White House Won't Support Potential Harold Ford Challenge To Gillibrand

The New York Times:

The White House made it clear on Monday that it opposed the prospect of Harold E. Ford Jr.'s running for the United States Senate in New York, even as Mr. Ford, the former Tennessee congressman, showed no signs of being deterred.

The remarks from the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, were the first offered by the Obama administration since Mr. Ford said last week that he was seriously considering challenging Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in this fall's Democratic primary.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[SPQR1052]

10:43 PM on 01/13/2010

Look at this pic of Harold and tell me what you think...

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/01/please-dont-run-harold.html

[J Robert Surface]

02:59 PM on 01/13/2010

tell me how you really feel about it

[Sobeton]

12:57 PM on 01/13/2010

WH should keep their noses out of New York Politics. Obviously, the WH has learned nothing from the slap down they and their candidate got in the NJ Governors race.

WH needs to stay focused on Health Care and the Economy. then hope they don't get annihilated by the Republicans in the mid-term elections.

[ConjureMan]

12:35 PM on 01/13/2010

Harold don't you be messin' with Barry's white-half.

[neve]

10:41 AM on 01/13/2010

I've met Harold, but I have to say that the image of another accomodating, corporate-beholdened black man married to yet another blonde scandanavian will go down in the black community in NYC like turpentine, particularly since he has fliped-flopped on every important issue.

[Helzapoppin]

09:42 AM on 01/13/2010

3 words: Merrill Lynch VP

[nixrox04]

07:40 AM on 01/13/2010

Why doesn't Ford run in Tenn?

[WowJones]

07:43 AM on 01/13/2010

He's been a NY resident for several years.

[Lapis Lazuli]

08:56 AM on 01/13/2010

What several years would these be?

[jingles32]

09:33 AM on 01/13/2010

He can't get elected, as much as he's tried to re-re-define himself as a Blue Dog, DINO, conservative. He admitted as much yesterday on MJ that his chances there are nill. He lost the Senate race there a few years back and that was his one shot. The Republican smear machine did him in. Don't you recall the now infamous ad? "Harold, call me."

[pbnyc59]

07:06 AM on 01/13/2010

All the trashing from the White House and Schumer and Co is only going to fuel Ford's run. Keep it up boys, good job.

[SpankedMeGood]

09:40 AM on 01/13/2010

The only person tr ashing Harold is Harold. He has no credibility. I hope he does run. So he can be humiliated twice in four years. Maybe then we'll finally be rid of this fraud.

[HerbTee]

12:54 PM on 01/13/2010

Hear, hear SMG. After Gillibrand finishes whupping his DLC sell-out @ zz and wins the NY Senate race, maybe he'll go sit down somewhere and finally be quiet.

[botan]

05:47 AM on 01/13/2010

If the commentary by readers of the NYT are any indication Harold Ford doesn't have a chance.

[glorialovelace]

09:25 AM on 01/13/2010

Ford doesn't have a chance at winning. But the reason why the Democratic establisment wants him to back off is that his so-called candidacy will cause a waste of party time and money that could be deployed in more useful ways.

The first priority of the administration is to hang on to that Senate majority so it can keep its campaign promises and enact the legislation that was promised. Vanity candidacies, which waste money and chip away loyalty and votes from the sitting Senator , jeopardize this majority.

[WowJones]

01:17 AM on 01/13/2010

This photo tells me Harold Ford will do anything.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

[Laplase]

10:40 AM on 01/13/2010

excellent!

[SPQR1052]

10:37 PM on 01/13/2010

point noted. Fanned. #102

[brahdog]

01:09 AM on 01/13/2010

this phony baloney is toast. mm baloney on toast...

[Probus]

12:58 AM on 01/13/2010

This guy is a DINO. He's pro life and voted for Bush's tax cuts. I prefer Gillibrand even if she is an NRA member. Obama's made the right decision. She is more of a democrat than Ford. He voted for IWR voted to ban gay marriage.

Link: http://www.thealbanyproject.com/diary/7777/harold-ford-on-the-issues

[Sobeton]

01:10 PM on 01/13/2010

Obama should mind his business. we will pick our senate candidate. we don't need or want WH help. tell Obama to grow a pair , fight for the public opinion ,and get people back to work... that should keep him busy and out NY politics.

[iswideopen]

12:40 AM on 01/13/2010

To the Black Americans on this thread, you need to really stop showing your ignorance. It's not always about supporting another "Black candidate" simply because they are Black. President Obama knows things that none of us could possibly know. I trust him and his judgement. If off script Democrats like Harold Ford Jr. keep attempting, once again, to divide the Black race we will get no major policy issues that we need done. President Obama is the American president, not the Black president. Wise the hell up, people. Harold Ford needs to back off. He will loose the seat to a Republican in the general election. We have enought DINOS in the senate already. What planet are you all living on?

[ladydragon]

07:31 AM on 01/13/2010

BACK OFF!!!! iswideopen who the hell do you think you are? You have the nerve get on this thread and accuse Black people of being ignorant ordering "Black Americans" not to vote for somebody just because they're Black! Well what the hell do you think white Americans have done since America was founded? White people voted for McCain-Palin inspite of her astounding stupidity just because she is a white female, white women (her base) voted for Hillary because she's a white female, inspite of the fact that they hated her guts when her husband was president. African Americans have always voted for their "pocketbook issues" in other words which candidate would do the most to push America forward rather than create wars, hate gay people, hate minorities and poor people, be religiously intolerant, be an all out hypocrate, tell women what to do with their bodies, among other "social" issues that white polititiians involve themselves in. Black people didn't vote for Barack Obama just because he's Black, we voted for him because we are sick and tired of the same ole ish.

[HerbTee]

11:58 AM on 01/13/2010

Ladydragon, apparently iswideopen didn't bother to read more of the posts in this thread before opening his/her mouth. If he/she did, it would become very apparent from the African Americans who are posting in this thread that Harold Ford Jr is NOT well liked or respected and would NOT earn the African American vote in the ways President Obama did. Iswideopen is the only one who's appearing st upid at the moment.

[DalKimball82]

12:16 PM on 01/13/2010

Thank you ladydragon. I get so tired of people ASSuming that african americans only vote based on skin color. I don't live in NY nor have I lived in TN, but I can tell you that based on everything I have read about Mr. Ford I would not vote for him because of his political ideals I don't give a darn what color he is. iswideopen stick to worrying about whom you vote for and why.

[iswideopen]

12:16 AM on 01/13/2010

Harold Ford, you are more of a Republican at heart than a Democrat. Why are you doing this, and especially at a time like this. President Obama has the weight of the world, literally, on his shoulders and all you off script Democrats and Liberals can think to do is threaten him and the progressive agenda because he is not moving fast enough? Get a clue; it hasn't worked so far and it won't. President Obama is his own man, which is why I have the utmost respect for him. I am a realist with high hopes for Democratic policy implementations as well, however, things must be done with absolute precision. Have you noticed that our president has an opposition party with no solutions and who offer nothing but contempt for him. Ed Schultz has lost his mind. Frankly, telling the president that "you" Ed, personally can decide that President Obama will not win re-election is nuts. You give yourself and the labor union too much credit. I belong to SEIU, when I am employed, but you don't know what you think you do. It is absolutely disgusting to see this huge Democratic opportunity slip away with bs from everyone with an opinion. Harold Ford, back off. If you don't, you will be feeling quite lonely in the very near future. We have too much work to do than listen to you malign President Obama by calling him "the party boss and his opinion". Fix it, Harold.

[HoosierRadical]

12:33 AM on 01/13/2010

I agree with you on everything except the Ed Schultz stuff, but hey we can disagree right?

[UnstoppableTruth]

01:21 AM on 01/13/2010

Nobody has done more to kiss up to the Republican party and ignore liberal Democrats than Barack Obama.

President Obama is his own man? Not according to Harry Racist Reid, who is all but claiming credit for Obama's run for the WH. A man has courage, Obama displays political cowardice time and time again.

Ed Schultz is correct about Obama losing in 2012, and its about time Ed stopped carrying the mail for Obama.

Why should Harold Ford respect Barack Obama? Until Obama realizes that there are 34 million fellow African Americans and shows my race some respect, Ford is totally correct to challenge Obama.

And make no mistake, Senator Harold Ford Jr. will call Obama and his fakery out on a daily basis.

[vgirl1]

10:23 AM on 01/13/2010

Take a deep breath.

Be accountable.

Display self-respect vs victimization.

[Franklin Print]

10:04 PM on 01/12/2010

Mr. Ford said: “I have great respect for President Obama."

Prove it.

You could start by referring to him as President Obama during your Morning Joke appearances instead of just "Obama" as you most often do. Dropping his title is disrespectful, yet it's your Standard Operating Procedure. And you just sit there stone-faced and silent while Joe and other Morning Jokers distort and misframe White House positions and events.

[vgirl1]

10:24 AM on 01/13/2010

Amen.

Jealousy oft breeds disrespect.

[HerbTee]

12:47 PM on 01/13/2010

I don't know why Harold just won't come out and finally switch parties to join the ReTHUGs. He already knows where all the ReTHUG hind quarters are since he kisses them on a daily basis.