Harold Ford’s Parting Gift

By GottaLaff

Dave Weigel has more:



Thank you, Harold. That means the world to us.

Harold E. Ford Jr. Decides Not to Run for New York Senate Seat

By GottaLaff

Good news via an e-mail alert:

Under intense pressure from Democratic Party officials, Harold E. Ford Jr., the former Tennessee congressman, has decided not to challenge Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand in the primary this fall, according to two people told of his plans.

He has told friends that, while he is convinced he could
prevail against Ms. Gillibrand, he feared the winner of the
primary would have little money and remain highly vulnerable
to a well-financed Republican challenger at a time when the
Democratic party controls the Senate by a slim majority.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com?emc=na

Don't let the door hit ya.

As Oliver Willis tweeted:

Shorter harold ford: maybe running as a rich, out of touch banker is not the best thing to do in 2010

Or ever.

For sale: Harold Ford's "extremely, relentlessly yellow. And turquoise" apartment

By GottaLaff

Harold Ford apparently has the taste of a '70s drunk after a bad night out discoing. How's last century's decor working out for that big real estate deal, Hal?

This is Ford's apartment — the precise location of which caused something of a stir last week when Ford was quoted (erroneously, it turns out) as claiming to live a couple blocks from the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan. [...] [I]t could be yours for $1.4 million.

Also, it is extremely, relentlessly yellow. And turquoise. [...]

The apartment has been on the market for 224 days, according to New York magazine's real estate listings, and Ford and his wife Emily Threlkeld recently dropped the price by $90,000. [...]

A rep for Ford had no immediate comment on why he lives in a prison of unrelenting yellow, and how soon he hopes to escape from it.

It's like KC and the Sunshine Band threw up:

Video- Stephen Colbert on Harold Ford

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Alpha Dog of the Week - Harold Ford Jr.
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Economy

Ouch.

Video- Ann Coulter's Favorite Democrat

Between Greenwald and the spanking Tony Weiner gave Ford this morning, he is not running.

Harold Ford Now Backs Same Sex Marriage

What a pandering, hypocritical piece of crap. Just watching him on the shows makes my eyes cross. Via Taegan-

Here's the clearest sign yet that Harold Ford Jr. is going to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in a Democratic primary: The New York Post reports Ford "publicly said for the first time that he was in favor of same-sex marriage."

When asked on the Today Show, "So you're now in favor of same sex marriage?"

Ford responded: "Civil unions and same-sex marriage, yes."

As a congressman from Tennessee, Ford advocated a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Video- MTP: Panel discusses health care overhaul

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Harold Ford: I Would Have Voted For Torture

Reason #456 to get Ford off the teevee circuit stumping for us. Sorry for the light posting tonight, I'm under the weather. Via Think Progress.

May I just say

That Harold Ford Jr (lame, wussy) vs Tom Delay (unchallenged liar) in a cable show "debate" is just a fracking joke. I think all the gains I made in blood pressure maintenance by not watching "Morning Joe" anymore have disappeared.

See for yourself-

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Harold Ford Jr For Commerce?

I'm all for it if it gets him off the pundit circuit.

Harold Ford Jr. for Commerce Secretary? It's something a few Democrats around town are pushing and, according to sources, the idea of appointing the former Tennessee Congressman is being given serious thought by folks high up in the Obama administration.

On paper, Ford checks a lot of boxes for a an easy-to-confirm nominee for this post: He's a pro-business Democrat (remember, this is Commerce Secretary so the job is to be a promoter of business); he's a former member of the Congressional Black Caucus (you'll recall this whole kerfuffle over control of the census under a Judd Gregg-led Commerce Dept. was started by complaints from the CBC); and he's a practiced spokesperson on TV (the Geithner rollout this week is a reminder that the administration doesn't have enough solid media savvy members of his team who can sell the administration's policies.).

There is one, potential, gigantic problem: Ford's current place of employment -- Merrill Lynch.

Harold Ford heckled over Fox, FISA, Obama discussion

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: I updated in my original post, too, that Phil Gramm has been officially kicked off the McSurrogate campaign.... per CNN and Rachel Maddow.

Harold Ford got heckled at Netroots Nation (where Cliff is right now):

Former congressman Harold Ford was billed as a sheep amidst the wolves when he was booked for an appearance at the Netroots Nation conference here in Austin. And while for the most part the DLC head and self-described 'centrist' Democrat received a cordial welcome among the progressive audience, there were a scattering of hisses, boos, and the occasionally unruly heckle during his discussion of FISA, Obama and Democratic politics more broadly.

Appearing alongside DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas - in what has become a series of appearances for the two since they butted heads during a Meet the Press appearance last year - Ford pushed back against the notion that Obama had abandoned the netroots on the FISA fight.

If you have a hard time hearing the video, go here for the transcript.

Sunday Morning Show Lineup

By Paddy

THE LINEUP -

Meet The Press: Author and Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA). Very Serious Discourse with failed senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. (DLC-TN), rapist paroler Mike Huckabee, GOP strategist Mike Murphy, and finally Bob "0-8" Shrum gives his expert and-he-should-know analysis on the failures of the Clinton presidential campaign.

Chris Matthews Show: Clarence Page, Norah O'Donnell, Gloria Berger, Andrew Sullivan. Quotes here. Interesting Clarence Page quote there.

This Weak: Joe Biden (D-BULLSHIT!!) and Worst House Minority Leader in History John Boehner (R-Effexor). Matt Bai (who's book has just been made irrelevant by the Obama campaign), gop-trasher Peggy Noonan, Donna Brazile and George Will.

Face The Nation: Missing-in-Action Gov. Charlie Crist (R-McSame), GOP strategist Ed Rollins, Ex-Gov. Mario Cuomo (D) and ex-CO Gov. Roy Romer (D).

Fox News: American Patriot Chris Dodd, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Karl Rove who is on Frog-March Watch.

Late Edition with Wolf: Commerce Sec. Carlos Gutierrez and lobbyist Trent Lott (R-MS). John King, Jessica Yellin and Dana Bash talk about how anytime McSame links himself with Bush, it means he's winning.

60 Minutes: Iraqi informants, Indonesia's Garden of Eden, and Jon Bon Jovi

Lineup and snark via Sam Loomis