Can Harold Ford be rescued in Tennessee ?

[kentuck]

What should he do to get back in contention in this race? Has he been "too Republican" and turned off some voters he needs to win? After all, if the voters have to choose between a real Repub and a fake Repub, they will pick the real Repub every time, paraphrasing Harry Truman.

Is there anything Ford can do to get back in this race. At this point, it's either do or die for the Congressman, it seems? What does he have to lose?

I think his most important appeal to the voters is that we need to change the rubber stamp Senate. If they vote for Corker, they are voting to continue the direction we are going. It is not just about Harold Ford, it is about where our country is going. Vote for your country - not Harold Ford or Bob Corker.

[still_one]

1. What do the people of Tennessee want?

[Totally Committed]

2. Conservative, Jesus-loving, Republican automatons....

I can't understand why he's lagging behind!

TC

[still_one]

5. If that's the case there leader should be Ted Haggard

[maryallen]

25. They want authenticity ...

A real man ...
An honest man.

Ford tries to be all things to all people, and that's impossible.
He should be who he really is and say what he really believes, not what he thinks they want to hear.

[kentuck]

27. I agree...

Be real, Harold.

[TheFarseer]

28. I think people wonder who he is

is he the guy that talks about God and morals or is he a machine politician that hangs out at the Playboy mansion? I think the "Call me" ad hurt him and crashing the Corker event. Right after those two things happened, the momentum really swung.

[GreenArrow]

29. crashing the corker event

was pure idiocy - made him look small.

[skipos]

3. Losing in TN because he is TOO REPUBLICAN?!?

Gimme a break. Diebold or not, Gore didn't even do well in TN on 2000. Was Gore too Republican?

[kentuck]

4. 2000 was not 2006...

Much has changed since then.

[skipos]

6. Like what? nt

[fujiyama]

10. If anything, the state has become MORE conservative since 2000

That is what has changed.

Ford was lucky he even made this competitive enough to force the republicans to spend money on this race. And I think it's quite evident that nasty racist ad did help Corker.

[Samantha]

33. I don't think so

Bush* had over a 50 percent disapproval rating in Tennessee when that state-by-state Bush* analysis was posted. I couldn't believe it. That's a big step forward for Tennessee.

I think the state machinery is in the grips of the Republicans, despite the fact the governor is a democrat.

I also think that every single day, more and more Easterners relocate to Tennessee because of its great moderate climate, change of seasons and no state income tax. For that reason, I do not think it can be said the state has become more conservative since 2000.

[OHdem10]

11. As Harry Truman said,

Give the people a choice between a real Republican and a
fake and they will choose the real thing everytime.

There are people who believe we lose close elections
because we turn off some Democrats who are not enthralled
with Republican Light.

Just explaining .

[skipos]

14. Can Truman explain why Nelson of NE, the most conservative Dem in the senate

gets 70% approval from NE Democrats and will win over Ricketts (R) by a large margin? Or why Lieberman is shaping up to beat Lamont?

[Hippo_Tron]

21. Truman didn't live in the post-Reagan era

Truman didn't live in a time where middle and working class people had been conned into believing that welfare queens are the cause of their economic struggles and that tax cuts for the uber rich were the solution to this.

[Breeze54]

7. Could this be why?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2006/senate/tn/tennessee_senate_race-20.html

Demographics
Occupation: Blue Collar 30.2% | White Collar 55.6% | Gray Collar 14.2%
Race: White 79.2% | Black 16.3% | Hispanic 2.2% | Asian 1.0%

RCP Average----10/24 - 11/05----Corker ( R )--> 51.5--- Ford ( D )--> 43.0----Undecided--4.3

Perhaps the Dems need more people knocking on Blue Collar doors?
Making more phone calls to GOTV?? :shrug:

[IndianaGreen]

8. Why doesn't his pal Joe Lieberman campaign for him in Tennessee?

Ford endorsed Lieberman over Democrat Ned Lamont, so why doesn't his new pal campaign for him in Tennessee? I am sure that many of those "Jesus Camp" fundies will listen to Holy Joe's endorsement of Harold Ford.

[Clark2008]

9. Actually, you're not off the mark there.

But, in reality, the polling info is skewed.

Seems our fine pollsters have been over-sampling East Tennessee - by A LOT.

East Tennessee is the smallest Grand Division in population; however, Mason-Dixon thinks they deserve this breakdown:

E.Tenn - 230
M. Tenn - 225
W. Tenn - 70

Now, it should be noted that West Tennessee is the largest of the Grand Divisions, population-wise, and also the most Democratic. East Tennessee, the smallest, is the most Republican. Middle Tennessee is, here, the only Grand Division polled anywhere near what they need to be.

Also, turnout for early voting in Memphis - Shelby County - hit near-epic proportions. They had a +13 percent OVER a presidential year election! Does that register? They had 13 percent MORE vote in early voting than in 2004.

Knoxville - over in East Tennessee - ummm... lackluster. Negative 31 percent over 2004. Same for Chattanooga - negative 17 percent.

Sounds like the most Democratic region has turned out the most vote - which, is a good, good sign for Ford.

[SharonAnn]

23. Yes, I noticed that sampling and said "WTF?"

[lwcon]

12. I think the die is cast

He really has been quite Republican. Not much chance for him to change his stripes before Tuesday, but it's a great question.

If a genuine progressive heart beats inside him, it would be great if he could say something inspiring to let people know he's something better than a DINO.

Failing that unlikely possibility, I just hope -- as you do -- that people will realize that not all politics are local, and that they'll hold their noses and wrest control of both houses from a party bent on destroying the Constitution.

If they don't, they're puristing our way further into tyranny, like those fateful Nader voters of yore.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[elperromagico]

13. He's not as far behind as some of the polls suggest.

From what I can gather, he is about four or five points behind, not ten or twelve.

Still, that's a hell of an uphill climb. I'm afraid he's peaked.

[Catherine Vincent]

15. This is Tennessee.

Ford's problem is he's not white enough.

[IndianaGreen]

18. Harold Ford can't beat Jesus!

There are millions of voters in Tennessee and other states that live within a universe of irrational beliefs. They are convinced that their precious white Jesus wants them to vote Republican, and Republican they will vote even when it hurts their own economic interests.

It's not Harold Ford's race, or political positions, it's the fact that he has a "D" after his name and Jesus wants no "D's" in Congress or the White House.

A third of the electorate has shut itself off from reason!

[SharonAnn]

22. Yes, unfortunately we're finding that here in East TN, especially

with older white men (60+).

It's a shame, but not unexpected.

[leftofthedial]

16. running to the center is a sucker's game

be liberal and be proud

stand for something

from what I've heard and read of him, he doesn't deserve to win

of course, the repuke he's up against doesn't deserve to be out of prison.

[elperromagico]

17. I assume you've read "What's the Matter With Kansas."

The author's argument is that Democrats have had trouble because they've abandoned economic populism and tacked to the center of business issues. It seems to be a good argument.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. It's certainly working for Sherrod Brown in Ohio

And Ford is trying to play the populist game like Frank suggests in What's the Matter With Kansas, but I think if he were further to the left on economic issues he'd be able to do it a lot better.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

24. ford's a rw ass on economic isses

brown has played them perfectly. that's why dewine's personal attacks have rolled right off him.
brown's campaign should be a model for future dems

[Hippo_Tron]

26. I agree

Although I'll admit that Ford is much better than Bob Corker on economic issues, his middle of the road positions aren't doing the trick and they are hard to understand. Campaign commercials in churches are a great way to get religious voters to listen to you but once they do you need to tell them something or they will just go back to listening to the GOP who says that you are weak on national security.

[TSIAS]

19. No

We are in much better shape in Missouri and Virginia.

It's a shame that Ford's going to lose. He's run a good campaign, but I fear the GOP's race-baiting has worked again.

[liberalpragmatist]

30. Maybe

My guess is we'll lose this by about 5 points. BUT, the Ford campaign is supposedly touting the fact that two independent polls released tomorrow morning will show the race back to even. As it is, the Rasmussen poll narrowed from an 8-point Corker lead to a 4-point Corker lead (51-47).

Also, according to The Note, the Republicans' own internal polling only had Corker ahead by 1.

So it's possible if Republicans stay home and Black turnout is high. I wouldn't bet money on it, but there's a chance.

[question everything]

31. Where are the Gore and Sasser voters?

It was not that long time ago that both TN senators were Democrats.

Can either of them call their former constituents?

on edit:

What about Clinton - bubba himself? He did carry TN twice, didn't he?

He was in NJ and as I was watching the news I was thinking that he needs to go to TN.

[SharonAnn]

32. I think those constituents are no longer sufficient. Or have turned GOP.

[Tatiana]

34. Yes, he can. But by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin.

Tennessee is quite polarized. The fact is that Ford is not going to win over ANY Republicans there no matter how much Republican leadership has destroy this country because... well, because of that permanent tan he's got. What he needed to do was motivate the Democrats and independent voters in the state. Recent comments made by Ford wouldn't exactly motivate *this* Dem or Dems in TN, but they may have made some of those conservative independents and "Reagan Democrats" feel safe to vote for him. Of course, in order to pull this off, we've got to hope he hasn't alienated the Democrats in the state (who hopefully, will hold their noses, do their patriotic duty and vote for him anyway).

I still say he pulls this one out... but barely and there may be recounts involved.

[zulchzulu]

35. No. Ford aimed too far right and missed the TN moderate/swing voter

It's a shame.

Although he's done some really Republican things that make me wonder if he is of value anyway, he has had the Repigs play very dirty in the race.

Corker will win by at least 5% points. We can only hope he gets caught up in some scandal...