Thread: Ford's family, Corker's job site draw fire in candidates' fi

Sunday, 10/08/06

Ford's family, Corker's job site draw fire in candidates' first debate

By ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press

MEMPHIS — Republican Senate candidate Bob Corker on Saturday called his Democratic opponent Harold Ford Jr. a member of a family engaged in "machine-type politics," while Ford accused former businessman Corker of doing nothing about illegal immigrants working on his job site.

Ford, a Memphis congressman who would be the first black U.S. senator from the South since Reconstruction, and former Chattanooga Mayor Corker are vying to replace Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader who is retiring.

The Nov. 7 election's outcome could determine whether Democrats can take control of the Senate.

In the first of three scheduled debates, Corker called it unusual that a Ford has held the Memphis congressional seat for more than three decades and that several Fords are on November's ballot.

"Let me be clear: I love them," Ford said about his family. But he urged Corker to stick to the debate between the two candidates.

Corker had previously shied away from bringing up the Ford family history. Ford's uncle is awaiting trial on federal bribery charges, and his father once was indicted in a federal bank fraud case but was acquitted by a jury.

Ford's brother is running as an independent to succeed him in Congress and an aunt is running for the Tennessee Senate seat she was ousted from earlier this year after voter irregularities.

"I'm making an observation that it's pretty much a family business," Corker said about the Ford family's political involvement. "And I think it's something we all see and know ... that there's a type of machine-type politics."

Ford responded: "There's too much joy in my heart to respond to that, so I'll let it go."

Both candidates said they want to control government spending, clamp down on illegal immigration and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.

But Ford charged that Corker did nothing after illegal immigrants were found to be working on a Memphis construction site he was developing.

"My question is, when you learned there were illegals on the site, why didn't you fire the subcontractor?" Ford asked Corker, who did not have an opportunity to respond.

Corker criticized Ford's votes against a ban on late-term abortions, a position Ford said he has since changed. •


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Wooooooo! Let the mud slinging begin!

Dixie

Frist should be running for his same status he doesn't have a snowballs chance in,well you know where of winning the nomination for President of the United States!

Hate to disagree with you, NITTY

But I really feel that FRIST should be deported to mesiko asap.

my 2 mesikan centeros

Well really I was being sarcastic about him keeping his job, I will be glad to get rid of this traitor!

Harold Ford is a good guy. This isn't the first time I've heard him take the right position on illegal immigration.

Frist should be running for his same status he doesn't have a snowballs chance in,well you know where of winning the nomination for President of the United States!

While I have absolutely no interest in voting on Sen. Frist for President of the United States, I have even less interest in voting for Sen. John McCain. I can only hope someone else surfaces between now and the 2008 presidential election. So far our choices, Democrat and Republican, suck!