November 8, 2002
NO EDSEL, HE:
Ford says he'll challenge Pelosi for House Democratic leadership (James W. Brosnan, November 8, 2002, Memphis Commercial Appeal)Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.) confirmed today he will run next week for House Democratic leadership."My candidacy and leadership would offer a new era of energy and vision for the party," Ford, 32, said in a telephone interview with The Commercial Appeal late Thursday. [...]
Ford said his message would include challenging President Bush to acknowledge that his economic policies aren't working. Ford said he would call for a new round of personal and business tax cuts, including a payroll tax holiday to benefit working Americans.
While Ford generally agrees with Bush on Iraq, he said the President's declared position that the United States has the right to pre-emptively strike any nation that poses a potential threat is "not thought out."
This can't improve Mr. Ford's standing within his party and the GOP should make it abundantly clear that they'd welcome him across the aisle. We'll pass his tax cuts in a heartbeat. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 8, 2002 7:05 PM
I would love to see Ford become a genuine Republican, as he's a super-talented politician. He's always struck me as an ardent Democrat though, how realistic is it that he would switch?
I grant he's ambitious and as a Republican, his chances of one day becoming president would be high. But for now, I suspect he's jockeying for recognition as the country's leading black politician and for a Democratic leadership position.
He's been awfully hard-edged about this to be bucking for leadership. It's far easier to see him saying that he tried but the Party is hopeless.
Posted by: oj at November 8, 2002 10:13 PMFord isn't going to change parties.
As I wrote on my Weblog, he's going to become Minority Whip (Pelosi will, of course, cakewalk to the position of Miniority-Leader-For-Life).
I don't think Ford is anywhere near
close to having a latent desire to be a Republican. Sure, among Dems (especially CBC Dems), he's moderate to conservative. But - well, lets put it this way: I doubt he has a hidden yearning to be called a Tom or have oreo cookies handed out wherever he appears.
He'll be Whip, and remain a Dem.
But does he have a desire to be a functionary in the minority party? From what I'd understood he's far more ambitious than that. And becoming a Republican is a free ticket to higher office for a moderate/conservative black, isn't it?
Posted by: oj at November 10, 2002 4:39 AM