I Stand with Harold, Mostly

Today I met Tennessee’s Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. Harold Ford Jr. has a lot going for him — a moderate Democratic platform, youth, experience in Congress, and a GOP field that’s eviscerating each other in the primaries.

He appeared before an enthusiastic crowd at the Howard Office Building in Nashville today. He led by criticizing W for vetoing the stem cell research bill and ended with the quip, “If the Republicans can support Vice President Cheney, surely you can support me.” The desperate humor was unneeded though, since he had the crowd behind him all the way.

The only time they didn’t cheer was when he talked about the war. Although Harold Ford Jr. nearly got into a fistfight defending Jack Murtha on the floor of Congress, he still thinks we need to keep our troops in a country that wants us out. When he explained that a pullout would play into the hands of the Iranians, I think I could hear the grass dying. There was not a clap or cheer to be heard.

Congressman Murtha will be in Nashville in a few weeks to fundraise for Ford. Maybe he can convince Ford to get on the right side of this issue and support a pull-out. He’s got my vote, but if he had a change of heart about the war he’d have thousands more.