Rich Lowry of NRO admires Ford’s inventive or reinventive electoral strategy. Certainly Lowry’s right that most southern Democrats and maybe most Democrats would gain from following Ford’s example. The question Lowry doesn’t answer: Is Ford really a "born again" moderate on both social and defense issues or is his evolution mostly astute calculation of what sells in Tennessee these days? Either way, the truth is that he’s a very intelligent and impressive candidate, and his victory (if the election were tomorrow) would likely tip the Senate.
If this exciting "new Democrat" is elected, let’s see how he votes, shall we? It is simply foolish to take too seriously what politicians say, especially in a close campaign, and especially when they’ve been preparing for years for such a campaign. Is there some compulsive need at the Ashbrook Center to look bipartisan? Even if there is, why do it by praising current Democratic candidates and officeholders? Especially when there’s such a thin basis for the almost daily claims on this site that their sweet-talkers (Ford, Obama, et al) actually represent something other than a Clintonian bid for "red" votes.
"And another thing ..."
Christians need to get over this need to be loved. While they should make every effort to influence (and change the personnel of) the powers that be, they should not crave their approval. They should not scrutinize the blatherings of Democratic politicians for signs that they are acceptable to these people, or even signs of basic courtesy. They should let the Harold Fords and Barack Obamas worry about whether they’re OK to the Christians.
It’s the difference between righteous self-confidence and cowardly accommodation -- worldliness in exactly the wrong sense.
Catholic cardinals wear red as a sign that they are prepared to shed their blood for the Church. The least that ordinary Christians can do is stop begging the Democrats to say nice things.