| It's hard to imagine what exactly Ford hoped to accomplish by this. (Of course many have been saying this from day one of his non-campaign, on nearly every move he's made.) The event pretty much played out as one familiar with NY LGBT political circles might have predicted it. So, it did not go well for Harold.
New York's LGBT community is feeling pretty freshly stung. We're all familiar with New York's failed attempt to pass Marriage Equality last December. What many may not know, is more than a few Senators who voted "NO" benefited greatly in 2008 from donations and volunteers, brokered through Empire State Pride Agenda and other LGBT activist groups. So this is not a group in an especially forgiving mindset.
If he had supporters aside from event organizers protecting an invited guest, it was not evident. Many people held picket signs, with words like "Anti-gay liar," "Liar," and "Snake oil Harold." There were catcalls and interruptions. (One of my favorites, "Be quiet so he can lie some more.") Organizers did their best to keep the crowd quiet, respectful and civil. And, for the most part, people did pipe down when asked. In my estimation, the tone was appropriate. This is a man who voted twice to enshrined discrimination of our community into the Constitution, even speaking on the floor of the House in its favor. And not too many years ago. He can point to no acts of contrition in the time since (just words).
Ford began with a few brief statements. He discussed his own "evolution" on his support for Marriage Equality and also discussed his vote on The Federal Marriage Amendment, calling it "wrong." He sought also to distance himself from his pro-life past. At many times his statements prompted the crowd to waive their "Liar" placards, or make an occasional cat call.
Then there was a Q&A session where the moderator asked questions from a cards collected from the crowd. One question confronted him on his promise to the Tennessee Stonewall Democrats to vote against the Federal Marriage Amendment. The Advocate, speaking with Memphis Stonewall Democrat President at the time Jim Maynard, told this story on Tuesday:
In the weeks leading up to the first marriage amendment vote in 2004, Maynard understood Ford's position to be that of the Democratic leadership at the time: opposition to same-sex marriage, but also opposition to the discriminatory amendment, which would enshrine a gay marriage ban in the U.S. Constitution...
"We were all e-mailing and calling," says Maynard. "Within days of the vote, I received an e-mail saying that he opposed the amendment on the basis of his support for the Defense of Marriage Act. He said DOMA made the FMA unnecessary."
While Maynard does not still have the e-mail, Hunter Johnston, a former president of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center, affirms his recollection. Johnston says he called Ford's office in D.C. a few days before the late September vote.
"Congressman Ford would never put discriminatory language into the constitution," said a female staffer, according to Johnston.
Neither Maynard nor Johnston ever obtained an explanation, and both say they disengaged from Ford as he adopted increasingly conservative positions ahead of an ultimately unsuccessful 2006 Senate run, including a second vote for the marriage amendment in 2006. According to Human Rights Campaign scorecards from his decade in Congress, Ford received a 75, 90, and 100 in his first three terms, and his scores fell to 44 and 25 in his final two terms.
Ford insisted Wednesday night that he never made any promises to anyone how he would vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment. I guess, the issue of whether promises were made or broken we are left with a he said/they said situation. The crowd seemed very aware of the stories out of Memphis, and not inclined to believe his claim that no promises were broken.
Though, more male than not (maybe 65/35?) the attending crowd were no less forgiving of Ford's attempt to distance himself from his pro-life stance. Skeptical mumbles reverberated through the small meeting room as he declared he'd always been pro-choice. (That this backtrack resonated is interesting when one reflects how rarely the LGBT community must be faced with the prospect of an unwanted pregnancy, yes?)
A genuine star was in attendance, a man whose celebrity eclipsed that of Ford; Lt. Dan Choi. He stood to ask a question about Ford's support for repealing the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. Ford assured him he would support repealing it.
Choi's question seemed more likely stage managed to provide an opening. He stated his great admiration for incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's work for our community. He suggested to Ford that, for the LGBT community to embrace him, would be tantamount to rewarding Gilllibrand's fierce advocacy on our behalf by firing her. This sentiment received the night's most enthusiastic applause. Gillibrand's specter hung over the evening as many wore buttons with her name, any mention of her name elicited applause.
Ford seemed to begin at this time to resign himself to the quixotic nature of his endeavor, observing the LGBT community "may not vote for him." (Ya, think?) And about the wisest thing Ford said all night was, "I'm not going to quarrel with you, Lt. Choi." Good choice, Ford, you may be cool with making veiled swipes at Obama, but this is Dan effing Choi!
Though there is much speculation that Ford's true aim is to run for the seat on a third party line, when asked directly, would he support the Democratic nominee were it not he? He answered in an ambivalent affirmative, stating he was a true Democrat so, of course he'd support the Democrat. Take note. It's on tape somewhere.
 Of course, it wouldn't be a Harold Ford story without a genuine "Doh!" moment. Asked a question about "Lawrence v. Texas" Ford had to ask for clarification on what the Supreme Court ruling was about. The room erupted in groans. Several attendees I spoke to were forgiving, recognizing it the case title might not have reverberated outside our community. Though, I think it's worth pointing out that it probably indicates Ford didn't quite get all the way through his recommended reading of "The LGBT Community for Dummies." (Or as one less charitable person put it on Twitter: "To be fair, it was in 2003, when Ford still hated the gays.")
I believe that's about when the session started to really go downhill. All in all, the meeting was brief, lasting just 20 minutes. And it appeared to be cut short when organizers were unable to quiet the crowd when they began chanting:
"Anti-choice, anti-gay
Snake oil Harold, go away."
And with that, Harold Ford was quickly spirited out the back of the room. It turns out, Ford can turn pro-gay, but that won't make gays go pro-Ford. You reap what you sew, Harold.
Not a photo-op for his campaign website. Local news channel NY1 was there.
Good As You Are blog has this event on video. Credit to The Power Online for organizing the protest.
This is a fleshing out of diary I posted late last night. Hat tip to owl06 for the great headline and the second picture.
Cross-posted at Daily Kos. |
