Ford asks Kerry to apologize

[ECH1969]

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. issued a statement this morning calling on U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to apologize for comments that Republicans including President Bush contend disparage U.S. troops in Iraq.

“Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said,” Rep. Ford said. “He needs to apologize to our troops.”

http://www.tfponline.com/absolutenm/templates/breaking.aspx?articleid=6735&zoneid=41

[Rose Siding]

1. Some (in both parties) will say ANYTHING to get elected.

[saigon68]

34. They aren't studying hard enough that's why they are in IRAQ-NAM

[TayTay]

2. Gee, I wonder if Harold Ford will give Kerry back the money

He raised for him, over $300,000 to date. After all, Mr. Ford wouldn't want any of that Kerry tainted money to affect his campaign now would he?

[truthInCO]

33. Because of the money

Because of the money Kerry should be able to go off half-cocked and say stupid things that Ford doesn't wan't to be associated with? Just wow.

Or, Ford should just shut his pie-hole and not bite the hand that feeds him?

Or, at best you meant "don't hurt your own team".

Ford should be able to associate himself with whomever he wants - whenever he wants - for whatever is politically expedient to get in office. In that case he is being opportunistic, a true politician, and the kind of people we will need to win this. In the case of Kerry he should just be.... loyal? At what price.

[TayTay]

38. Apparently $302,000 or more.

That seems to be his price.

[TankLV]

41. We all know WHAT ford is - we are now just haggling over the PRICE!

[TankLV]

40. Yes - that asshole ford should "shut his pie-hole and not bite the hand that feeds him"

He shouldn't "hurt your own team".

THAT's the POINT!

[Debi]

60. Please tell Kerry that. n/t

[Demeter]

3. Wrong Move Ford

Another who really didn't listen or think first. Two wrongs don't make a right (just a right-wing!)

[Name removed]

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[davidinalameda]

54. he's trying to show how tough he is

he's not one of those librul Democrats blah blah blah

[Connie_Corleone]

4. Fuck you, Ford. That's all I have to say.

[shawcomm]

74. agree

nt

[Boneman]

5. Maybe. But coming from Ford is another mistake by Ford.

[Union Thug]

6. Ford just fired the first round in the circular firing squad. Good going, dumbass.

[Windy]

7. Ford is an idiot...

he will say anything to get elected...kinda like Lieberman!!!!

Too bad he's the only dem running in Tennessee. He has made the repubs argument.

What a shill...

[acmavm]

8. Ford is a chickenshit being intimidated by the media and the

repubs.

What a douchebag.

[surfermaw]

9. I agree with Ford most of the time but not all the time

Kerry shouldn't appoligise..he should say he stoped short, and if you don't get an education to get the best jobs the second tier are outsourced to foreign countries, and immigrants are give the lower tier of jobs becsuse business in using immigrants instead of Americans keep their salary expenses low..What is left for the high school graduate in America..either Iraq, or hunger.

[Randomthought]

11. Thank you!

Finally someone is pointing out that Kerry was right. He just didn't expand his comments enough for the FOX/CNN addicts to get it.

[AngryOldDem]

25. That's a different spin than what Kerry put on it

Kerry himself said he was saying that if kids did not know their history, they would be condemned to repeat it. It's very true, and why he did not say that is a mystery. It's a thought easily articulated.

Kerry said what he said, and for a man who is usually careful with his words, to me there is no way around this. And I have absolutely NO problem with Ford demanding an apology.

Kerry can't gracefully backtrack from this, but he is doing the right thing by lying low for awhile.

Finally, since I've probably stepped in shit here from the one or two people who may actually read this, I'll take it a step further. We all know that what Kerry said most likely sums up how 99.9% of the GOP view the boots on the ground in Iraq. If Bush, Rummy, Cheney, or anyone else had said the same thing, we'd be all over that person on these forums. Kerry's comments were clumsy and impolitic, and NOT what the Democratic Party needed a week before the election. Can we at least be honest with ourselves on this point?

[creeker]

70. very good post---If you have to eat Crow,it tastes better warm.

If Kerry had just apologized to the Troops immediately most of this would be gone tomorrow.
and all the reinterpretation of his remarks---- political bullshit spin used by both parties to make the best of a sitution.
Gore 2008. my nickels worth

[LibDemAlways]

12. Is Ford stupid? What's with this

"Kerry need to apologize" shit? I commented elsewhere that Kerry's big mistake was not keeping it absolutely simple yesterday by taking the podium, admitting he had botched a joke, retelling the joke using the chimp's name several times so no one could misinterpret what he meant, and then declaring the matter closed.

Kerry's impassioned defense yesterday was great except that no one was listening - apparently Ford included.

[The Stranger]

13. Tell Ford to go fuck himself. And, Kerry, don't you fucking dare apologize.

[William Bloode]

14. That makes me glad i burned his check a few weeks ago.

I had donated money to him, then his torture vote pissed me off so i burned a check i has written to send him. I felt kinda guilty for it a time or two since. After this i am very happy i burned the check and sent the money to John Lasche(sp?) instead.

I was hoping Tenn would be able to defy they stereotype that a black democratic person could not get elected. Sadly i could care less if he wins or not now. I don't support the spineless self serving crowd. Fuck him!

[mitchtv]

66. Mr Ford cannot be depended upon

Another Joementum
say anything no matter how rw to be a sellout senator

[William Bloode]

68. I bought the hype!

I at first bought into all the hype about ya know Tennessee electing a black senator for the first time since reconstruction. I lead with my chin instead of my head. The truth was though the more i paid attention to what he said, the less i really liked him.

I also watched this weekends Bill Maher today, with him on. I must say he came off very repukey, and was ever more put off. Actually has the 12 commandments on his business cards!

If i lived in Tenn. i would most likely hold my nose and vote for him. Afterward i would go right to work working to find a replacement for the next primary.

If you didn't see the Maher episode Bill was pretty hard on him, and more or less told him he was more of a republican than a Dem.

[mitchtv]

78. I did see Real Time Friday, and I agree

I am in no position to point fingers, as I have held my nose and voted for Dianne F. several times already. (At least she is reliable on choice)Harold would be a perfect running mate with Hillary IMO

[creeker]

71. I don't know where you are from,But most folks in the rural south

(both Black and White) DON'T CARE what color the elected is,only what he/she will try to accomplish while in office.
For the record,born in lower Alabama 1957.I saw the "White" and "Colored" water fountains,and all the rest, so I KNOW how far equality has come.
The only color that matters to most people is GREEN.And how to get more of it.
my nickels worth----peace to all

[William Bloode]

81. I am right next door to Tennesse.

Own land there as a mattrer of fact. I know full well Southern attitudes, and the changes that have come. I just wanted Ford to show the rest others did not care about his color.

[Name removed]

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[Stevendsmith]

44. Sycophantic, boot-licking, traitorous fuck. That pretty much sums him up.

Ford is a useful idiot for the Rethugs -- a "me too" "faith-based" Democrat that makes me want to puke.

[sampsonblk]

16. Ford is a selfish idiot...-nt

nt

[Katzenjammer]

48. No, he's an obvious, uncaring, unashamed DINO. And barely even that. (nt)

[april]

17. He really is a Rep ...he is so wrong

[depakid]

18. That's one race I'm not going to cry over

when he loses.

[LostinVA]

26. Me either

To me, IMO, it's even worse than that tool Lieberman's race.

Ford hasn't hesitated to throw women and gays under the bus... even "Independent" Joe has occasionally been on our side...

[speedoo]

30. Exactly.

Too bad his dem rising star will no longer be rising.

Fucking whore.

[Totally Committed]

19. He's wrong to do this...

He and his conservative "Democratic" (!!!) politics disgust me.

DINO to the core.

TC

[Polesitter]

20. Glad we traded in our Ford Windstar years ago and got a Honda Pilot.

If you ask me, Gerry and Harold get too much $ from their car business anyway.

[Stand and Fight]

21. The Lesser of the Two Evils... But... BUT!

I have always found the comment above reprehensible. Especially so in the 2004 election, and I've never found a situation where it applies. However, were I living in Tennessee, I would hold my nose voting for Ford, because in this case he is the lesser of the two evils. Ford disgusts me, but Corker is something even worst.

Nonetheless, I believe that this is a political move by Ford. You know the reporters are going to ask him his opinion of this, so why not just get his "opinion" aired. I imagine that he called John Kerry beforehand, expressed that he would be saying this, that it is nothing personal, and to quote a great Democratic Majority Leader, "All politics is local."

[funkzilla]

22. Don't do it John

If he apologizes he'll just be hit over the head with it even more

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[LostinVA]

24. I really am disliking him more and more

This is just the latest nail in the coffin for me.

[Egnever]

27. I will be glad when this idiot loses

I have disliked him for a while now. seems every time i see his mug he is taking the pukes side. Didn't he break from the CBC during the run up to the IWR? Love to see the seat go to a Dem but I think I will sleep better knowing this jackass is finally done. I would rather an enemy we know than this pompous ass.

I am no fan of kerry's either but what he said while worded badly wasn't wrong, and much as I would love for him to apologize for a lot of things that particular spewing isn't one of them.

[brentspeak]

28. Link isn't working

Do you have a working link?

[Name removed]

29. Deleted sub-thread

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[ljm2002]

31. Well fuck him then.

I don't give a rat's ass how "conservative" his base is. The more "conservative" they are, the more they despise weakness. Giving in to this nonsense just cements the impression that our party and our candidates are Jello-like.

How do you suppose the Republicans, a true minority party, have been able to rise as far as they have? By maintaining true solidarity with one another, coming to each other's defense, and not backing down.

Now it's true they also require lockstep thinking and we ain't too good at that -- who wants to be.

But for heaven's sake, we might support each other once in awhile. Kerry has been out there stumping, and just gave a big pile of money to Democrats in the waning days of this campaign. Instead of going all Chicken Little here at the end, the Democrats could give themselves a big boost by toeing the line on this one: it was a minor gaffe, by someone who is not running for anything, magnified by the media spin machine, and is a 100% ridiculous non-issue.

[western mass]

32. Pathetic coward.

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

35. ford should be demoted to peasant

[leftchick]

36. "Some Dems join GOP seeking Kerry apology "

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061101/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_kerry

:eyes:

Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said," said Democratic Rep. Harold Ford (news, bio, voting record) Jr., running for Senate in Tennessee.

"Sen. Kerry's remarks were poorly worded and just plain stupid," said Montana Senate President Jon Tester, a Democrat trying to unseat GOP Sen. Conrad Burns (news, bio, voting record). "He owes our troops and their families an apology."

"I'm sorry he did what he did. But I think the issue ... we want to make sure it doesn't confuse the subject of the war in Iraq," Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin, running for Senate in Maryland, said on CNN.

Republicans continued their criticism of Kerry. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Kerry "put fuel on the fire" by counterattacking against the White House. And the Republican National Committee released a Web ad, to be e-mailed to GOP activists and state party officials, called "Apologize."

[dkofos]

37. I'm glad I don't live in Tenn. I just couldn't bring myself to vote for

someone that blatantly stupid.

[TankLV]

39. FUCK HAROLD FORD! Fucking DINO repuke wannabe...

He is now giving the repuke aid and comfort AGAIN!

That makes my blood boil...

He should have KEPT HIS MOUTH SHUT!

He is just like ZELLOUT and LIE-berman...

NOTHING he says or has done lately do I look favorably on...

Another train wreck of the Democratic Party in the making...

[Fluffdaddy]

43. You can thank Kerry for this train wreck in the making

[stepnw1f]

46. No... Once again We Can Thank the DLC Pandering Wimps

Good job... bravo DLCers. Once again, caving to the right wing media machine.

[lebkuchen]

42. Note to Ford

I received your letter asking for more money from me. I gave your share to Jim Webb.

[nini]

45. Ford is such a DINO

I was not impressed with him when he was on Bill Maher.


He needs to stop kissing the right's ass.

[Justitia]

47. Take note: Dean (former rival) DEFENDS Kerry, Ford slits his throat

Now, who do you count on to strengthen the party and all of us when the going gets rough?

Howard Dean has never disappointed me and he has never betrayed his own party when attacked by freaking repubs.

Harold Ford not only jumped ship, but is now taking up arms with the other side.

Harold Ford is the opportunistic asshole I always suspected he was.

All of us Dems deserve better than to be thrown under the fucking bus when the enemy starts firing.

[THUNDER HANDS]

49. smart politics

that's all this is. We're less than a week from an election, folks. In case any of you forgot.

[Justitia]

50. Yeah, your most dependable Dem voters just love it when you take out another Dem. -nt

[BlueStater]

59. They would of been best just to let this go

Instead, they (Cardin, Ford, Tester) had to open their fucking mouths.

[othermeans]

51. Wouldn't it have been great if the Dems had rallied around Kerry and said

it was a mistake instead of falling on him like a pack of famished wolves?

How about Ms. Duckworth standing up on her artificial limbs and raising her hands in victory? How about Ford saying something about Cheney not being on the bow of Kerry's swiftboat?

"We must assuredly hang together or we will all hang separately."

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

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[LostinVA]

53. Gosh yeah, that's just hysterical

[ShortnFiery]

55. Isn't it sad that many troops don't appreciate Kerry's 100% Pro-Veterans

voting record in the Senate. Instead they get roped into childish Junior High pranks based on little to no information. Even our shitty, pro-republican Corporate press can't help but release the true situations surrounding their propaganda. Most people can read between the lines in the USA.

Unfortunately, over in the Middle East, our beloved soldiers are being fed disinformation.

Mission Accomplished you corrupt PsyOps MFs! :puke:

[BlueStater]

56. You expect him to apologize for something he never said?!

No. Fuck you, Harold.

[Name removed]

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[CrazyForKucinich]

58. Shut up Ford

You dipfuck.

[David Zephyr]

61. I don't have a problem with this at all. I support Harold Ford.

Harold Ford has to represent Tennessee and to win Tennessee. He's in the fight of his life and, has so far, given us the best opportunity to have a Democrat in the U.S. Senate, to possibly gain control over the Senate, that we have had in a very long time.

I'll take Harold Ford replacing Bill Frist any day of the week gladly.

Shut up and get behind our candidate.

[RatRacer]

65. Thank you

I'll also take his well thought-out positions over Corker's vapid non answers any day of the week. This holding out for only the most progressive, left-leaning candidates regardless of what state they're running in is only going to guarantee more years of far-right rule.

[dethl]

62. Mr.Ford, Kerry botched a joke, and * botches 2 wars daily

Go Cheney yourself if you're going to stoop to the GOP tactics.

[BigDDem]

63. Harold Ford

the new Zell Miller

[ecstatic]

64. Don't blame Ford for Kerry's BS moves

I can't stand when Dems turn on each other, especially in the limelight, but consider this:

Ford is running in the southern red state of Tennessee as a BLACK MAN. He is doing everything possible to try to get elected so we can have an extra seat in the Senate. Kerry, as usual, screwed up and fulfilled the stereotype so many people (Dems and Repugs) have of him by stating he wouldn't apologize to apologizing when the pressure got too tough. If you want to get mad at anyone, get mad at Kerry.

[liberalpragmatist]

67. Ford Did Well on MSNBC Today

He said he believes Kerry that he didn't mean it that way and criticizes the Republicans for distracting people from the real issues.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=1A20E58B-E5E5-4A71-ABE8-C9414B2987C5&f=00&fg=email

[Anakin Skywalker]

69. No He's Not Wrong.

No apologies needed.

[Punkingal]

72. Hellfire!

This is the stupid shit I HAVE to vote for on Tuesday!

[Ethelk2044]

73. Ford

For did the right thing because the repugs were trying to use
this to hurt the democratic party.  The repugs would have kept
this shit up till election day, if Kerry did not apologize. 
The other Democrats felt the same way.  It is not that Kerry
was talking about the soldiers.  He was not.  But the other
side would have used any and everything to their benefit.  
Now the repugs are planning to put out an AD because of this
mistake.   

[Punkingal]

77. I'm a Democrat, and I didn't feel the same way.

Kerry owed no one an apology, and Ford is a sniveling coward.

[cyr330]

75. unbelievable

Fuck that asshole, Ford.

[JVS]

76. I would normally object to this, but since Kerry says he deserves another run in 2008...

I see no problem with someone knocking him down a bit.

[LetsThink]

79. It's An Opportunity to Say to Pres Bush: "You're Concerned?...

....about our troops? Well, why don't you send them properly protective vests? What about properly arming the humvees in which the troops are patrolling Iraqi streets? Use the opportunity to push the Rs to provide needed equipment to do the job...... "

Perhaps I'm a dreamer but we could ask to bring them home.......?

[last_texas_dem]

80. This is so ridiculous

Basically, Ford is one of several pandering Democratic candidates feeding right into the hands of the right-wing and their media lackeys. It's obvious to anyone who isn't a complete dumbass what the point of Kerry's statements was. Just because the right decided to take them out of context and make ridiculous assertions didn't mean our idiotic media had to turn it into a "Does Kerry Really Hate Our Troops?" story. But, why am I somehow not surprised they did? For any self-respecting Democrat to actually play along with this right-wing bullshit is just plain shameful.

Sorry, Harold Ford, you did a great job in that debate and I'd definitely prefer you in the Senate over that worthless Corker, but this kind of crap coming from you takes away just about any enthusiasm I might have had over your candidacy.