In today's Chicago Tribune, LA Times correspondent Peter Wallsten writes in "For the South, Harold Ford's candidacy could make history" about the Democratic congressman's quest for a Tennessee Senate seat.
According to Wallsten, the campaign be difficult for the congressman from "liberal Memphis," but "Ford argued that the old labels do not apply -- not to this centrist, pro-war, anti-gay-marriage, deficit hawk of a social conservative. . . "
Centrist? Let's see. For 2005, Mr. Ford received a score of 100 percent in the National Education Association's ratings. He was also perfect with the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees. The National Organization for Women gave him an 86, the AFL-CIO awarded him an 83 and he received a solid 80 from the Americans for Democratic Action.
In contrast, the "centrist" Mr. Ford was scored at 21 percent for 2005 by the American Conservative Union.
It's true that Ford received a less than sparkling 60 percent from NARAL Pro-Choice America for his abortion votes in 2005. But maybe he was just looking forward to his Senate candidacy. The previous year saw him awarded a 100 percent rating from NARAL.
Liberals always say that labels either don't or shouldn't apply. That's because they don't want to admit being liberals.
Nobody here but us centrists, folks.
