Democratic standard-bearers Ford, Bredesen blitz GOP foes

[Judi Lynn]

Democratic standard-bearers Ford, Bredesen blitz GOP foes
Party faithful drawn to Jackson Day bash
By Richard Locker
Contact
June 25, 2006

NASHVILLE -- Democrats Phil Bredesen and Harold Ford Jr. Saturday night sent their party's faithful out from the Ryman Auditorium -- built as a revival hall in 1892 -- to bring independents who have "strayed" in recent elections and even a few Republicans back to the fold for this year's elections.

The annual Jackson Day event, the state Democratic Party's largest annual meeting and fund-raiser, was moved from The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, to the Ryman.

It was part pep rally to energize the 1,500 to 2,000 activists present and part tent revival to convert others. So the messages of both standard-bearers was centrist, with Bredesen outlining his priorities for a second term as governor and Ford for a U.S. Senate seat the GOP has held since 1994.

Ford, who's been targeted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee as he is showing strength in the polls, brought Democrats to their feet with an attack on the GOP.
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http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/midsouth_news/article/0,1426,MCA_1497_4800282,00.html

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Ford replies to war wrangling in TV ad
Another political attack links governor to illegal immigrant with record

By TOM HUMPHREY, [e-mail]
June 24, 2006

NASHVILLE - Partisan maneuvering over the war in Iraq in Congress has led to a new television advertising campaign by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr.

U.S. House Republicans last week brought to the floor a resolution opposing the establishment of a deadline for withdrawal of American troops. Ford joined most Democrats in voting against it, saying the measure "is nothing more than a gimmick."

The National Republican Senatorial Committee immediately distributed a news release to Tennessee media declaring that Ford had voted to "cut and run" in Iraq.

Replied Ford in a statement: "I support our troops and goals in Iraq. But I will not support a resolution praising a government that wants to grant amnesty to terrorists fighting our troops. There is only one option for such people: we should hunt them down and punish them. Amnesty is not an option."
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http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/politics/article/0,1406,KNS_356_4798296,00.html

[Rose Siding]

1. "Cut and run" means "you're a coward"

When Rs say "cut and run" they mean "you're a coward". I'd like to see someone say that and challenge the Rs the say it to their face. Call them out. They'd fold like laundry. I have no trouble seeing Murtha insult Rove to his face but which mealy mouthed goper could bear to face off with a charge of cowardice now that the military is trying to look like they're doing what the Ds suggested?

Ford has some spark when he's pushed and his vote against the res was potentially costly to him. He was the one other Ds had to hold back on the House floor when the pres was hesitant in removing Mean Jean's slurs against Murtha from the record.