Yes, our favorite tool, Harold Ford, is still toying with the idea of challenging Kirsten Gillibrand in the New York U.S. Senate primary. And, according to The New York Times, Ford just spent more of his wealthy wife's money on "testing the waters":
February 23, 2010, 11:34 am
Ford Polls New Yorkers on Himself and Gillibrand
By MICHAEL BARBARO
Former Representative Harold E. Ford Jr. of Tennessee has dug into his own pocket (Diarist's note: they meant "his wife's pocketbook") to pay for a detailed poll, conducted over the last few days, intended to test the viability of a Senate run in New York, according to people briefed on the matter.
The telephone survey, overseen by Doug Schoen, a Democratic pollster, attempts to gauge New Yorkers’ responses to a variety of positive and negative claims about Mr. Ford and his potential rival, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand.
Oh, the comedy never stops with this guy...
(more)
And, like just about everything else Ford has done so far in his nascent "campaign" (he still hasn't decided on a run, according to the piece), the mixed messages in this poll leave one's head spinning:
In one series of questions, respondents were asked to react to descriptions of Ms. Gillibrand as a product of "corrupt" Albany, who supported health care legislation that would add costs to New York; voted "95 percent of the time" with Senator Charles E. Schumer; worked for the tobacco industry; and has a conservative record out of step with voters.
Okay, let's follow that logic:
- Gillibrand is part of a corrupt Albany system. (Gillibrand never served in Albany. Her first elected office was the U.S. House.)
- She supported health care legislation. (Wouldn't that make her at least somewhat liberal/progressive, even though many here -- me included -- think she's too conservative?)
- She voted with Chuck Schumer 95% of the time. (Schumer, while seeing his latest poll numbers (pdf) slip, is still comfortably ahead of any 2010 challenger and remains popular in the state. And he is considered by most to be at least to the left-of-center by D.C. Senate standards.)
- Gillibrand worked for the tobacco industry. (She did represent Philip Morris from 1995 to 1999, but anti-smoking activists say she has consistently supported anti-tobacco legislation.)
- She's too conservative. (Wait... I thought she supported health care legislation and voted with Chuck Schumer? Not to mention Ford's own inglorious history of bashing everyone and anyone to his left in the party which was just about everyone.)
Harold Ford remains clueless. Apparently, his (massive) ego and his rich wife's deep pockets must be fueling his vanity run.
I can only hope he spends as much of his wife's money as possible on this effort. I'm sure the economy could use this special dose of "Harold Ford Stimulus."
Keep spending, Harold! I hope you go broke doing it!
[NOTE: A tip o' the hat to Inland for the reminder on the proper use of "poleing."]