Monday, January 25, 2010

What to Make of Harold Ford Jr

Both Luis and I went to law school with Harold Ford, Jr., who was in our first-year section at the University of Michigan Law School.  At the time, we both knew Harold quite well.

Harold has written this op-ed in the NY Times.  Harold wants to challenge Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for the Democratic Party's nomination to the United States Senate from NY.  Most interesting is that Harold is running unapologetically to the right of Senator Gillibrand, for Senator of NY mind you.

I have two questions for my friend Luis: first, has Harold correctly read the political tea leaves; is he right that Gillibrand is too liberal for NY?  Second, if Harold fails in this challenge, is he done in politics?

UPDATE: Harold gave this interview to the NY Times recently.  I'm also curious about what Luis thinks of the interview.

2 comments:

  1. I like Harold Ford. I really hope he is able to pull this off but I think he might have gotten in over his head. There are so many forces stacked against him (particularly Chuckles Schumer) that it would seem to be a herculean task before him. But if anyone can do it, he can. he's a smart guy and a good guy.

    That being said, a lot of people who should know better are predicting that 2010 will be a Republican year. They aren't paying attention. The extremists within that party will only continue to destroy it. Anyone who thinks that 2010 is going to be a Republican year had better think again. The Tea Party knuckleheads are already taking credit for the Massachusetts upset last week and are set (they believe) to take over the party. When they are denied the opportunity to do that, they'll splinter the vote with third or even fourth party uprisings.

    How am I so sure of this? It's quite simple, really. These people are not only crazy, they're dumber than doggy dung. It's only a matter of months before their mad house of cards comes crashing down.

    http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

    Tom Degan
    Goshen, NY

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  2. Harold Ford Jr. sounds like the reverse of a carpet bagger, those Northern opportunists who hurried South soon after the Civil War to buy up land and votes in order to enrich their pockets. He is an example of someone who will do anything to gain access to power including changing his views on key platforms. This type of representation we can do without. He seems like many of his ilk, the failed flawed scion of a political family, who is not as good as his parent.

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