Vet presents medal to Ford during local campaign rally

Vet presents medal to Ford during local campaign rally

November 2, 2006 By CHANTAL ESCO | The Leaf-Chronicle

Clark: "This election is about change, and you have to change the people in Washington. (Ford) stands for common sense leadership."

An Iraqi campaign medal given to U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. by a 101st Airborne Division veteran Wednesday touched the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, and he said it goes to the heart of his campaign.

"This means more to me. ... I've never received anything like this before," Ford said of the medal presented to him by Mike Krause, who served two tours with the 101st in Iraq. "Our side isn't the Democratic side. Our side is to do what's right for America."

Ford and Gen. Wesley Clark, former NATO supreme allied commander and one-time presidential candidate, made a Clarksville stop to rally supporters. Nearly 200 people — many waving Ford campaign posters and sporting campaign pins — withstood cold temperatures and drizzle when the Ford bus rolled up at 2:55 p.m. at Veterans Plaza.

The Ford campaign had been in Memphis earlier in the day, where former President Bill Clinton stumped for the Democratic hopeful.

Krause, now an Austin Peay State University public administration senior, said he liked what Ford had to say, especially about changing the course in Iraq. As he presented Ford with the medal, he talked about the lives of combat veterans serving overseas and how they need to be cared for when they come home.

"There's also a battle here for honesty, a battle for change, and this is the man to lead that battle," Krause told the crowd. "As an Iraq war veteran, I proudly cast my vote for Harold Ford Jr."

Clark said as a former soldier who served for 34 years, he knows the sacrifices made by those in uniform.

"We live in a democracy, but right now our democracy is being taken in the wrong direction," Clark said about the Bush administration, adding there is no real plan of withdrawal in the Middle East and troops are paying the price.

"What a tragedy it is to see what's going on in Iraq today. Staying the course won't do it," he said.

The retired general went on to tell the crowd that if Ford is elected as Tennessee's U.S. senator, he will bring courage, integrity and decency to the office.

"We have a great man with Harold Ford Jr.," Clark said while on stage with supporters — many of them military veterans. "We really need him in Washington. This election is about change, and you have to change the people in Washington. (Ford) stands for common sense leadership."

Ford echoed Clark's remarks, saying his campaign isn't about him but it's about change in the White House.

Regarding his prospects for victory on Tuesday, Ford said, "I got to tell you, I've got a good feeling about it."

9/8/06 - General Wes Clark and Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. on WLAC 1510: The Kevin Wall Show

General Wes Clark and Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. on WLAC 1510: The Kevin Wall Show

September 8, 2006 transcript by Reg NYC

General Wes Clark and Harold Ford, Jr. on WLAC 1510: The Kevin Wall Show Nashville, TN | September 8, 2006 WLAC Radio | Tennessee Today We encourage you to listen to the clip

(Transcript below the break)

Kevin Wall: Bob Corker joined us, and in order to be fair and balanced, we bring you in-studio Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. And welcome, Congressman Ford.
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.: Good morning and thank you for covering the race as you have covered it, with some substance and a, I think attention to detail that I think the voters deserve, not only here in greater middle Tennessee but all across our state. So, again thanks for having me on.
Kevin Wall: You never know what's going to happen on the Kevin Wall Show on News Radio 1510 WLAC. Joining us is a man that knows a lot about national security, about fighting wars, General Wesley Clark who joins us. And General, thank you very much, and I, I will ask you the question that Rick in Portland asked the Congressman. Can you negotiate with terrorists, with insurgents? Is there anything we can offer them that will get them to lay down their arms?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don't think you can negotiate with terrorists, and I don't- I've never heard anybody suggest negotiating with terrorists. These people like Osama Bin Laden and that crowd, we're not talking to them. Just like Congressman - and I hope Tennessee's next Senator - said, we're going to take these people, we're going to arrest them and bring them to justice, and it may mean that they're killed in the process of being taken captive. And so be it. But what's going on in Iraq is a little bit different.
First of all, understand that there weren't those Osama Bin Laden-type terrorists in Iraq before we went in there. Once we went in there, we opened up a, a, a mess, and then they came in to fight us. They're using Iraq as a training area. But there are a lot of people inside Iraq who are fighting for one reason or another. Just like Congressman Ford said, there's the sectarian militias in there fighting. These people could be technically, technically classified as insurgents, because they are actually fighting against the government, but unlike the terrorists, they do have a political aim. They either want us out. They don't want the other sect to have so much power. They don't want the other militia in the same sect to have as much power or whatever. These people have to be dealt with, not necessarily by killing them, but by getting them to lay down their arms. And I think there's a big difference between the two. Our military commanders will tell you, there's a difference between the two.
And so, it's not a hopeless case in Iraq. It's just a case that needs a President and a Congress with the gumption to create a strategic plan and follow through on it.
Kevin Wall: Again, General Wesley Clark joining us along with Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. The Kevin Wall Show on News Radio 1510 WLAC. General Wesley Clark joining us. And General, I know that you're supporting the candidacy of Harold Ford, Jr., and can I get, in about twenty seconds, the reason why?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: He's a strong leader. I think he's a guy with a lot of great ideas, and I trust him to take care of our veterans, families, military families and our, and our servicemen and women in Iraq. I think he'll take care of them. I think he'll press for the kinds of policies that'll keep them safe and make them successful.
Kevin Wall: And in thirty seconds, Congressman Ford, you've promised to come back here if I can get Bob Corker to sit at that microphone at a time that's agreeable to both of you. You've agreed debate him here and take on all comers and take on calls and take on everybody.
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.: I don't need thirty seconds. Yes. (laughter)
Kevin Wall: You made it so easy. One quick question.
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.: Let me-
Kevin Wall: Yeah.
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.: I want to thank General Clark, not only for coming on today, but for- A lot of times you, you have people come in who support you, and you have to make up things about them and fabricate (chuckles) things about their record. This guy's a hero. He's got Four Stars on his shoulder. He has seen it, been through it and lived what he preaches. And General, not only do I thank you for your support, I thank you for your, your love for this country, your support for our troops and just believing in the greatness of America and what can be done when we get the right policies in place. And I, I promise you if the voters here in Tennessee see fit to send me to the Senate, I will live and try every day to live up to what you said and your words and your reasoning for supporting me. And I, I thank you again and bless you for all of your service and all that you do.
Kevin Wall: Hey General, thank you so much for joining us and again, thank you for your service to this country. It is greatly appreciated. Congressman Ford, thanks for joining us. We'll have you on again real soon, I hope.
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.: We're going to beat the Jets this weekend too.
Kevin Wall: There you go! There you go! That's Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.

Wes Clark stumps for Harold Ford, Jr. in Clarksville, TN

Wes Clark stumps for Harold Ford, Jr. in Clarksville, TN

Ford cautiously works around Kerry remarks

November 2, 2006 By Blake Farmer | News Correspondent | The City Paper

Clark (to cheers and applause): “They say it’s stay the course, but you know what? You can’t stay the course when you’re failing.”

CLARKSVILLE – At a Democratic rally in Clarksville Wednesday, Senate-hopeful Harold Ford Jr. deflected questions about John Kerry’s recent remarks to college students about the war in Iraq, but did not distance himself from the long-time Massachusetts Senator.

Earlier Wednesday morning, Ford’s camp issued a statement calling for Kerry’s apology.

“John Kerry was wrong to say what he said,” Ford told reporters after the event. “Let’s not be distracted by that. The reality is we have a failed set of policies on the ground in Iraq. Had John Kerry not said what he said, we’d still be faced with the same result we’re faced with today in Iraq.”

Kerry’s comments earlier this week were about education. “You can do well. And if you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq,” he said. The statement has drawn fire from Republicans and Democrats alike, eventually drawing a public apology by midday.

Ford was joined at the Clarksville event by retired general Wesley Clark, a contender for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. A handful of veterans turned out for the afternoon gathering, dubbed a “Veteran’s Appreciation Rally.” Clark told them the Republican Party has demonized people who question the war and encouraged military supporters to vote for “change” in Washington.

“They say it’s stay the course, but you know what? You can’t stay the course when you’re failing,” Clark said to cheers and applause.

Ford nodded and released several ‘amen’s’ as Clark worked the crowd. When Ford took the microphone, he pledged to take care of veterans and offered several anecdotes about church and religious faith.

Mike Krause, a young Iraq war veteran, presented Ford with his personal Army Medal of Recognition for “fighting the war from the halls of Congress.”

As expected, Ford remained enthusiastic despite a recent poll that puts opponent Bob Corker ahead by more than the margin of error. He did, however, acknowlege Corker’s $2 million contribution to his own campaign and said the Ford campaign will have to play catch-up. Ford continued with a get-out-the-vote plea.

“The only way we’re going to win this race is to go out and reach out to independents, Republicans, Democrats, and bring them all around to our side,” he said. “Our side isn’t a Democratic side. Our side is to do what’s right for America.”

Regarding the relationship between Ford and Kerry, the Tennessee Republican Party issued a statement Wednesday calling for Ford to return $100,000 in funds Kerry helped to raise on Ford’s behalf.

Congressman Lincoln Davis, Ford’s campaign chairman, said he did not expect to return any money and suggested the statement was “just something to sidetrack the issues.”

“If I were John Kerry, I’d say, ‘It was a bad statement,’” he said. “Now, let’s talk about the war in Iraq again. The Republicans are the best at this of anyone. They want to diffuse the issues.”