Ford Tells Obama to Ignore Race Factor (AP)

[Eugene]

Ford Tells Obama to Ignore Race Factor

By NEDRA PICKLER
The Associated Press
Thursday, January 25, 2007; 4:34 PM

WASHINGTON -- Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr., has some advice for his friend
Sen. Barack Obama: Don't be afraid to take your presidential campaign
anywhere in this country, no matter what the racial politics.

Ford lost a close bid last fall to become the first black senator from a
Southern state since Reconstruction. Some blamed the loss in Tennessee
on racial politics, but Ford said Thursday other factors, including a rival
who spent his own money, contributed to his defeat.

He said Obama, son of a white mother and an African father, can't control
how his race will affect his candidacy.

"As long as he works hard, is honest ... and is not afraid to take his message
anywhere in the country, he'll do fine," Ford said. "He can't try to predict
what other people may think or may do. All he can do is run the campaign
that he's capable of running.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012501231.html

[MADem]

1. About the only thing that Ford should have done was worked the

campaign from the perspective that he was dealing with polls with a seventeen percent margin of error, rather than a fifteen percent margin. He almost took it. It was SO close.

Hate to say it, but if he'd been married with a cute kid it might have made a difference, especially if he married a local beauty queen or someone with community standing. That foolishness still plays with the older voters...

[beaconess]

2. Thanks, Harold - now maybe that will shut up the "Obama can't win because Ford didn't" crowd

[mitchtv]

3. if you give the people a choice

between a real republican, and a democrat who votes like a republican, they'll vote for the real republican . My advice to Harold Ford

[madfloridian]

4. Ford said on CNN that Obama called to work with them.

If I heard correctly. That was amazing to watch that...it almost sounded like he was new party chairman of all of us. :shrug:

[LittleClarkie]

5. Should a dude who lost be giving advice?

Just sayin'