By Andy Sher
Nashville Bureau
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Corker charged Monday that national Democrats who are attacking his record with multimillion-dollar ad buys are trying to "hijack" his race with Democrat Harold Ford Jr.
"The Democratic National Committee has already put $2 million in East Tennessee to distort my record," the former Chattanooga mayor told Southeast Tennessee Republicans at a Labor Day event. "The liberal establishment -- Chuck Schumer, Ted Kennedy and Hilleary Clinton and John Kerry -- have made a pact. They've made a pact with the Ford political machine to hijack this race."
Mr. Corker, who called U.S. Rep. Ford an "out-of-touch liberal," said the contest to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., represents a "battle for the soul of Tennessee."
His comments came at the annual Labor Day picnic hosted by U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn.
Ford senior consultant Michael Powell said later of Mr. Corker's remarks that "I can see that he doesn't like the attack ads."
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has been running television ads in recent days attacking Chattanooga's handling of E-911 emergency calls under Mr. Corker's tenure as mayor and also criticizing Mr. Corker's ties to "big oil," singling out Mr. Corker's campaign finance chairman, Pilot Oil CEO Chairman Jim Haslam II.
Mr. Corker said the ads are misleading.
Mr. Powell went on to charge that "Bob Corker continues to support the failed leadership of Washington Republicans and attack Harold Ford because he has nothing to say in this campaign. The Washington Republican leadership has produced the highest debt in the history of the country. They've produced an energy policy that has increased our dependence on foreign oil. They have done absolutely nothing to secure our borders."
Speaking to Republicans earlier, Mr. Corker charged that U.S. Rep. Ford has "voted 88 percent of the time with Hilleary Clinton and Ted Kennedy."
He accused Rep. Ford of avoiding discussing issues head on, contending there is "always a rabbit trail that has nothing to do with the issue." He criticized Rep. Ford on issues including what he said was a failure to support renewal of the Patriot Act and for having received two "F"s from the National Rifle Association.
"There is only one issue in this race, one, and that is Congressman Ford is out of touch with Tennessee," Mr. Corker said. "He is controlled by the Northeastern liberal establishment. He has lived in Washington all his life."
Mr. Powell said Rep. Ford "has been talking about issues and a new generation of leadership. ... It's time Bob stopped attacking Harold Ford and started telling Tennessee voters what he's going to do different from the failed Republican leadership."
Regarding the NRA, Mr. Powell said Rep. Ford is "a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and believes that every Tennessean should have a right to protect themselves, their family and their homes. It doesn"t matter whose agenda, Congressman Ford is not a captive to any interest group or any agenda."
On another note, Mr. Corker said he might support increasing the federal minimum wage from the current $5.15 an hour.
"I think if we can create an offset for small business people, I'm willing to discuss it," said Mr. Corker, a self-made millionaire. "There's always a balance there, whether it's tax issues, whether it's regulation issues, whether it's estate tax issues, I'd like to see a balance."
Rep. Ford in a statement said he "strongly" backs a minimum-wage increase, noting some 40,000 Tennesseans would benefit.
But he said there is a bigger problem, which is that despite the United States being the "economic miracle of the world ... those gains are largely enjoyed by the very wealthy and privileged few and not the middle class."
He accused Republicans of failing to address the problem.
E-mail Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com
Nashville Bureau
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Corker charged Monday that national Democrats who are attacking his record with multimillion-dollar ad buys are trying to "hijack" his race with Democrat Harold Ford Jr.
"The Democratic National Committee has already put $2 million in East Tennessee to distort my record," the former Chattanooga mayor told Southeast Tennessee Republicans at a Labor Day event. "The liberal establishment -- Chuck Schumer, Ted Kennedy and Hilleary Clinton and John Kerry -- have made a pact. They've made a pact with the Ford political machine to hijack this race."
Mr. Corker, who called U.S. Rep. Ford an "out-of-touch liberal," said the contest to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., represents a "battle for the soul of Tennessee."
His comments came at the annual Labor Day picnic hosted by U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn.
Ford senior consultant Michael Powell said later of Mr. Corker's remarks that "I can see that he doesn't like the attack ads."
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has been running television ads in recent days attacking Chattanooga's handling of E-911 emergency calls under Mr. Corker's tenure as mayor and also criticizing Mr. Corker's ties to "big oil," singling out Mr. Corker's campaign finance chairman, Pilot Oil CEO Chairman Jim Haslam II.
Mr. Corker said the ads are misleading.
Mr. Powell went on to charge that "Bob Corker continues to support the failed leadership of Washington Republicans and attack Harold Ford because he has nothing to say in this campaign. The Washington Republican leadership has produced the highest debt in the history of the country. They've produced an energy policy that has increased our dependence on foreign oil. They have done absolutely nothing to secure our borders."
Speaking to Republicans earlier, Mr. Corker charged that U.S. Rep. Ford has "voted 88 percent of the time with Hilleary Clinton and Ted Kennedy."
He accused Rep. Ford of avoiding discussing issues head on, contending there is "always a rabbit trail that has nothing to do with the issue." He criticized Rep. Ford on issues including what he said was a failure to support renewal of the Patriot Act and for having received two "F"s from the National Rifle Association.
"There is only one issue in this race, one, and that is Congressman Ford is out of touch with Tennessee," Mr. Corker said. "He is controlled by the Northeastern liberal establishment. He has lived in Washington all his life."
Mr. Powell said Rep. Ford "has been talking about issues and a new generation of leadership. ... It's time Bob stopped attacking Harold Ford and started telling Tennessee voters what he's going to do different from the failed Republican leadership."
Regarding the NRA, Mr. Powell said Rep. Ford is "a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and believes that every Tennessean should have a right to protect themselves, their family and their homes. It doesn"t matter whose agenda, Congressman Ford is not a captive to any interest group or any agenda."
On another note, Mr. Corker said he might support increasing the federal minimum wage from the current $5.15 an hour.
"I think if we can create an offset for small business people, I'm willing to discuss it," said Mr. Corker, a self-made millionaire. "There's always a balance there, whether it's tax issues, whether it's regulation issues, whether it's estate tax issues, I'd like to see a balance."
Rep. Ford in a statement said he "strongly" backs a minimum-wage increase, noting some 40,000 Tennesseans would benefit.
But he said there is a bigger problem, which is that despite the United States being the "economic miracle of the world ... those gains are largely enjoyed by the very wealthy and privileged few and not the middle class."
He accused Republicans of failing to address the problem.
E-mail Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com
