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Daily Dose for October 30, 2006
Daily Dose
Ford / Corker Race Hottest in the Nation -- That's according to Slate.com - their summation of the race is quite interesting. Corker, they say, appears to be running for local office - and Ford, Secretary General of the United Nations. The two candidates debated to laughs over the weekend. But, the latest interesting thing to come up in the race is Harold Ford, Jr's remarks at a rally in Paris, TN where he said, "My friend Lincoln Davis who chairs our campaign says there are, there’s one big difference between us and misfortunate Republicans when it comes to our faith: he said that Republicans fear the Lord; he said Democrats fear AND love the Lord." Corker jumped on the remarks calling them divisive.
GOTV is Key -- Speaking of the campaigns, the party's Get-Out-the-Vote efforts will be critical in determining the outcome of the Senate race. The Tennessean looks at both party's GOTV efforts, including the Republicans infamous 72-hour program, which apparently still gives the GOP national confidence they can squeak out victories in this unpopular year for Republicans.
CA Looks at 7th Congressional District -- Although incumbent Marsha Blackburn is considered a lock for reelection in the 7th Congressional district, the Commercial Appeal takes a look at the Democrat and five independents running against her.
White Campaigns Gets Complaint from Memphis Schools -- A campaign advertisements featuring 9th Congressional candidate Mark White and several high school kids who benefited from White's donation of jersey's to their team violates school board policy, according to Memphis City Schools. The picture which White received because he served as the school's business partner, needed approval from the school board before it could run in White's political ads, according to the Board. White is the Republican candidate running to replace Harold Ford, Jr.
I have been the director of congressional affairs for National Right to Life in Washington for the entire 10 years that Harold Ford, Jr. has served in the U.S. House of Representatives. I have been closely following the Senate race for the past couple of months. I have been somewhat astonished at the degree to which the mainstream news media, and even some neutral or conservative commentators, have unskeptically accepted the recent declarations by Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., that "I am pro-life."
My astonishment is due to the fact that Mr. Ford's claim to be "pro-life" cannot survive even a brief study of his actual voting record on abortion-related issues in the House of Representatives.
During his 10-year tenure, Mr. Ford has voted against the pro-life side 87 percent of the time.
On several major pro-life issues, including federal funding of abortion on demand, Mr. Ford has voted against every other member of the Tennessee congressional delegation, both Democrat and Republican. For example, Mr. Ford was the only member of the Tennessee delegation, of either party, who voted for an unsuccessful attempt to repeal the Hyde Amendment -- an effort which, if successful, would have resulted in federally funded abortion on demand. He was also the only member of Tennessee delegation of either party, House or Senate, to vote against the Abortion Nondiscrimination Act, a bill to protect health care providers from being penalized for refusal to participate in providing abortions.
In 2003, Mr. Ford and Rep. Jim Cooper were the only Tennessee members of Congress, House or Senate, to oppose "Laci and Conner's Law," which recognizes an unborn child injured or killed in a violent federal crime as a bona fide crime victim.
Whether you favor pro-life laws or take the "pro-choice" position, the voters have a right to know how a candidate has actually voted or would vote on issues of such gravity. But Mr. Ford is misleading the electorate by adopting the label of the pro-life side, while attempting to deflect attention away from a voting record that puts him firmly in the other camp.
I am eager to debate anyone who thinks he or she can defend Mr. Ford's assertion that Mr. Ford's record is "pro-life." Let's look behind the verbal camouflage, at the specifics of the 10-year voting record. I can be reached at 202-626-8820.
Posted by: Douglas Johnson | October 30, 2006 01:29 PM