Posted on 01/10/2010 5:27:58 AM PST by SonOfDarkSkies
In the days since floating a possible run for Kirsten Gillibrand’s senate seat, Harold Ford Jr. — former Democratic congressman from Tennessee, current vice chairman at Merrill Lynch, dashing MSNBC talking head and the party’s next great black hope — has already upended New York politics. This week, Mayor Bloomberg, along with high-powered members of the Democratic Party’s machine, telegraphed their support for a Ford candidacy; one day later, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Gillibrand supporter, told Ford to back off. By late Thursday, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid had asked Bloomberg to stay out of it, and by Friday afternoon, Ford Jr. — otherwise silent on the issue — issued a statement saying he “is not going to be bullied.”
All this sturm und drang is fascinating, given two salient facts: In the year since her appointment by the deeply unpopular Gov. David Paterson, Gillibrand has proven distasteful to the party faithful, who view her as far too conservative. And she has failed to win over the electorate at large. (Most recently, Gillibrand drew local criticism for supporting the health care bill while not seeming to understand just what it would cost the city, telling the Post only that it “is good for New York” while declining to discuss it in detail.)
Into this void steps Harold Ford Jr. On paper, he seems a dream candidate for the state of New York: A stylish, cultured, incredibly telegenic African-American politician whose profile is both high (he is chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council) and low (no one outside of Tennessee really knows that much about him).
So: Just who is Harold Ford Jr., and what exactly does he believe?
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Interesting that Ford went right from being a congressman to a “vice Chairman” at Merril Lynch. No wonder Wall Street is going down the tubes.
...I thought that this guy has already been exposed as an empty suit in Tennessee politics...what are the Dems trying to do here...recycle a loser?
Dem White Female vs Dem Black Male - haven’t I seen this before?
Everybody is tiring of Obama (Carter II), so I doubt people (other than hard-core Dems) will get too excited about Obama 2.0 (aka Carter III).
Nothing would make me happier than to see Gillibrand and Ford blow an incredibly large amount of money on a primary fight - go get ‘er, Harold!
Ask Hillary.
What’s up with Harold? He’s a Memphis, TN guy. What the heck is he doing up in NY??? He loses an election in TN so he hie-tails it to NY??? Must be trying to distance himself from his family as far as he can. Probably would have went to Alaska if it weren’t for the “SP” factor.
Another carpetbagger democrat running to NYS for politcal power.Kennedy, Clinton now Ford? (among others)
NY Politics are most weak in nurturing succesion. That’s how we got Patterson, and Hitlery. Nita Lowey, long-time local political pros-ti-tute, had that Moynihan seat for the asking, but ran in fear from the Clinton machine. After Pataki, the Pubbies had no one to turn to? D’Amato beaten by Up-Chucky? What a mess.
Just glad me, my kids and all my business affairs are leaving NY for good. The Erie canal made NY 150 years ago. There is no reason for anyone to be here anymore.
“the party’s next great black hope”
...already throwing the towel in for the “1st great black hope”. Time to come up with 2 more catch phrases. Perhaps this time “believe” and “just do it”.
Well since the rest of the family is in jail I am sure he moved on. Its Tenessee Harold FORD!
http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/is-harold-ford-jr-a-merrill-lynch-bonus-baby/Content?oid=1439797
February 13, 2009
Is Harold Ford Jr. a Merrill Lynch Bonus Baby?
//
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=2006&cid=N00003218&type=I&mem=
Top 20 Contributors to Campaign Cmte
Rank Contributor Total Indivs PACs
1 ActBlue $84,460 $84,460 $0
2 Goldman Sachs $80,497 $75,497 $5,000
3 Credit Suisse Group $66,970 $56,250 $10,720
4 Keeping America’s Promise $63,101 $62,101 $1,000
5 Ariel Capital Management $61,450 $61,450 $0
6 Bain Capital $51,800 $51,800 $0
7 Merrill Lynch $50,450 $47,450 $3,000
8 Morgan Stanley $43,650 $43,650 $0
9 UBS Americas $40,210 $40,210 $0
10 National Amusements Inc $39,750 $39,750 $0
11 Time Warner $39,249 $34,249 $5,000
12 Hbj Investments $38,900 $38,900 $0
13 Radio One $36,200 $36,200 $0
14 FedEx Corp $35,350 $25,350 $10,000
15 University of Tennessee $34,000 $34,000 $0
16 Bank of America $29,900 $20,900 $9,000
17 Patton Boggs LLP $29,800 $24,800 $5,000
18 First Tennessee Bank $28,850 $28,850 $0
19 JP Morgan Chase & Co $27,100 $26,100 $1,000
20 Bone, McAllester & Norton $26,800 $26,800 $0
cant understand why guliani doesn’t run....he could win...no?
Ford no doubt advises the board and management on legislative matters and what's happening in DC. When possible, he makes connections.
Ford would be a pretty good choice for Vice Chairman IMO.
He has; but, let us face it, New York is the place dying ‘rats go for political resuscitation, e.g., Bobby Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, those two being the most notable in the last 40 or so years. I have no doubt that Ford can be elected-all he has to do is captivate NYC and that won’t be hard to do-plus we must deal with the probability that the ‘10 elections will be totally corrupted by the ‘rats.
More importantly, even Massachusetts is sick of Deval Patrick, the beta version of Obama.
While committing the sin of not reading the whole article, I would suspect that Ford is just another Dem pol who will try to wring as much money out of the federal gov for his constituents (and his pals) the same as all other Dem pols and quite a few Republican pols. That’s what the Dem Party sop consists of: bleeding the American taxpayer out of their money and establishing more power for themselves over other Americans.
This punk of a retread is just another pickpocket in a long line of pickpockets...but he would make a perfect photo sandwich between Chuckee Cheese for the Camera Please and Mayor Buffoonberg....
Interesting.
This isn’t Ford’s first run in with the Dem Party. Remember he challenged Pelosi for the Speakership after the 2006 elections.
Honestly, he’s always struck me as a decent guy. (of course his family has a somewhat checkered past). The Dems shunned him in favor of Pelosi, now they want to shun him in favor of another white female.
This might be fun to watch.
About 70% of the New York State voters are registered Democrats. A portion of those are really middle of the road and can will vote Democrat or Republican based on the candidate.
Here’s what to hope for:
1) Gillibrand and Ford have an expensive brusing primary,
2) The Republicans pick a viable candidate to run regardless of the Democratic candidate, but (s)he must get goings early,
3) If the Republican runs a good campaign: result the NY seat becomes Republican.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.