Ophelia Ford is a member of the Tennessee Senate. She is the younger sister of former state senator John Ford and former Congressman Harold Ford, Sr., and the aunt of former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.. She represents Senate District 29, located in northwestern Shelby County.
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Donna Davis reports
EXCLUSIVE: Senator sounds off on rant, illness and 911 call
May 18, 2007 11:02 PM EDT
Action News 5’s Donna Davis spoke exclusively with State Senator Ophelia Ford who explained her outburst at a Capitol Hill hearing Monday. Ford also explains why she collapsed the next day at a hotel bar, and what she thinks about constituents who say her problems are not health-related.
It all began with an outburst Monday in Nashville.
Senator Ford says she hasn’t been feeling well but that there was nothing strange about her statements at Monday’s Department of Children’s Services hearing.
“My reaction the other day was normal because people don’t know how many children are dying,” says Ford.
But lawmakers say that was not the topic of Monday’s hearing.
Ford adds, “it was, just because of the ignorance of the, what do you call your people?”
Ford was asked about the newly released 911 call, where the caller says Ford fell off a hotel bar chair the day after the rant.
Ford says she was not intoxicated.
“I might have a glass of wine, but that ain’t true. My problem is blood related,” insists Ford. “I’m called a chromic anemic, and I’m not eating. I’m not eating well.”
Ford insists she fell off the barstool because of her anemia and not eating properly.
She says she was in the bar but only to get soup.
As for complaints from constituents who say they cannot reach her in Memphis or Nashville, Ford says, “I don’t know. I have no idea why they can’t reach me.” “Check with my legislative assistant. I have argued with him, and scolded him. You can’t think that you can protect me. You can’t protect me. You gotta tell me about everything that comes through my office,” Ford explains.
And to people who speculate the Senator has a problem with alcohol, the Senator says, “I’m sorry. They a damn lie is what they are. Okay, listen, they a damn lie.”
Strong words from Senator Ford.
Tonight, we have the 911 call made moments after Tennessee State Senator Ophelia Ford collapsed at a Nashville hotel.
The caller claims Ford was intoxicated.
The 911 call came from an employee at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Nashville. The caller claims Ford had been drinking and fell off a barstool.
Ophelia Ford shocked her colleagues Wednesday when she lost her cool on Capitol Hill.
“What you’re saying to me is absolutely dumb,” she exploded on Monday.
Hours after the outburst Ford was rushed to the hospital.
The 911 call came from an employee at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Nashville.
Dispatcher: Metro Nashville Police and Fire.
Caller: Hey, this is Jeff at the Sheraton Hotel Downtown Nashville.
Dispatcher: Yes sir.
Caller: Um, I have uh, I need someone to come and take a look at one of our guests they took a fall out of one of our bar chairs upstairs in the concierge lounge on the 24th floor.
The caller said Ford had fallen about 20 minutes earlier.
Dispatcher: And you think they need an ambulance?
Caller: Well I don’t necessarily know she’s, she’s extremely intoxicated so I can’t tell.
Dispatcher: What caused the fall?
Caller: Um, intoxication.
Dispatcher: She completely alert?
Caller: She is.
Dispatcher: She breathing normally?
Caller: Yes she is.
Dispatcher: What part of the body was injured?
Caller: Uh, she landed on her upper back neck area.
The dispatcher then tells the caller not to move Ford unless she’s in danger.
Dispatcher: Just let her rest in the most comfortable position and wait for help to arrive.
Caller: Okay.
Of course, Ford has said she has been ill in the past and though Ford’s name was never mentioned on the 911 call, two sources confirmed to our sister station in Nashville it was Ford.
Our own Donna Davis spoke to the state senator today as well.
She admits to falling off the bar chair, but told Davis that it was her health condition that caused the fall.
Ophelia Ford: Due to low blood.
Donna Davis: So you’re saying you fell off the bar stool because of your anemia?
Ford: Yes, and not eating.
Davis: But you were in the bar?
Ford: Yes, I was in the bar. But I go down to that sessions bar to get me some soup.
On a bar stool and not eating and not drinking. Hmmm. Looking to get picked up? Not neccessarily off the floor though.
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“But I go down to that sessions bar to get me some soup.”
Yep, that’s the reason I hang out in bars, it’s for the soup. I always want to “get me some”. Soup, that is.
I know that many of the fine, upscale and fashionable bars I frequent serve a wide variety of healthy, nutritious and delicious “soup”. Soup is good for you. You should drink, er, eat some everyday.
Ophelia (l) and mouthpiece
"I'M NOT AS THINK AS YOU DRUNK I AM!"
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Eloquent, too!
Strakle, starkle, little twink
what the heck you are, you think?
I’m not under the alcofluence of inhol,
though some thinkle pink I am!
“Give them a soda with sugar or some glucose tablets, some carbs, peanuts or something.”
Give them ORANGE JUICE. My dad was a diabetic and OJ is the best remedy for an insulin reaction. It has the most quickly absorbed sugar of all foods. We always had orange juice in our house, never, never, never ran out.
Or a magnum of wine will do the trick. I'm diabetic and if I have wine or beer my sugar goes up. No doubt she was piss drunk.
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