Harold Ford Heckled Over Fox Comment At Netroots Nation

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.

"Many of the candidates that people in this room drew national attention to voted yes for FISA including Jim Webb and Claire McCaskill," he said, "as did 20 of the 30 red-to-blue candidates that were highlighted by the netroots."

For that argument, he was received with some sympathy. But the crowd wasn't too cordial later on when Ford discussed, among other things, his time as a pundit on Fox News.

"I used to work for Fox News. I no longer am there," he said after an audience member, during the Q&A session, accused him of smearing Democrats and echoing right-wing talking points. "I have great, great respect and admiration for my former colleagues there..."

Some in the crowd were incredulous, hissing Ford, asking (err... screaming) "why and who," and offering a scattering of boos.

Later Ford was quizzed on why he would support granting telecommunication companies immunity for their participation in the FISA program. His response - that it wasn't the companies who should be held to a fault but rather the public officials who ordered their participation - was challenged by several different questioners, who demanded "accountability" for privacy violations.

"I think that accountability was brought in 2006 when [the GOP] lost in the House and the Senate," Ford responded said. "And we have only eight more months of George W. Bush..."

"When is he going to prison!" screamed an audience member to a few claps.

Watch some (poor quality) video of the heckling:

Comments

[Ides]

While his argument that accountability should go to authority figures makes a sort of Right-Wing sense (subsume your personal morality to a state authority), it just shows how far Harold Ford has gone off the reservation.

[Austintatious]

Your mistake is to suggest that Ford was "on the reservation", in the first place. It is the same mistake that many, including this writer, made with Obama.

Ford is neither left nor right, neither liberal nor conservaitve; rather, he is an astute, shrewd and very capable politician. Again, the same as Obama.

Each has that remarkable combination of presence, intellect and, most importantly, aptitude making the quintessential politician. They can be, and are, who and what they need to be, as changing times and events may require. Accordingly, each will excel in the practice of their craft.

It is tempting, but a mistake, to assume that Ford, or Obama, are necessarily driven by principle, ethics or particular causes. More and more , they show themselves to be driven by the same motivations as all the other "politicians" we've sent to Washington. The primary difference between these two and the "run of the mill" politicians in Washington is that they are as good, or better, at what they do than anyone you will ever see.

Should we be surprised by the revelation? Of course not. The real question is whether we should be disappointed.

[tjntn]

Your comment is so cynical, and I'm afraid, so true. [sigh]

[landmine]

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Ford doesn't want to get Fox focused on him.

[beautifuldisaster]

good point

[frankhenryk]

what is far left anyway? Acordint to jerks like O'Reily, Hannity, Limbaugh, any one that advocates for the Ameriican people is "far left"

[iburl]

"Later Ford was quizzed on why he would support granting telecommunication companies immunity for their participation in the FISA program. His response - that it wasn't the companies who should be held to a fault but rather the public officials who ordered their participat­ion..."

So we are going to hold public officials who ordered illegal wiretapping accountable?

NEWSFLASH: Harold Ford Pushes for Impeachment of George W. Bush

Ha, ha, just kidding, we all know that there will be no accountability, in fact we already retroactively washed W's hands of the crime. So next time you feel like accountability, just vote Democratic Party! See how that works? No justice, no change, no accountability, no constitution, but you get to feel good about voting for the winning team. Yay!

[UnknownSoldier]

The problem with "Far Left" is economics, most have really great ideas, just no way to pay for them. The left really needs to adopt a Radical Economic ideaology. Before its time the 40 Hour work week was a Radical Idea started by the Far Left at the time.

[Angelus2007]

This is one of the reason I don't like progressives (as a group not individually). I condiser myself a centerist democrat. I vote democrat 9 out of 10 times, but I don't march lock step with the progessives on all issues. I do lean alot closer to them than the far right. But hearing comments from people saying they don't want center leaning democrats any more, makes me want to vote for McCain just to spite them. The progressives on their own cannot win this election. I was on a right wing board similar to this, talking about how the republicans of today and the far-right are a large problem in this country. And while I did get people telling me, if I am a democrat go on sites like HuffPo or Daily Kos. But I got many more people telling me why I should vote McCain, or telling me how many of their stands will help me. While I still disagree with them, I was surprised by how cordial they were overall. Much more so than the progessives if you don't agree with them 100%.

Just to clarify, when I said those on the right were cordial, I was talking about regular people not politicians like Bush, or Cheney, or the Limbaughs or Coulters. Average Americans, who lean to the right. Those people were nicer to an outsider than many here (not all) are to someone who agrees with part of their views but not all.

[conservicide]

I don't give a ratsass who ford 'respects'

That's just a way of avoiding answering the question

He still hasn't admitted that he and other democrats have caved to the lure of telecom slush money

What an asspanderer

THESE IDIOTS NEED TO QUIT KNEELING BEFORE THE RIGHT

[nyboomer]

Politics is about money. In this nation anyone with enough assests can buy any legislation they want to buy. The Democrats will sell America off just as quickly as the Republicans.

No one retires from Congress poor. Leaving Congress means getting a job that will add $1 million to your net worth in no more than 3 years.

Doing what is best for the nation is never higher than second in any politician's priority list, mostly it never gets quite that high.

As soon as the Supreme Court decided that money equates to free speech we were doomed. The speech bought by sacks of money will always drown out the moans of the starving and sick poor and the slipping of the middle class into poverty.

[UnknownSoldier]

The President may authorize, through the Attorney General, electronic surveillance without a court order for the period of one year provided it is only for foreign intelligence information;[7] targeting foreign powers as defined by 50 U.S.C. §1801(a)(1­),(2),(3)[­11] or their agents; and there is no substantial likelihood that the surveillance will acquire the contents of any communication to which a United States person is a party.[12]

The Attorney General is required to make a certification of these conditions under seal to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court,[13] and report on their compliance to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligen­ce.[14]

[UnknownSoldier]

Since 50 U.S.C. § 1802(a)(1)(A) of this act specifically limits warrantless surveillance to foreign powers as defined by 50 U.S.C. §1801(a) (1),(2), (3) and omits the definitions contained in 50 U.S.C. §1801(a) (4),(5),(6) the act does not authorize the use of warrantless surveillance on: groups engaged in international terrorism or activities in preparation therefore; foreign-based political organizations, not substantially composed of United States persons; or entities that are directed and controlled by a foreign government or government­s.[15] Under the FISA act, anyone who engages in electronic surveillance except as authorized by statute is subject to both criminal penalties[16] and civil liabilitie­s.[17]

Under 50 U.S.C. § 1811, the President may also authorize warrantless surveillance at the beginning of a war. Specifically, he may authorize such surveillance "for a period not to exceed fifteen calendar days following a declaration of war by the Congress

[UnknownSoldier]

After reading the FISA Bill that Democrats and Republicans voted for, it makes sense. Obama said the bill wasn't perfect and it isn't, but it is an improvement over what they had and what Bush was able to take advantage of.

I would have added that a violation of the FISA Act calls for an Automatic Impeachment hearing with a penalty of no less than 25 years in prison.

[protagonia]

You have got THAT right!

[grumbles]

Ford is one of those smarmy politicos who wraps himself in Christian virtue and kisses whose ever ass appears before him. It is one of the reasons he is no longer in congress. He praises Faux News because he hopes to be treated with respect the next time he appears...­. We need to get serious, in this country, about separation of church and state. These people who present themselves as virtuous and use it as a political tool are the most dangerous of all.......­........

[dollars2donuts]

I'm not surprised lefties here are attacking Ford (I'm a lefty too, but a practical one). Dems can behave in such a disorganized fashion. Do you not understand that at least 1/2 the nation is somewhat or quite conservative, and in order for dems to get elected and thrive in those areas (like Ford, he is from a very reactionary state: Tennessee), they are of course going to be somewhat moderate or a bit conservative as well--but far, far more progressive than a repug would have been. Do you want to grow the left and the party? Then you must not try to constantly bash in the skulls of moderate and/or practical dems from red states. Or do you want to have a tiny tent where only the most ideologically pure can enter? Then we'll always be in the minority and will not have power to make progressive changes. Folks on the left must learn to be a little more open minded and forgiving of alternative points of view within our own group or we will never advance and never have enough numbers to achieve our goals. Just sayin'.

[aaronr2000]

Ford wants it both ways. On one hand he wants to take his centrist message mainstream throughout the nation, even when the political climate is perfect for a shift to the leftt, and on the other hand he wants to hide behind his conservative local district in Memphis when asked to account for his centrist voting record that offends the left.

Speaking of accountability, I was deeply offended by this statement:

"I think that accountability was brought in 2006 when [the GOP] lost in the House and the Senate," Ford responded said. "And we have only eight more months of George W. Bush..."

By Harold Ford's logic, Bush should feel vindicated , as he does, by his malfeasance during his first term as president because he was elected to a second one. If all an elected official has to lose by breaking the law is a bid for re-election then that puts him above the law and makes those responsible for holding them to account derelicts.

You'd think a lawyer would know better to make such a claim. The person in the audience was right to ask about prison time for law breakers.

[ouroborous]

You've stated, perfectly, my primary beef with the "winning the election is more important than being 'right' on FISA" crowd: if losing an election is accountability, then American democracy is already dead.

We have *laws* to hold people accountable. I know it's quaint, folks, but remember that old phrase "commit the crime, do the time?"

Guess not...

[holeybuybull]

aaron2000, this man is a "believer". With his mind clouded by "faith" and "belief", there is little room for rational thought.

[likeicare]

Dissapointing, Harold.

Very dissapointing.

[nolabels]

He may work at MSNBC but he isn't much better than a FOX pundit. In some ways, I feel like he is worse. People think he is somewhat liberal but he seems to just flow with the most safe position every time and agrees with Scarborough way too much.

[Tommygun264]

The DLC puts the "rat" in Democrat - they're corporatist 'pubs pretending to be Democrats so they can take down the party from the inside. Harold Ford is a perfect example - put him in front of a group of real, unapologetic liberals and he's like the obvious narc in the crowd at a rock concert wearing white socks and brown wing-tip shoes with his jeans and tie-dye tee shirt, desperately trying to convince everyone that he's cool and just wants to score some X.

[Beccaria]

Ford's behavior is nothing new. If you take the time to review his record he is actually right-of-center on far too many issues.

We Progressives tend to give him a pass because of his looks and the ugly campaign the Republicans played during his last attempt. Although I was disgusted by the tactics I lost no sleep over his loss.

And, there is another issue that we should consider with any politician. Just because a family member had the power does not entitle you to the same or better position. That goes for Democrats as well as Republicans; no exceptions!

[ramal]

Just one more example of a politican who has sold his soul, assuming he ever had one.

[w&cheneysuck]

There is justice; he lost his seat!