Senate hopefuls spar on war, budget in close race
2006-10-11
Source: Tennessean.com
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rss feedDemocratic U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. described Republican opponent Bob Corker as a "rubber stamp" for the Bush administration during a debate Tuesday night, while Corker called Ford a Washington insider from a political family.
"If you want a rubber stamp, don't vote for me," Ford, a Memphis congressman, told the audience at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. "... If you want someone who will look a Republican or a Democrat in the eye and say 'You're wrong,' then vote for me."
Corker touted his business background and questioned the work of Ford's father, former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr., as a lobbyist for Fannie Mae when Ford Jr. sat on the House committee overseeing its activities.
"When you went on the Financial Services Committee ... why was it that within 60 days, your dad became the lobbyist for Fannie Mae?" Corker asked. "I didn't want to bring that up, but you continue to distort."
Corker has accused Ford's prominent Memphis political family of running "machine-style" politics in winning numerous local elections and seats in Congress and the state legislature.
Ford said no one in his family has ever lobbied him on congressional issues and he would refuse them if they did.
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