Omission Watch: Harold Ford, Jr. Mixes Religion And Politics In Church Commercial

September 14th, 2006 9:47 AM

Remember all the talk from the Democrats about not mixing religion and politics? Well, it is just talk. When it comes to blatantly mixing religion and politics for advancing themselves in campaigns, the Democrats are not at all shy about wearing religion on their sleeves. But will the media notice?

A case in point is Harold Ford, Jr. who recently filmed a campaign commercial for the U.S. Senate from Tennessee attacking his opponent, Bob Corker, from the interior of a church. As you can see in this video, Ford is not the least bit shy about using a church as a campaign ornament. Of course, if a Republican had tried to pull the same stunt the MSM would be shouting in outrage over this cynical mixture of religion and politics.

Here is the text of Ford's blatantly political campaign church commercial:

I started in church the old fashioned way . . . I was forced to. And I’m better for it.

I’m Harold Ford Jr. Here, I learned the difference between right and wrong . . . and now Mr. Corker’s doing wrong.

First spending millions telling untruths about his Republican opponents, both good men, and now me. I voted for the Patriot Act, 5 trillion in defense and against amnesty for illegals.

I approved this message because I won’t let them make me someone I’m not. And, I’ll always fight for you. Give me that chance.

Ford is obviously using this campaign commercial to make a cynical pitch for the large Bible Belt vote in Tennessee. However, there is a chance such a cynical tactic will backfire due to religious voters who are offended over seeing a church used as a mere campaign backdrop in a television commercial.

UPDATE: Despite being inside a church, Ford was not averse to obscuring the truth. According to Harold Ford on Civil Rights, Ford voted NO on making the Patriot Act permanent.