Looks like Harold Ford has seen the handwriting on the wall and decided not to run for Senate.
Ford's statement will appear on Tuesday in the New York Times. It includes the following:
"I’ve examined this race in every possible way, and I keep returning to the same fundamental conclusion: If I run, the likely result would be a brutal and highly negative Democratic primary — a primary where the winner emerges weak-ened and the Republican strengthened." "I refuse to do anything that would help Republicans win a Senate seat in New
York, and give the Senate majority to the Republicans."
Those are the right words for Ford to use in this embarrassing situation--though it's doubtful Ford is much concerned for the Democratic Party brand after spending much of the last few years trashing that very same brand with his own DLC-style corporate politics.
More likely, it became painfully obvious to Mr. Ford that the Democratic base wouldn't be friendly to wholly Wall St.-owned, corporate candidate, even in the state of New York, where the financial industry and its top donors are particularly powerful. After the defeat of former Goldman CEO Jon Corzine last year in New Jersey governor's race, and the very low opinion of the banking and financial services industry among voters across the political spectrum, it may have finally dawned on the $2 million/year vice chairman of Merrill Lynch that now might not be the best time for an unabashed champion of Wall St. values to attempt to take center stage in the Democratic Party.
Good riddance, Mr. Ford.