Nashville Knucklehead

Clinton and the Fords

I watched Harold Ford, Jr. and Bill Clinton speak at the LP Field last night, and all I can say is that both those guys can work a room. It was a refreshing change from the standard stiff bullshit that comes out of the mouths of the regular politicians, you know, the ones who all look like Trent Lott with the exact same haircut -- severe part on the side with bangs sprayed tight across the forehead. The haircut that I had in third grade.

So Ford got the nomination, no surprise there. And the powers-that-be are obviously grooming him for a future run at the White House. But there is a Senate race to deal with first. Now the fun begins. If you aren't from Tennessee, you know that he comes from a power hungry political family, and one that doesn't always play by the rules. I don't know exactly the details of how they are all related, but there are uncles and cousins and the like who have won races in West Tennessee by getting votes from dead people and pets. I don't know if this guy is going to be able to distance himself from guilt by association in addition to any other obstacles he may face in his campaign. (No one trusts a bachelor. Is he gay or a playboy?)

I think the most telling factor when you look at how his family will do anything to gain power, is to look at his father. Junior followed in his dad's footsteps by getting his law degree from Michigan, where Senior was an All-American football star. Senior had a long and distinguished career in congress, but that wasn't enough power for the cagey politician. So, through a series of backroom dealings, he became the only man to ever gain the presidency who was never elected to the office in any way. For you youngsters, the Nixon administration was mired in controversy before the whole Watergate thing came up. Part of the controversy forced the Vice President, Spiro T. Agnew, to resign. I can't remember exactly why he had to resign, I was around the age where I had the severe part and bangs combed over my forehead. Anyway, when Agnew resigned, Tricky Dick appointed Ford to Vice President, then Nixon stepped down, making Ford the President. He was never elected, and was soundly beat by Jimmy Carter in the next election. But he did have a few years as the most powerful man in the free world, a position Junior desperately wants to attain.

So, Clinton is helping groom the Fords to be the next Father/Son team in the White House. Just politics as usual, I suppose.

posted by Nashville Knucklehead @ 2:12 PM