 Despite disasterous polling, Former Tennessee Representative Harold Ford continues his ill-advised, non-campaign to usurp Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's seat in the US Senate. In a laughable media rollout, the career politician has discussed his love of weekly pedicures, daily breakfasts at the Park Regency Hotel, helicopter rides over the state, and accused Gillibrand of being a DC insider. But this may well take the hubris cake. He will be speaking at a gathering of the Stonewall Democrats, and LGBT chapter of the Democratic machine, at New York City's Gay Community Center.
Gay activists are planning an appropriate welcome for Ford. More after the fold.
Cross-posted at Daily Kos. |
| Intial reports quoted a former member of the Stonewall board as describing Ford as "entering a lion's den." It was my interpretation that the invitation extension was merely perfunctory. A way of saying, "Ok, we'll hear what you have to say." But not actually entertaining the idea of supporting Ford over Gillibrand. Gillibrand has earned the gratitude of NY's LGBT community. She has long had an LGBT friendly voting record, even back in the house. Freed of the electoral constraints of representing a solidly GOP district, she's stepped it up even more, leading on DADT, and offering support for marriage equality and even adding sexual orientation to the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
And though the LGBT community is familiar with poseurs who express support, and show for our fundraisers to collect checks, Gillibrand has been generous with her time. She's sat for exclusive interviews with Andy Towle of Towleroad blog, NYC's Gay City News and spoken on air with Michelangelo Signorile on his Sirius radio show.
Upon early reports that Ford was interested in challenging Gillibrand, Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle preemptively struck a blow calling it "no contest," and Gillibrand "exponentially better" in a statement that nicely sums up Ford's record with the LGBT community:
Today's news that Harold Ford Jr, a former Tennessee Congressman and former candidate for the US Senate representing Tennessee, may seek to challenge Senator Gillibrand here in New York should be particularly disturbing to LGBT New Yorkers.
Ford supports a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. In fact, he voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment both times it reached the House floor. He has also gone out of his way to condemn court rulings (New Jersey's, for example) that called for equal treatment under the law for same-sex couples. During his last year in the House, Ford received a 25 (out of 100) rating on HRC's Congressional Scorecard.
Ford's anti-LGBT positions run in marked contrast with Senator Gillibrand's unyielding support for our community. In the year that she has been in the US Senate, Senator Gillibrand has been an outspoken and passionate supporter of every single piece of pro-LGBT legislation that currently exists at the federal level. She has often led the charge in the Senate for calling for the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell." She became the first US Senator from New York to support marriage equality, and she actively lobbied members of the New York State Senate to support the marriage equality bill before it received a vote on Dec. 2, 2009.
For our community-and any New Yorker who cares about equality for LGBT people-there is no contest here. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand deserves our full support if she is going to be challenged by someone who has a dismal voting record on our rights-someone like Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee.
So it seemed clear to me that Ford's appearance was a mere formality extended out of courtesy to the Democratic machine of New York (which, btw, has mostly rejected the possibility of a Ford candidacy).
But some disturbing disclosures were made in an article that ran in yesterday's Advocate news site. The article has a excellent summary of Ford's history on LGBT issues, including his betrayal of a promise to vote against the Constitutional amendment banning Marriage Equality, which he voted for. Twice. The article reports current Stonewall President Chris Lynn extended the invitation during a chance meeting with Ford.
Lynn, who calls himself a Ford supporter, says he views the Wednesday meeting as an opportunity for the potential candidate to begin to build support among gay Democrats. He adds that he knows other gay New Yorkers who are supporting Ford.
Wow. Just wow. This isn't a choice between a turd sandwich and a giant douche. For the gay community, this a choice between a turd sandwich and an excellent Senator that has worked hard to move the bar on our stagnated issues.
 I'm glad to see The Power Online has risen to the call of representing LGBT interests in this race, where Stonewall Democrats have failed. They are is working to recast the framing by organizing the protest.
On Wednesday, February 24th at 6 p.m., The Power invites you to join us in confronting anti-LGBT Senate hopeful Harold Ford, Jr. when he addresses the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City at the LGBT Community Services Center at 208 West 13th Street (between 7th & 8th Avenue). Be there early and invite all your friends to stand united against his lies.
Ford, a member of one of Tennessee's most corrupt political families, has a record of lying to gay people to advance his political career. As a Tennessee Congressman, Ford pursued the endorsement of LGBT Democrats there, promising them that he would not support an amendment to the Constitution banning same-sex marriage. After getting the endorsement, Ford not only supported the Federal Marriage Amendment, he gave a floor speech on behalf of the amendment and voted for it twice! National Stonewall Democrats spoke out about the betrayal at the time in an interview with the New York Times.
A history of anti-LGBT voting and a history of lying to the gay community. This Ford is an Edsel, a non-starter.
There is a Facebook Event here with more information, and about 250 attendees. If you plan to attend, please text keyword LGBT to 95495 to get important late breaking updates via SMS. |
