Posted by Mark Silva at 12:59 pm CDT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The fur is flying in Tennessee, where the only Republican-held Senate seat which an incumbent is forfeiting this fall has created quite a contest between Republican Bob Corker, a millionaire builder and former mayor of Chattanooga, and Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr. of Memphis.
President Bush will enter the fray today, arriving to raise money for Corker at a $2,100-per-head fundraiser at the Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel – the place where Tennesseean Al Gore made his 2000 election-night campaign headquarters, only to watch his home state abandon him for Bush. The fact that Bush carried this state then and later outran Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts by 14 points here in 2004 gives Republicans a lot of comfort.
But if the GOP is really comfortable with this seat that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will retire at year's end, you couldn't tell it in the attacks they are leveling against Ford – portraying him as a "fancy'' fellow with big-city tastes and even an affinity for "parties with Playboy playmates.'' Ford is fighting back, accusing Corker of currying the favor of "Big Oil.''
War and Bush protestors mingle with supporters of Republican Bob Corker across the street from the Loews Vanderbilt Plaza in Nashville. Photo by Mark Silva.
Corker is happy to have the president here raising money for him this evening – Corker already has funneled nearly $2 million of his own into his campaign. And the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee has joined the fight on the air-waves, suggesting that this could become a top-dollar race. Some are calling Tennessee "the sixth state'' in the Democratic Party's bid to claim six Republican-held Senate seats and with that control of the Senate.
"Tennessee is no different than any other state in the country, in the sense that people are looking for new leadership and new direction in Washington,'' said Phil Singer, spokesman for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.
"The more that Bob Corker and other Senate Republican candidates associate themselves with the status quo, the clearer the choice in November is going to become for voters,'' Singer said. "He is raising money for them because he is going to want them to back the agenda that he is pushing in Washington.''
Dan Ronayne, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, maintains that Tennesseeans have backed Bush before and will stand by him and his party's candidate again this year.
"We have to do our work there to win the seat,'' Ronayne said. But "they have got to string together a pretty good amount of races to get to six (Senate-seat victories and regain control of the Senate). You are left with arguing that a congressman from Memphis with a message that matches up well with his district can sell it statewide. That's tough.''
A sure sign the president is coming, the convergence of satellite trucks. Photo by Mark Silva.
The contest for the only open seat this fall currently held by Republicans is getting "scrappy,'' by one campaign's account, with the DSCC airing TV ads in Tennessee accusing Corker of currying the favor of "Big Oil.''' His campaign finance chairman and college roommate is CEO of the state's biggest company, Pilot Oil, a gasoline retailer – "The gas station king'' has raised millions of dollars for Corker, the party's ad warns.
Corker's campaign finance chairman, James Haslam, has complained that his company is "strictly a retailer of gasoline, and as such, has nothing to do with the price of crude oil or the world oil market.'' The company also has less than one half of one percent of national gasoline market, he says.
The Republicans, attempting to paint Ford as a liberal and someone who, like Gore, has lost his Tennessee roots, are portraying the 36-year-old African-American as a Washingtonian with "fancy'' taste in food and cigars.
The NRSC operates a Web site, www.FancyFord.com, which tallies some of Ford's outings, including his attendance at a Playboy Super Bowl party. "Congressman Harold Ford likes to live the good life,'' it reports. "Perhaps a little too much. Lavish hotel stays. Fine dining. Couture suits. Parties with Playboy playmates… It makes you wonder, what would the folks back in Tennessee think?''
Critics see racial overtones in the Web site displaying a photograph of four glamorous blonde-haired women, but the party adamantly denies any such intentions.
"That is preposterous,'' Ronayne said. "It's a light-hearted way of making a greater point… that Harold Ford is probably a little more D.C. than Tennessee.''
The Democrats take heart in the GOP's attack: "If you had asked the NRSC back in January if they would have to spend time in Tennessee, they would have laughed at you,'' Singer said. "The sign of how concerned they are is that they are attacking him. That's what 'FancyFord' is all about.''
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Comments
HEy, I like a person who supports and favors B ig Oil, I like it best when I go to the pump and guess what? I get gas. unlike the days of the peanut famer from Georgia. Cliff
Posted by: cliff zeider | August 30, 2006 2:22 PM
Once again the wing nut party has to have the race issue to fall back on.
I'll be curios to see if the people of Tenn.fall for that and vote the rich wing nut along w/his oil buddy who are screwin the people on a daily basis.
Speaking of racist,another picture has surfaced of Sen.Allen posing w/the CCC(KKK) from 1996.
This guy is a long time racist,and the people of Virginia are figuring that out.Latest poll shows Webb leading Macaca by 2 points.
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 30, 2006 2:44 PM
Sayeth the article, "Critics see racial overtones" in the Republican web site. Who are these unnamed "critics"? Why are they not named? Could it possibly be because these "critics" are Ford supporters/Democrats, and this is the method by which the reporter (once again) tries to disguise partisan charges?
Posted by: Bruce | August 30, 2006 4:00 PM
After a quick look @ Bob Corker's web site,two items stand out.
Under the military tab,he claims the usual support for troops,but doesn't mention any military service in Nam,even though he's the right age.Another CHICKENHAWK.
Under the faith and family tab,he's for preserving traditional marriage.Now circulating on the web is a picture of his daughter lip locked with another woman.
Republicans,GO FIGURE.
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 30, 2006 4:18 PM
Boy, I'm sure glad there's no mud-slinging going on over here.
Posted by: Bill | August 30, 2006 5:13 PM
I used to enjoy posting on this blog but all most of the people who post here want to do is throw out the most baseless, vile accusations against the candidates and party that they don't like. It's gotten so bad that I hardly even try to have a meanigful dialogue here.
I know I've rolled around in the mud on my fair share of posts, but I've tried to limit those posts to ones where I've been personally attacked and I've really tried to show restraint.
It's now plain to me that no one else shows any restraint. It's all just "hooray for my side and the other side is pure evil."
This is why nothing gets done in Washington. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I've seen better behavior out of a class of 12-year-olds.
Posted by: Bill | August 30, 2006 5:34 PM
Bill..I stand by you 100%. I like a spirited debate but "mean" spirited is all you get. From Both sides. Sometimes I get caught in the frustration and spew a bit myself..but is there no dignity or careing left in the world? Have you all never been wrong? I have, and so I'm willing to listen, reason, and learn.
Posted by: bill r. | August 30, 2006 5:55 PM
Bill,
Here here.
Once the debate is reduced to namecalling, it ceases to be a debate. We all remember how a mere eyeroll lost Gore the presidency.
So while I might be sympathetic to the views of the Raving Loon, couldn't you just be a Loon? :-)
Moratorium on: wingnut, kool-aid, swiftboat (noun or verb) foil hats (tin or aluminum), chickenhawk, and any other simplistic political labels whether it's nazi, fascist, leftie, dum dum -- you get the idea.
And Bruce, I think you've been had. You were supposed to ask the background of the playmates. In the words of William Shatner on SNL parodying a Trekkers convention, "Get a life."
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | August 30, 2006 6:51 PM
Bill,why don't you be the better man and lead the way.
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 30, 2006 6:52 PM
Kenny,don't be fooled by Bill.He is probably the most partisan basher for the right.
The fact that Bill has been taking it on the chin pretty good the last few weeks has led to his new found reasoning.
All that being said,I'll follow his lead and see where it goes.
Remember,Bill is a guy who looks up to Karl Rove.
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 30, 2006 7:29 PM
Loon,
I hear you, and I wasn't singling out just you.
But there's simply too many over-simplistic sound bites responding to some complex issues many of which transcend mere politics. It's not black or white, or blue or red. There's plenty of overlapping shades of lavendar, purple and violet.
The troops in Iraq deserve it, the folks in the lower 9th deserve it, and we all need to make wise decisions in the voting booth, if not sooner.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | August 30, 2006 7:48 PM
If I've been taking it on the chin, it's because after seeing all the invective spewed around here lately I really don't have any desire or will to fight back.
Feel free to abuse me some more, Loon. Have at. I'm through with it. And I didn't say I look up to Karl Rove. I said he's good at what he does, just like lots of political strategists. I know it's an ugly business.
I guess I am a partisan, but I hope I do more than just bash people. I'll be the first to admit I've gone too far now and again.
Kenny, I second your motion for the moratorium. I'd like to add moonbat and raving loon (the label, not the name you can go by whatever you want) to the list.
Posted by: Bill | August 30, 2006 9:15 PM
Bill,
You were the one who told Loon that politics is a contact sport.
I guess it is unless the republican party is in free-fall right before a big election,huh??
Posted by: John E. | August 30, 2006 9:35 PM
Cliff, ya see if ya fail at being Prez of the U.S.
No gasoline, double digit interest rates, high unemployment,american hostages in Iran and of course "the misery index." You'all can become a carpenter....isn't america great!
The best thing he did was give us REAGAN!!!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | August 30, 2006 9:49 PM
Bill,
In 100% agreement with you.
I find the most interesting, informative, and educational comments are those written with the least venomous tone to them.
BTW, we havent had RRD - another of the good posters like yourself and a few others - in a long time.
Just wondering how he is.
Posted by: johnf | August 30, 2006 11:59 PM
Bill makes a really good point about the partisanship, and I want to go on record as appreciating his reliance on honest to goodness logic and clear facts. He states his opinions decently.
He's also correct that he's slung his fair share of mud (so have I, and I've enjoyed every oozy ounce of it). If he says he only did it when he was attacked personally, I'll be willing to believe that, although I tend to remember things differently.
Where he totally loses my support is when he says "YOU should all be ashamed of YOURselves." Had he made it a "we" proposition, I'd have been more comfortable with it, but this looks a lot like just a chance for somebody to get himself out of the mud, take a quick shower, jump up on a pedestal and make his little sermon, then jump right back INTO the mud.
Posted by: John | August 31, 2006 9:16 AM
Yes I’ve been guilty of some of this name calling, and I agree that’s it’s been getting a little out of hand. American politics has evolved in an ugly direction the last decade or so, but I still think people can get past the rhetoric and make thoughtful informed decisions when Election Day rolls around. I do blame the Republican Party for polarizing politics when they started the attacks, on then, Gov. Clinton when he won the nomination for president. I think he was the only sitting president to retain legal services through out his two terms in office in order to defend himself from political right wing attacks. Needless to say those attacks helped Republicans gain control of Congress, and it’s the strategy that has worked in the past that the RNC will continue to use (swiftboating). With poll numbers down across the board for Republicans I hope that the people of this country get out to voice their disapproval of our representatives in Washington, and VOTE!
Posted by: Rory M | August 31, 2006 9:32 AM
Paulo..It would be really interesting to hear full sentences and thoughts from you. I'm sure you must have some. Maybe you could even go back a little further in your rants..say..Madison!
Posted by: bill r. | August 31, 2006 10:11 AM
RRD,
R.I.P.
Posted by: John E. | August 31, 2006 10:15 AM
Rory,
While the political discourse has gone down hill, it started long before Bill Clinton came along and the Republicans "attacked" him. What about the Democratic smear campaign of Robert Bork? Or the Clinton-Gore ticket saying "1992 had the worst economy in since the Great Depression"? Or the Clintons and Dems saying in 1990s that the GOP wants "old people to die."
While I often call the "left" the "loony left," that is mild compared to the comments made my Raving Loon, John E and some others on here toward conservatives or those who don't tow the far left liberal line. They constantly call people KKK, chickenhawks, Darth Cheney, etc.
And then there are the constant e-mails from etheryang, who insists 9/11 was an attack not by Islamic terrorists, but by the Bush administration on the U.S. It's stuff like that that make me use "loony left."
Posted by: John D | August 31, 2006 11:47 AM
Bill,
I agree completely. It's what I was trying to say back when John D and Jay started taking over these threads and destroying any quality of dialogue, and it's why I don't post nearly as often anymore. It sounds like we have a general consensus among the majority to try to lift ourselves out of the mud? That would be a relief.
And, Raving Loon, even though I haven't been posting, I have been reading, and I must say you are one of the worst offenders. Even though I agree with most of what you post, gotta call you out on how you post it.
Posted by: Dienne | August 31, 2006 12:03 PM
Please Dienne. It seems that those you disagree with politically are those you deem as "taking over and destroying any quality of dialogue." Sorry, but Bill, myself, Juanito (gee, Loon and John E. called him bandito and burito in one post), Bruce get attacked, named called, attacked, name called, over and over again. I've seen several of your ilk tell the nonliberals in here to not post, we have no business posting, etc. You really must get your facts straight before lobbing your own bombs.
Posted by: John D | August 31, 2006 1:12 PM
JohnE,
Isnt that humour a little too black?
Posted by: johnf | August 31, 2006 1:18 PM
I understand frustration to the point of reverting to name calling in return to being called names. We each need to take responsibility
for our own actions. Don't say I only give back what they dish out...Don't acknowledge them..until they stop sling it. We can take back the blog to important issues. If someone spews..don't answer it. I have also begun to feel the need to post due to the craziness. We can even do better than the politicians.
Posted by: bill r. | August 31, 2006 1:35 PM
Dienne,you keep trying to "reason" with the wacko right.
When they retain the Congress in Nov. and shove it down your throat,remember how nice you were.
Good bye
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 31, 2006 1:58 PM
Dienne,
Loon is right,the GOP has swiftboated,and kicked around the Dems for six years now.
They want to talk nice now because their policys are going down in flames.
Keep talking nice to them,they'll talk you right into 4 more years of a do nothing,lockstep with Bush congress. See Ya
Posted by: John E. | August 31, 2006 4:52 PM
Loon and John E,
Dienne's right.
Who are you trying to persuade? Surely not some of the hardened GOP here? Will you do that by calling them names?
Let me suggest that you're trying to convert the undecided to your point of view, which loses credibility every time you lash out with namecalling.
Perfect example: Loon, do you think the word "wacko" adds or detracts from your post above?
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | September 1, 2006 9:41 AM