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.

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.

November 1, 2006
  Campaigning with Harold Ford
   Veterans Appreciation Rally in Clarksville
    Clarksville, TN

   Attending Governor Bredesen's Chili Suppper with Harold Ford
    Murfreesboro, TN