"Common Ground Found" -- Harold Ford....response to posts on TPM...

[SaveElmer]

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/specialguests/2007/apr/05/common_ground_found

He showed alot more class than many of those posting...

Some excerpts...

I appreciate the volume of response to my initial post, in the comment threads, and in follow-up posts. And I appreciate the passionate - even if off-based - criticism of the DLC. But we should all remember that the DLC played an instrumental role in giving Bill Clinton - then an Arkansas governor - a policy platform to campaign on and from in 1991. The fact is, the DLC's support for fiscally responsible and inclusive public policy to protect families, educate kids and strengthen our nation's security is long-standing.

Also, I would remind the DLC critics who believe that we never criticize the Bush administration and support its major domestic and foreign policies that the DLC and its think tank, the Progressive Policy Institute, has published millions of words admonishing the administration on just about every issue.

The DLC, after all, vociferously opposed Bush's tax cuts (and favors their repeal for upper-income categories), supports universal health coverage (while attacking Bush's bogus health care proposals), supports mandatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions from industries and automobiles while opposing an fossil-fuel based energy policy, supports a systematic effort to eliminate corporate subsidies in the federal budget and tax code, favors public financing of congressional campaigns, opposes unilateralism in foreign policy and the abandonment of liberal values and international treaties and institutions (and opposes military action against Iran or North Korea), and supports a woman's right to choose and non-discrimination laws to protect gays and lesbians, among other things.

And on the issue of Iraq, like most Democrats (including the DLC), I oppose Bush's "surge" --- and would have voted for the supplemental had I been in the Senate, contrary to an erroneous Washington Times report last week. In addition, I do think there is a real, important fight with jihadist terrorists that the administration is terribly botching, in part because it has tied our armed forces down in the Iraq disaster.


......


Additionally, as an aside, I would remind some of my blog critics that during my campaign for the U.S. Senate many in the liberal blog community expressed support for my erstwhile primary opponent, hailing state Senator Kurita as the real progressive and real democrat in the race for Senate. Again, my vociferous blog critics were wrong. In January 2007, Ms Kurita changed parties, effectively giving the Republicans the majority in the Tennessee state Senate. Her reward was a top leadership position in the Tennessee state senate.

In any event, it's clear to me, as it probably is to you, that there's a lot of mistrust and unfinished business underlying any dialogue between the DLC and some elements of the netroots, that can't be resolved in one exchange. I pledge my good-faith efforts to show respect for the views of those who sincerely disagree with the DLC's approach, and ask the same in return.

[vi5]

1. Hmm..I must have missed this stuff in his campaign...

...."vociferously opposed Bush's tax cuts (and favors their repeal for upper-income categories), supports universal health coverage (while attacking Bush's bogus health care proposals), supports mandatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions from industries and automobiles while opposing an fossil-fuel based energy policy, supports a systematic effort to eliminate corporate subsidies in the federal budget and tax code, favors public financing of congressional campaigns, opposes unilateralism in foreign policy and the abandonment of liberal values and international treaties and institutions (and opposes military action against Iran or North Korea), and supports a woman's right to choose and non-discrimination laws to protect gays and lesbians, among other things."

I don't remember him talking about this while wearing his hunting cap or strolling through the church in his campaign ads.

[orwell]

2. It's too bad...

...that TN residents did not elect him to the Senate. He was treated like crap by the so-called "Christian" cons who did not hesitate to pull the race card in their never-ending thirst for power. Shame on them.

Classy response Mr. Ford.

[tnlefty]

3. I take exception to this one-sided presentation of Sen. Kurita.

I'm not aware that she changed parties, first of all.

Also unmentioned is that Wilder is 85 yrs. old, has a history of being a mysogonist and a racist. When Gov. Bredesen was ill Wilder was asked to step aside and to gracefully mention his age, blah, blah, blah. He refused and he was voted out. Nor is it mentioned that he fell in his home about 2 months ago and was hospitalized and in intensive care in part because of his age.

No, I supported her because she wouldn't have voted for that damned bankruptcy bill among other things.

Do I like that her vote gave control of the state house to the repugs - NO, but I didn't appreciate Wilder's stubborn behavior either.

[SharonAnn]

4. I agree. Wilder was an absolute disaster. If our Dems couldn't find anybody better for that

position, then we deserved to lose. To support that anachronistic throwback to the crony, corrupt, misogynistic, racist backroom deal makers meant that we weren't big "D" Democrats. He was just absolutely, totally, awful. Sort of like a racist, misogynist Lieberman.

And, remember, the Republicans held a majority in the State Senate, though there was one R who was apparently so afraid of Wilder that he might've voted for Wilder instead of the R candidate.

If we want to control the Tennessee State Senate, then we'd better get some Democrats elected to replace the Republican senators.

If we put up someone like Wilder, we deserve to lose. Until we stand up to these people or get rid of them, then we're not the Democratic party. We're the corrupt, crony, back-room dealing party.

Frankly, I admire Kurita's vote. Wilder was bad, bad, bad.

Kurita did not change parties. She just pissed off a bunch of cronies who've been running things their way forever. The male old-timers are just beside themselves. You know, "women just don't know their place these days".

More power to her. I trust Kurita's judgment on this.

[northernsoul]

5. Does the DLC realize that their last success was 15 years ago now?

I'll admit they got it "right" (i.e. won a national election) in 1992. My question is: what have they done for the past 15 years? The progressive netroots are the people moving the party to victory in 2006 and again in 2008, the DLC is apparently still fighting the battles of a previous decade.

[SaveElmer]

7. So you don't subscribe to the notion that 2000 and 2004 were stolen?

eom

[Arugula Latte]

8. The elections were stolen -- and the DLC didn't do a damn thing about it.

It was the activists on the Internets that were rightly outraged, not the DLC corporate bootlickers.

[SaveElmer]

10. Uh...ok...

Al Gore and John Kerry were both DLC...so according to you then, a DLC member has won the last 4 elections...

[madfloridian]

6. I don't think Ford and others in that group realize there are many issues left unhealed.

The fringe activists attacks that started in 2003.

The attacks on anti war activists.

Ford's anti-choice and anti gay rights issues in his campaign.

His famous Imus attacks on Howard Dean and his critique of Dean's christian credentials.

The consultants connected to that group and its candidates, Schoen and Carville for two....who have called for Dean to be replaced by Ford.

Ford himself saying he would meet with Dean and perhaps ask him to step down....like he had the authority.

The push for war, the reasons stated for their being there in the first place....to leave the traditional voters behind and get corporate money so they did not have to stand for things that would not get votes.

Too many bridges burned to just be settled so quickly.

They are more condemning of those of us in the party who demand action that they are of the Republicans.

Ford, in the minds of many of us, stands out for a reason....it appears he will be the one Hillary would appoint as chair. The attacks have been swift and sharp. He must overcome that impression. The inevitable is not as inevitable as it once was.

[ulysses]

9. damn straight.

Ford wants to build bridges, fine, but there's 22 years of history there with an organization founded in direct opposition to party progressives. We're listening, Harold.