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

[NoBo08]

I just love the familicide practiced on the left.

[Guynemer]

I can turn on FOX News and listen to Sharpton, Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, Michael Moore and hundreds of other left and center-left personalities right alongside a number of right wing pundits, or I can tune into MSNBC and watch Chris Matthews and his tingly leg or Keith Olbermann, his uncontested opinions and a host of agreeable bobble heads.

mmmmhhh...­tough one.

[laborgrunt]

HFJ is a total hack.

[longislandlol]

Never has such a polite young man made the political scene as Ford-- till Obama --- we tend to forget how important politeness is in leadership­...

[Sylmason]

Ford is an opportunist. He'll say anything to speed his so-called career. He's negative about Barack Obama. Actually, this guy lost his senate seat, yet he offers advice to Barack on MSM how to run his campaign as if he's an authority. He's openly demeaning to his party's presidential nominee. This guy is a closet republican.

[disgusted48]

Ford ran for the senate, he was a U.S. representative. He never held the senate seat. I listen to MSNBC every night and have never heard him say anything disparaging about Obama. Gore lost in Tennessee in the general in 2000. The state is backward. The only good thing coming out of there is Memphis barbeque. And Ford is no more oportunist than any other politician, from the state house to the white house.

[doofmann02]

Just one of many failed politicians who go to cable news to die, and they are full of them. Kind of like when you can't actually make a living as an artist you teach.

[letsmakesense]

Remember that Rudy Guilliani was leading in the polls to be our next President just a year ago. Then came the truth.....­...America­n Firemen, We Are Change, youtube videos and Rudy's inability to defeat Ron Paul in all of the GOP debate polls i.e. puff no more Rudy. Well its time for us to focus on Mr Ford as well as Mrs Pelosi and all of the legislators who voted incorrectly on the issues that mattered to us which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Of course that list includes McPlain and Bamao. Our illegal wars threaten our lives, our liberties and certainly does not make us happy. We the people can still take our country back but to do that people will have to be held accountable. Accountablity is the key campaign issue if we the people want it to be.

[disgusted48]

News Flash - Harold Ford is no longer an elected official.

[mkjohn1]

"netroots" people like you make me want to go start a few wars, and I'm a liberal.

[steamboat]

I like Ford...He'­s a DLC democrat, fiscally responsible, socially liberal, and unlike the far-leftys they won't drop their guard on potential enemies of ours. They're not in la-la land, rather it'll be 'trust, but verify'. There old-time democrats.

[bobsmith]

"There old-time democrats.­"

----

First, it's "They're", not "There".

Second, they aren't old-time Democrats - not even close. They exist to protect the status quo. The difference between a DLC Dem and a Republican can't be measured with a ruler... it must be measured with a micrometer.

[ErnestineBass]

I think I luuuv you, bobsmith.

Any man who can work "micrometer" into a post is awright by me.

heh heh

[Bettysdad]

And the micrometer is probably made in Japan or China, thanks to DLC poster boy Bill Clinton.

[MsLiz]

Ahem. In the south, the only Democrats who get elected are moderate Democrats. They are not Republicans, who will not caucus with blacks except the ones who find it to their advantage to be the only black in the room.

[Wild West]

Clintonista, old school democrats are why we are in this hole they dug it, they let republican ideologues roll over them and look at the old school dems in congress, wahoooooooooo.
The DLC is no friend to democratic Americans or preserving American jobs.

[pakaal]

Did anyone happen to ask Mr. Ford why, if all these telcoms were innocent bystanders held hostage to the Federal government, Qwest told them it was unconstitutional and didn't go along with the scheme?

Qwest's stance in of itself disproves this "poor old telcoms giving in to Uncle Sam" meme. In reality Qwest did the right thing in telling the government to get stuffed, got punished for it, and now Verizon etc., all get to walk free, adding insult to injury, so please, Mr. Ford, enough with the bullsh*t OK?

[Krikkit]

The truth is that politics is give and take, and they gave up the telecoms in order to pass a FISA bill that will allow legal domestic spying WITH FISA warrants. Before the bill passed, the FISA court was defunct and I assure you there is a growing danger of another al-Qaeda attack according to reliable intelligence assessments. Don't forget that one of Obama's biggest supporters, Senator Rockefeller, sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Rockefeller has been warning for months that al-Qaeda has regrouped in Afghanistan and has managed to recruit a sizeable number of westerners, people who could pass with ease here in the US. The FISA bill was a tool they need to find these people, and they'll do it through tracing known al-Qaeda overseas making calls into the US.

[wmholt]

On January 28th, Barack Obama said this about the old FISA:

“The FISA court works. The separation of power works. We can trace, track down and take out terrorists while ensuring that our actions are subject to vigorous oversight, and do not undermine the very laws and freedom that we are fighting to defend.”

On August 1st of last year, Barack Obama said:

"This Administration also puts forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand. I will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to track and take out the terrorists without undermining our Constitution and our freedom."

"That means no more illegal wire-tapping of American citizens. . . . That is not who we are. And it is not what is necessary to defeat the terrorists. The FISA court works. The separation of powers works. Our Constitution works. We will again set an example for the world that the law is not subject to the whims of stubborn rulers, and that justice is not arbitrary.­"

"This Administration acts like violating civil liberties is the way to enhance our security. It is not. There are no short-cuts to protecting America, and that is why the fifth part of my strategy is doing the hard and patient work to secure a more resilient homeland."

Glenn Greenwald has very extensive coverage of what the bill really does say, not what Pelosi, Hoyer, and Reed say that it does.

[RobinSeattle]

Qwest actualy went a week without being indicted (AFAIK) by the feds. That's gotta be a record for them.

[rosal]

I tried to switch to Quest, but they don't service my area. Too bad, I like to deal with people with integrity

[lynchcheney]

How can you argue with a guy who's always politely reming us that "I respect your opinion," and "it's your right to disagree," and "I am proud of the votes I've cast"? He's basically saying there's nothing we can say that will change his mind...

[VOTER]

There may yet be a discussion here about Harold IF the next 60 comments waiting to

be posted are online within the next hour. 6:23 pm CST

Any bets?

[Krikkit]

Would he change YOUR mind if he said "pick your battles" to you?

[UnbiasView]

Sounds like a bunch of angry liberals trying to eat anyone that doesn't do what they say, they even make a Democrat look like a Republican which is sad. So much for the whole tolerance of other points of views.

[Bettysdad]

Why should anyone tolerate a point of view known to be wrong?

That's the whole point of taking a stand. The other guy's wrong!

I'm sure an obvious wingnut like yourself doesn't engage in toomuch tolerance.

[MaverickModerate]

I really pity the guy. I don't believe he is as "centrist" as he claims to be. He has adopted that mantle to maintain viability in his red state. His DLC leadership post was a consolation prize, because after losing his senate bid he had nowhere else to go.

Markos should take him aside and tell him to reform the DLC before they disappear into irrelevency.

[bobsmith]

So you pity a Dem politician who is willing to sell out in order to "maintain visibility"? And why would Markos tell him to reform the DLC? Seeing the DLC disappear into irrelevancy is a good thing.

[brwnizofmine]

I agree with you. I don't think he is as centrist as he pretends to be. But, his state is red and he can't get anywhere there. See how he got screwed when he was running for that Senate seat. I often fume when I hear him speak on Morning Joe, but I know why he speaks the way he does.

[yellowdogminnesotan]

If Mr.Ford had what it took to be a leader he would have explained why he respected his "colleagues" at Fox news. Instead he simply said we have a difference of opinions I respect your I ask you respect mine. He should have defended his statement instead of side-stepping the issue. Please explain to us why we should believe Fox Noise qualifies as news and why anyone especially you should respect them at all.

[WRPrintz]

It is very important that folks like Harold Ford be welcome at these events. The more we can "pull the center" to the left, the better. We need to show them that the left, and center can work together to keep the far right at bay. We need to let the center know when they are wrong (FISA), and that we are watching, and have twice the man power, and cash that the far right has...and we are willing to use it.

Booing...j­ust not needed. Just plain, blunt, talk.

[Liberal2]

Agree.

[BADEN]

Political Correctness is the bane of civilization.

Stand.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=v_zSFkSVBN8

[Daniboy]

Speaking as a moderate Dem-I would vote for Ford for President. I will not be voting for Barack!!!

[Querent]

Pretty impressive. Now do your Cheney impression. That one's probably a lot easier for you.

[lornejl]

Nice job of exposing the con ; )

[nastyvirus]

Wasn't one Ford enough for you? Clinton, Bush, Clinton (NOT), Bush (MAYBE, IF YOU LET HIM), Ford?

[Bettysdad]

There is no such thing as a "moderate Dem."

You are an almost wingnut.