I don't live in Tennessee, but I've been following this Senate race closely since its inception. I am a bit disappointed by the recent polls showing Ford further behind Corker than he has been over the past 2 months and it makes me wonder if it's really because Tennessee is filled with racists. I don't think it is -- I think the issue is much larger than just the bimbo ad.
Here's what I see: Compared to Harold Ford, Bob Corker looks like a wimp. He's older, he's shorter, and he's definitely pastier. Ford has a fieriness about him. He looks like a fighter. (Remember when he jumped out on the House floor to defend Murtha against Jean Schmidt?)
So why is Corker ahead now? I think it's partly because he's the one on the offensive. From the bimbo ad and its ensuing media blitz to the attacks on Ford's family, to the attacks on Ford's stances on the issues, I see Bob Corker as the fighter; I see Harold Ford playing defense. Ford's most famous ads (there's one where he's addressing Corker's ads about his family) are all defensive moves. Ford looks weak, unable to gain any ground in attacking his opponent. And when he does finally attack, it's almost physical, and it's seen as unbecoming, unsenatorial.
This is just a perspective from the outside, from seeing how the national media is framing this race, so I'd love to hear whether people in Tennessee feel the same campaign dynamics.