Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen warns McCain of race baiting

[Hope And Change]

Phil Bredesen refers to attack against Harold Ford Jr. as an example of the kind of ad that could backfire.
Photo: AP

Bredesen warns McCain of race baiting

By ALEXANDER BURNS | 8/1/08 5:41 PM EST

With the two presidential campaigns trading accusations of race-baiting, one of Sen. Barack Obama’s prominent red-state backers warned the McCain campaign on Friday to be careful of attacking Obama in ways that could seem racially motivated.

In a meeting with Politico reporters, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen referred to a commercial aired against then-Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.) in his unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 2006 as an example of the kind of advertising that could backfire against McCain, the Arizona senator who’s the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

The ad against Ford, produced by the Republican National Committee on behalf of Republican Bob Corker’s campaign, showed a white actress saying she had met Ford at the Playboy mansion and ended with her saying, “Harold, call me.”

“The reality of the ad, which I think ought to be a lesson for McCain right now, is that ad helped Harold Ford, absolutely,” Bredesen said.

According to the governor, Corker’s polling showed a significant reaction against the ad, with the Republican Senate candidate going from a lead of six points to a deficit of four in less than a week.


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http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12247.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. So...Phil is "warning" McCain that these tactics are effective? Duh.