TN-Sen: Important Event Tomorrow Night!

Hey y'all.

As some of you know, I'm currently working as a -slave- intern for the Harold Ford Jr. for Senate campaign here in Nashville, TN.  If you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, Harold Ford Jr. is the Congressman from the 9th District of Tennessee (Memphis area), and is the Democratic nominee for the Senate race to replace Bill "Kitty Killer" Frist.  His Rethug opponent is Bob Corker, the former mayor of Chattanooga, who has ties to big oil and is a flip-flopper in general.  

Anyway, as part of my internship, I've been involved in a huge drive to GOTV among my fellow college students.  And tomorrow night, there's going to be a very important event for college students and young people in the Nashville area (although I must emphasize that EVERYONE over the age of 18 is more than welcome!)  Follow me below the fold...

Tomorrow night, Harold Ford Jr. is presenting a concert at the Mercy Lounge in downtown Nashville (on Cannery Row, off 8th Avenue near Cummins Station).  There will be some great local indie bands performing, including Apollo Up, DJ Mindub, The Hot Pipes, and De Novo Dahl.  

Doors open at 8 p.m.  It's 18+, and COMPLETELY FREE!!

Honestly, do you think Bob Corker would bother doing something like this for college students and young people?  Probably not, unless they're heirs to oil fortunes.

If you live anywhere near the Metro Nashville-Davidson County area, and are ready for a New Generation of Leadership in Tennessee, then I hope you'll try to make it!

You can call our Nashville office (615-244-6161) for more info.  Hope to see y'all there!

•  Tips?

  I'll show you my mojo if you show me yours.

  by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 07:56:48 PM PDT

  •  Quick question

    Do you happen to know if Ford will have any free time between now and the election? I know he's a Penn alumni; just wondering if there's a long shot he could maybe come speak to us one Tuesday night for 30 minutes or so. :)

    by PsiFighter37 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:04:21 PM PDT

    •  I honestly can't say

      You'd have to talk to the schedulers about that.  If you call the campaign office and ask to speak to one of them, they could probably let you know how feasible that would be.

      by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:06:50 PM PDT

      •  Thanks!

        I have no idea if anyone higher up in Penn Dems has done this yet, but I'll give them a call tomorrow. Thanks!

        by PsiFighter37 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:08:34 PM PDT

        •  My guess?

          Your best bet would be to tie it in with a local fundraiser -- see if Fattah's hosting an event for him, say.

          by Adam B on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:48:14 PM PDT

      •  But

        they are doing a lot down here with the different College Dems chapters, so it probably wouldn't be totally out of the question.  Good luck!

        by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:08:49 PM PDT

    •  maybe after the election would be better?

      Seems like there are a lot of Penn alumni around.

      by John DE on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:08:27 PM PDT

      •  Couldn't hurt though

        by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:11:27 PM PDT

•  sounds great

  Wish I were in Tennessee.  The cynic always asks if the young people will vote -- what do you think?

  by John DE on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:11:18 PM PDT

  •  I think so

    Harold Ford Jr. is only 36, so I think he's someone young people can identify with more (at least I do).

    And like I said, we're doing a huge grassroots campaign to GOTV among students.  Hitting both the big schools like Vanderbilt and UT and the small ones out in the rural areas.

    I think you're going to see a huge turnout among young people in November.

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:15:06 PM PDT

    •  Watch yourself...

      Predicting a huge youth turn out is always risky business.  People were saying that in 04 and the youth only increased by the same precentage everyone did, meaning they still did not turn out that much.

      by AUBoy2007 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:29:29 PM PDT

      •  This is different though

        no one was that excited by John Kerry, and we didn't have any other big races in TN in 2004.  I've spoken to people from different age groups, races, and economic backgrounds, and everyone is excited for Ford.

        by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:32:56 PM PDT

        •  that's encouraging

          Shocking to realize he is 36 -- my age.  I thought he was older.

          by John DE on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:39:47 PM PDT

          •  I, on the other hand,

            remember when he was first elected to Congress, and can't believe he's 36 already.  Makes me feel old (which happens frequently these days).

            by Tenn Wisc Dem on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 09:06:36 PM PDT

        •  wow!

          I can't believe that someone here at Kos thinks it was a matter of being excited by Kerry more than it should have been excitement at getting rid of Bush!  LOL...enjoy tomorrow, wish I could go...

          by mstarr77 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 11:07:46 PM PDT

•  Young people will vote

  Trust me.  The student movement down here is like nothing that has ever been done before.  Thousands of students across the state are interning, phone banking canvassing, registering and standing up for a new generation of leadership.  Great post, great event.

  by Ford06 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:16:22 PM PDT

  •  Thanks!

    and amen to that!

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:19:43 PM PDT

•  Kinda off topic

  but I like the ads on Ford's website. Its blunt and straight forward.

  I don't live in TN, but good luck on the campaign.

  by partisanhack on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:18:11 PM PDT

  •  Fed up when you fill up?

    The ads are great because they are a reflection of a great candidate.  Ford has a clear message and a clear vision for what he wants to do in the senate.  

    by Ford06 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:20:03 PM PDT

  •  What's interesting

    is that these ads have been on the air for a few weeks now, whereas I can't recall seeing a single Corker ad since the primary.

    I know conventional campaign wisdom says that you should wait until after Labor Day before doing ads, but as far as I'm concerned, if Kroger's can put out their Halloween candy in August, then there's no reason why you can't do ads earlier.

    Congressman Ford has already put himself out there as someone who wants to get tough on national security and our energy crisis.  I'm sure Corker will respond at some point with vicious attack ads, but by waiting this long, he's letting Ford define the campaign, which could be a boon for us.

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:23:50 PM PDT

    •  I think the August-vacation strategy

      has not worked very well for Democrats (Kerry anyone?) so I'm glad to hear Ford is fighting early.  

      by John DE on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:41:47 PM PDT

•  This is great!

  I am on the steering committee here in Knoxville, TN, and I can promise you that if someone meets Harold Ford, Jr., there is about an 85% chance that they will vote for the man.  The other 15% are those wingnuts who are simply unreachable.  The man has a Clinton like charisma about him.  He actually makes sense when he talks, which is refreshing in these days of incompetence.  Granted I don't always agree with him (I probably agree with him 60% to 70 % of the time), but at least I know that he shares many of the same values that I have a progressive Democrat.  He is concerned about the environment, and unlike his opponent who denies the truth of science, he is willing to step up and do something to combat global warming.  He is right when he emphasizes the fact that our dependence on foreign oil is resulting in us financing both sides of the "war against terrorism."  He is right when he pushes for an increase in the minimum wage.  He was right when he voted against CAFTA.  And he is the man that I want to be my next Senator.

  by bhouston79 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:34:43 PM PDT

  •  A big amen to that!

    Nice to meet you bhouston!

    A personal anecdote...during the first half of the summer, I interned with my Congressman up in DC.  There was another intern in our office, a Vanderbilt student from North Carolina, who was a moderate but leaned more to the right on social issues, and who refused to associate with any party.  Congressman Ford gave a lecture one day to the Capitol Hill interns, and he had us all completely mesmerized.  She commented afterwards that he might be the one to make her a committed Dem.

    Score.

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:43:02 PM PDT

•  While you guys are here...

  I posted this on an open thread and got a lot of crickets chirping.  I'd make a diary, but I already did one today.
  Some of you probably know that Bush is going to be in Nashville on WEDNESDAY campaigning for "Pond scum" Corker.  I intend to be there, and I'll try not to get arrested.  I need suggestions for what to put on a sign.  So if anybody has a message to send to Bush and/or Corker, lets have it.
  Sorry to borrow your diary...
  Go Ford!

  by Sidof79 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:46:08 PM PDT

  •  Here's a few short, pithy thoughts...

    ANNOY A CONSERVATIVE; THINK FOR YOURSELF

    HEY BUSH! WHERE'S BIN LADEN?

    STOP MAD COWBOY DISEASE

    BUSH LIED, AND YOU KNOW IT

    OF COURSE IT HURTS. YOU'RE GETTING SCREWED BY AN ELEPHANT

    by va dare on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:56:54 PM PDT

  •  SID!!!

    Hey!

    My dad actually got an invitation to the Bush dinner (he's on their mailing list because he voted for Frist in 1994...long story short, he's a physician and thought voting for a fellow physician would be a good idea.  He quickly realized that was a mistake, and has not voted for another Republican since).

    Anyway, if your sign could make some kind of reference to how Corker is a Porker, that would be awesome.

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:57:42 PM PDT

  •  Bob "Wal-Mart Money" Corker

    If you Google Bob Corker, you will find that the most popular hit is his Web Site...the 2nd most popular hit is his Wikipedia entry and the 3rd most popular is...

    This article about Bob Corker and his crooked land-deal with Wal-Mart.

    Click on the above link & drive up the "hits"!

    

    by Ranting Roland on Tue Aug 29, 2006 at 12:13:02 AM PDT

•  Three Ford-Corker debates scheduled

  The Nashville Tennessean paper reported this afternoon that 3 Ford-Corker debates have been scheduled: 1) Oct. 7 (Memphis), 2) Oct. 10 (Chattanooga), and 3) Oct. 28 (Nashville).

  And the non-civil war in Iraq grew more intense today, as a Shiite militia fought against the U.S. backed Iraqi army. Elsewhere other units of the Iraqi army refused to go to Baghdad to help keep order there.

  by BronxInTN on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 08:59:13 PM PDT

  •  I can't wait for the debates

    Ford v. Corker will look like Kennedy v. Nixon redux.  Ford is much more media savvy than Porker.

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 09:01:07 PM PDT

•  Taking the Base for Granted

  You can take this or leave this. I'm trying to give an honest appraisal of what it is like in Memphis Democratic politics. I've stated what I thought of Jr and got troll rated for it. If you are working in Jr's campaign tell him to endorse the Democratic primary winner and campaign in Memphis (not just the suburbs.)
  Here in Memphis, Jr has a GOTV problem. Currently, the Shelby County(Memphis) Democratic Party is under the control of a rival faction. That faction is more than cool with him losing and the Ford machine collapsing.(All politics are local) In addition, because Jr will not endorse the winner of the 9th congressional Democratic primary and his voting record, 15% of the local party (progressives and supporters of the primary winner) will just not vote in the Senate race in November. That could make a difference in a close race. Turnout here in Memphis may be slightly higher than a normal mid-term election but nowhere near Kerry 04 numbers, which is what Jr needs. (That means around 30% if the weather is nice.)

  Next week the Shelby County Democratic party will have debate about Jr and the Party endorsement of the 9th Congressional race primary. This should have been settled by Jr a few weeks ago. Now it is becoming such a big deal the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee is starting to grumble about it. In addition, local, African American, Democratic party activists are starting to complain about the amount of time Jr is spending in Middle and East Tennessee. Jr is taking his home district for granted at his own peril.

  It is interesting to see both the Republican and Democratic nominees having problems with their bases here in Tennessee.

  by frankb13 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 09:07:07 PM PDT

  •  I'm not troll-rating you

    yet.

    But I'm not telling him who he should endorse, or if he should endorse anyone.  That's his prerogative.

    It doesn't really matter anyway, Cohen will win.

    by GoldnI on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 09:17:07 PM PDT

    •  wow #2

      there are alot of people on this site who have problems with Jomentum not endorsing DEM candidates for the house in CT...unless I'm reading this wrong, this sounds very very similar, no?

      by mstarr77 on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 11:10:17 PM PDT

      •  What do you want him to do?

        It's a Dem candidate vs. his brother.  It's awkward either way.  I personally think it's a better strategy to not endorse anyone.  And Steve Cohen will win anyway, so it doesn't matter either way.

        And I will say this again:

        LIEBERMAN/CT IS MUCH DIFFERENT FROM FORD/TN!

        by GoldnI on Tue Aug 29, 2006 at 08:08:02 AM PDT

•  Corker's event this week -- stark contrast

  Ford's event is free, but not his GOP opponent's . . .

  On Wednesday afternoon (8/30), GOP Senate candidate Bob Corker and Preznit Bush are appearing together at a fundraiser down the road at Vanderbilt Plaza hotel. The tab, for the invited throng: $2,100 per person. Bush wouldn't come near here if they didn't fear Harold Ford, Jr.

  Come on out and salute Bush -- details in this link to the calendar pop-up from Nashville Peace & Justice Center.

  See you on the barricades!

  by OldYellerDog on Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 10:23:26 PM PDT