TPMDC
Harold Ford: 'I Am A New Yorker. I Am A New Yorker. I Am..." (VIDEO)
Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)
Share
Send to a friend!
Appearing on Hardball tonight, former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) made a clear declaration for Chris Matthews, as Ford gears up to challenge appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the New York Democratic primary.
Ford, who lost a Senate campaign in his native Tennessee in 2006, said that he lives in New York, he and his wife plan to start a family there, and he's paid taxes there. "And once you pay taxes there, you feel like a New Yorker," Ford quipped.
Matthews asked Ford to declare that he is a New Yorker. Ford replied: "I am a New Yorker. I am a New Yorker. I am a New Yorker. I am a New Yorker." It was certainly entertaining -- and if this New York thing doesn't work out, he'll have no chance of ever running for office in Tennessee again.
Comments (15) | Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
Most Popular
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2010 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
tiowally
January 11, 2010 6:49 PM
Is it me? A bad photo? Or was Harold Ford separated at birth from Alex Rodriguez?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
midnight rambler
January 12, 2010 11:11 AM in reply to tiowally
Yes.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
mcc
January 11, 2010 6:56 PM
I do I do I do believe in fairies
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
bvd
January 11, 2010 7:14 PM
"...if this New York thing doesn't work out, he'll have no chance of ever running for office in Tennessee again."
Yeah but what the heck - there are still 48 other states for him to try running in.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Cornelius
January 11, 2010 7:23 PM in reply to bvd
Hey bvd, you know if he doesn't win here (NY) he can always get on the Metro North and move to CT and run up there in 4 years when Trader Joe gets the boot.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Why oh why
January 11, 2010 8:32 PM in reply to bvd
And at least two parties in each state.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Mumphrey
January 11, 2010 7:19 PM
Harold Ford was a classmate of mine in college, though I didn't know him. I think he even majored in history, as I did; odd our paths never crossed. Well, anyway, I was hoping for him to win back in 2006. I even sent him a few dollars, even though I don't live in Tennessee.
But what the hell? New York? I don't know, I guess they don't have anything against carpetbaggers there; they've had a whole lot of outsiders move there and win office. But why the hell would he think his politics would be a good fit there? I understand he had to be more conservative to win statewide in Tennessee, but he's a bad fit for New York...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Redshift
January 12, 2010 2:12 PM in reply to Mumphrey
His politics are a good fit with the big money in New York, especially since he has no problem with doing a 180 on his social-conservative positions and just keeping the corporate-conservative ones. What an unprincipled hack.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Viva!America!
January 11, 2010 7:39 PM
Sorry Dorothy, it won't help you win.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
lallarona
January 11, 2010 7:40 PM
So......how long will MSNBC keep Ford on their payroll?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Icon
January 11, 2010 7:48 PM
Where are there convenient openings in 2012?
Oh, right, Olympia Snowe is really unpopular right now. Here's to Harold Ford for Senate 2012 from the state of Maine.
I don't like carpetbaggers.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JohnMcCSF
January 11, 2010 8:09 PM
Call me Harold
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Marinus van der Lubbe
January 11, 2010 9:05 PM
Is he still a Dem? Everytime he's on "Morning Jo(k)e" if I shut my eyes he just sounds like a straight Todd Harris; has those non supportive of Obama talking points down. It's as if he found a secondary breathing media in Scarborough's ass, and to hear him agree with Pat Buchanan on issues is, shudder, beyond the pale (as everyone on TV says).
Harold, don't call me...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
USgreentech
January 11, 2010 9:21 PM
He should run against the CIA as well. Move them out of Washington.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Cornelius
January 11, 2010 11:34 PM
Funny thing is, aside from the comments, Harold just doesn't get it: in TN it was a big deal, being black, and running for a Senate seat. In NY, being black and running is not a real big deal,aside from the fact there are really big deals in NY that he can't compete against, it's just that he's not a New Yorker. Nothing personal. I'm waiting for the photo op, you know, Harold riding the subway. He might as well be saying "I'm white, I'm white, believe me, I'm white". God, he is annoying isn't he.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?