Harold Ford: A win will make history…
Filed Under Category: Political & Social CommentaryThe current political race for congress is heating up. Republicans don’t want to lose control and Democrats are fighting to get it. I reported a story on Rep. Harold Ford from Tennessee and the fight that he is facing to stay in a congressional seat last week. This race, according to many media sources, is the one to watch as a gauge for the intensity of the battle at hand to win control of congress. There are more underlying reasons, however, why this race is the one to watch though. There are several hot button issues that are at the forefront of this election, including Iraq, border control, stem cell research, gay marriage, and the “hidden” issue of faith. The Republicans tried to paint themselves as the only political party for people of faith in the last election. They purposely painted themselves as the “evangelical” christian party. Democrats, however, are coming forth in defense of their faith in larger numbers.
Senator Barack Obama has lead the Democratic party in the fight to change perceptions about Democrats and faith. More Democrats are following in his foot steps. Harold Ford will make history for two reasons if he wins the senate seat in Tennessee. He will be the first black senator since the reconstruction from the south and he will be one of the few Democrats that wins a seat in congress with faith as a major campaign point. On the back of Rep. Ford’s campaign card, he has the ten commandments. He has even based one of his campaign ads on faith…
[youtube=http://youtube.com/w/?v=3l7Ft8sLFqI]
Ford has been criticized for his blatant use of faith. Why is it OK for a Republican to talk about faith, but not a Democrat? Will it work? According to polls from Tennessee, it is working. Ford is slightly ahead in the polls. His strategy and integrity in this race are commendable. The reality has always been that God favors people and not political parties, but more Democratic politicians need to begin to bring this issue to the forefront. A win by Ford with faith as a major issue will shift the electoral process for Democrats and Republicans alike. If more Democrats begin to lean to the center on “hot button” issues, more elections are going to be close. Here is another ad where Ford clearly states his position on faith…
[youtube=http://youtube.com/w/?v=k3LkIklc6BA]
A win for Harold Ford is considered to be the most pivotal win for Democrats in the Senate races. He is a seasoned congressional rep. and he is, in the opinion of the Democratic leadership, an easy win. Although Republicans have tried through campaign ads to smear his reputation, because of his family’s rich tradition in Tennessee and him not giving in to the pressure, he still leads in the polls. The Republican candidate Bob Corker, a Tennsee millionare and former mayor of Chattanooga, TN, has mentioned faith in his ads as well.
If Ford wins, he will definitely make history and shift the nature of Democratic campaigns and the paradigm of faith in political races that has been typically slanted in favor of Republicans. This is the race to watch. I want to show a follow up ad that the Republican National Committee released when they pulled the negative ad of Ford. Is this one any better?
[youtube=http://youtube.com/w/?v=OgyEq4PF0Lw]
What we’re seeing here is Democrats coming to grips that they have to reach out to the church going of this country if they want to stay alive. The unfortunate thing is that Republicans have done such a masterful job of hijacking the game of politics that they are always seen as the Friends of Faith. Since the Reagan days, they’ve changed the rules of the game, equated liberal to evil or bad, equated conservative to all that is good, and almost painted Democrats into a corner of irrelevancy. Notice how Republican ads use the term liberal. Seen the Rick Perry commercial attacking Chris Bell saying he’s too liberal for Texas? It’s all semantics. By making the public think that all Democrats are hippie, tree-huggin’, unpatriotic, abortion loving wimps, Republicans have cornered the market on the vote of the faithful. They know that the vast majority of the country puts their faith at the top of their priority list. Therefore they cater to and get those voters. Democrats have been dumb and not countered that. There are many Christians out there that would vote Democrat if they were smarter about what they focus on. Republicans hijacked the idea that anti-abortion, low taxes, and “family values” and etc. are things only Republicans value and fight for. Who DOESN’T want lower taxes, fewer abortions, and values “family values”? Why do you have to be a Republican and want that. The Dems have been slow and dimwitted in countering this. The GOP has ruled the game. Maybe just now the Dems are catching on.
The video attacking Ford is misleading. You know there is more to it. As with virtually all of these campaign videos that disparage the opponent, they tell half truths and conveniently leave out crucial information. I’m sure there’s more behind his vote to provide abortion pills to teenagers. He may have inadvertently voted for it because it was tucked away in a bill somewhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if the money from the porn people was a mistake. These ads appeal to the lowest common denominator and take advantage of the electorate that doesn’t think or check things out. It’s enough to make you plant your foot in the TV screen.
Well intentioned politicians are hijacked all the time and can’t do what they think is right or what the public truely wants because they have to pander to special interests for dollars and toe the party line. I could go on, but I don’t want to be here all day.
By the way, the Ford ad where he is in the church is a good counter to the typical Republican tactics.