Waving at the Ford Bandwagon
I just got this email from Chris Jackson, a blogger for Harold Ford Jr.:
Hey Todd, how have you been? Hope you are well.It’s tempting to jump on the Ford bandwagon. Our state needs a Democrat to restore balance in the Senate and bring back representation for moderate and liberal Tennesseans that has been sorely lacking for so long. But as I wrote here and here, I’m not beating the drum for Ford until he changes his position on the war. He is out of step with Tennesseans. Here’s my reply to Chris:
The reason I am emailing you is in regard to helping me in the blogosphere in support of Congressman Ford this fall. As you know, he will be facing Bob Corker in the general election this November, so he is going to need all the help he can get.
Already, conservatives, moderate and hardcore alike, are falling in line on the blogosphere for Corker. I am hoping we can do the same thing for Congressman Ford. This race is crucial as you know. Not only can we elect a Democrat here in Tennessee, but this race would give us control of the Senate if we were to win.
Now I know that you do not agree with the Congressman on every issue. I respect that. However, I hope we can all put aside our differences and work for what is best for this state and nation.
We can’t allow Bob Corker to be our next U.S. Senator. We have already saw what a Republican millionaire Senator can do for us.
So will you be willing to part of the Ford Grassroots Blogsquad? We need good people like yourself to stand behind the Congressman in this campaign. The Republicans are standing behind Corker now. Lets show them that we are ready to take this country back.
I hope you will stand with me in the coming months as we try to defeat the extremism of Bob Corker and the Republican Party.
Please email me back to let me know.
Thanks, Chris
Chris:
I appreciate your interest, but I’m not a “solid” supporter of Ford. I met him recently in Nashville, of course I will vote for him. But as my blog shows, I don’t agree with Ford’s position on the war, gay marriage, and immigration reform. I hope that Jack Murtha will have some affect on Ford, especially concerning the War in Iraq.
If Lieberman loses in Connecticutt tomorrow because of his unquestioning support for Bush’s war in Iraq, it will be a whole new ball game for the Democrats, and we may start to see some real change. That is what we progressives in the party are hoping for. I believe that Democrats including Ford could make some strong gains if they would have the courage to agree with a majority of Americans that this war is harming American soldiers, our economy, our domestic and foreign policy.
I wish you well in the Ford campaign — clearly we need to break the GOP’s stranglehold on our Congress, and to replace Frist with a Democrat. I hope we get a REAL Democrat and not Republican-Lite. I believe the party of my parents and grandparents cannot start winning again in Tennessee until we stop being afraid to lose. We need to stand-up to right-wing fearmongering, stand up to big oil, stand up to the healthcare industry, and stand up for our brave soldiers who have become the world’s biggest target in Iraq.
I do hope you’ll drop by Bluenecks and leave comments.
Best,
Todd
posted by Todd Duren @ 8:06 AM
1 Comments:
Todd,
I just finished reading your comments to Chris Jackson. Your read is that of a fine young man.
While I respect your position on the war, as an older person who lived through the alleged "hey day" of the Democratic party, I beg to differ with you, with all due respect, on several of your stated opinions.
I recall another war Todd, one of my older brothers' served in it. It was called the Vietnam War. It was a horrible period in the history of this country.
I remember it, as clearly as if it were yesterday. I was a sixteen year old and living in constant terrior. I was horrified that the Army officers were going to come and tell us that Ray, my brother, had been killed in action just as our family friend, Marine, Willard Ray Phelps Jr. had been.
When I had the stomach to watch the news, I remember the angry faces of the war protesters. I, at fifty-three, still remember my anger and hatred toward them, at age sixteen.
My brother was fighting for this country,he did not have a choice. At that time in the history of our country, it was his duty as an American citizen. I recall thinking,that they,(the protesters) should just be glad that their parents have the money to hide them out in college as I watched them burn their draft cards on the news.
In my opinion, there was no dignity in the way that war ended, not when one considers the high price that was paid.
My oldest son, former Special Operation Sergeant, United States Air Force, Michael J. Henning served during one of the deployments after 911, and I was one proud mother.
After what they did to us on Sept. 11,2001, If my child had died fighting for this country during that particular time, I would have taken the flag that would have been given to me from his coffin with honor,with grace and with pride.
We have now moved from the frying pan, into the fire now Todd. It is past time to take our marbles and go home. Home is where they want to hurt even more that they did with their 911 attack.
While I do not think that the Republicans have the solution for bring this war to a just and dignified conclusion, I know, that turning and walking away is not the answer.
American lives have been completely destroyed, and I am not just talking about those that lost their lives. My brother would sit and stare into space for hours at a time upon his return from the war.
The Democratic party, in my opinion, does not need to return to it's roots. It's roots, as I recall, were orginally racist were they not? The Republicans now have that base, as well as many others that prey upon those issues that divide us as citizens of this state, and this country, well covered Todd.
Do not misunderstand what I am attempting to say, I loathe George Bush, and that band of crooks hanging out with him in Washington D.C. these days. They give new meaning to the words liars' INC.
In my opinion, I love those words, in my opinion, you see Todd, that is part of the problem these days. The majority of the Republicans and many of the "hardcore" Democrats have become so stagnated in their righteosness, that those of us in the middle are completely turned off by the rhetoric coming from both sides of the isle.
Enter Congressman Harold Ford Jr. I have read that he is a this, or a that, well here, in open minded consensus friendly Ville, we call him the "new" face of where the Democratic party "should" be headed. As I once stated on another blog, The Democratic party of my day, has almost completely lefted it's self off the political radar.
I cannot help but smile when ever I see, or hear Congressman Ford's "A new generation of Leadership" theme. It makes me smile to think that just maybe the solutions to some of the problems that appear to have our country in a downward spiral could possibly be eradicated with input from fresh young minds who still possess the ability to see the glass half-full. Young minds that realize that we are Americans first, no matter what our political affiliation maybe. Young minds that understand that consensus is a critical element in American government, opposed to a dirty word.
I believe that it is truly a new day in the Democratic party in Tennessee. We can stand with Congressman Ford, or we can continue to watch a sinking ship, sink.
In closing, I suspect that Mr. Jackson appealed to you because he knows that Those lowdown masters' of deceit are going to talk about everything but the issues during this election, as usual. And as usual, the "stuck on stupid" crowd, you know the ones' that I am refering to. They will allow the Republican party to play the same old tune "god's pro-life army needs ya" all the while sticking it to their behinds every chance that they get in Washington D.C., pitiful, they are.
I sincerly hope that you will reconsider your position, we need you.
Sincerly,
Miss Brenda
Jackson, TN.
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