Tonight in Manhattan’s LGBT Community Services Center, the heart of New York City’s gay community, former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. spoke before a raucous crowd of hundreds of active citizens and dozens of members of the media. He received a strongly-worded and angry, unfriendly welcome before even beginning his speech. Throughout the twenty-six-minute meeting, which Ford left after the Q&A session but before making his final speech as he was shouted off the stage, taunts, screams, waving signs, and at one point a loud explosion of confetti permeated the small, overheated meeting room.
Ford, who has yet to officially announce his intention to run against incumbent New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, appointed by now-embattled Governor David Paterson to fill Hillary Clinton’s seat upon her acceptance of the position of U.S. Secretary of State, has been making the rounds, attempting to drum up support, but has found little. His New York Times profile a few weeks ago served to portray him as an effete Merrill-Lynch Vice President fond of pedicures and expensive lunches. It hasn’t gotten better for him since.
Ford was ushered in just before 6:00 PM and actually began his speech a few minutes early. He spent a short time discussing his move from Tennessee to New York City, and oddly spent several minutes talking about his wife and their decision-making processes, which, personally, felt as if he were reminding the LGBTQ audience he had a wife. On a personal note, it felt very out of place.
Lt. Dan Choi, still in the National Guard, and a staunch Kirsten Gillibrand supporter, was in tonight’s audience and asked Ford questions. Ford thanked the Lieutenant for his service, and reminded him that then-state Senator Gillibrand did not have a strong record on LGBTQ rights, but changed. Choi accused Ford of wanting to fire Gillibrand, just as the military has tried to fire him.
Also on hand was former NYC Council candidate Yetta Kurland who has been a true friend and advocate for the LGBTQ community.
Ford was asked several questions that had been collected from the audience, questions on abortion, his definition of his pro-life vs. pro-choice claims, civil unions, same-sex marriage, hate-crime legislation, gun rights and the second amendment, and his votes on the Patriot Act, all pointing, as one questioner stated, to someone with a very conservative stance on issues.
On civil unions, Ford confessed, “I falsely and wrongly believed that the two were equitable and I turned out to be wrong.”
Over and over Ford made statements like, “You may choose to not vote for me.” The audience took the opportunity to agree.
At one point, trying to prove his importance to the LGBTQ movement, Ford stated, “I would hope that you could at least accept the fact that the reason that numbers and support for marriage equality continues to go up is because people like me change our minds.”
That statement was met with resounding cries of, “You lie!” “No more lies!” and “New York doesn’t want you!” from the crowd. Signs reading, “Anti-gay liar,” and “Snake Oil Harry” were often waved in the air in response to some of Ford’s statements. At one point, about half-way through, an audience member accused the unruly demonstrators of behaving as Tea Partiers.
Perhaps the most volatile and telling moment, what many will no doubt refer to as Ford’s Sarah Palin/”Bush Doctrine” moment in weeks to come, was his response to a critical question for the LGBTQ community. “Do you disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling in “Lawrence vs. Texas?” Lawrence vs. Texas was the landmark Supreme Court 2003 ruling that struck down sodomy laws, and effectively made unconstitutional any laws that outlawed homosexuals or homosexual acts.
Ford’s response was, “Tell me what that decision is?” Ultimately, Towleroad’s Corey Johnson outlined the decision to Ford.
Ford’s visit was not unsurprisingly unsuccessful. He needed to say, “I support repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I support repeal of DOMA, I support passage of ENDA, and I support the LGBTQ community.”
He failed to do so, or to make that crystal clear.
Walking into a room of hundreds of LGBTQs and their supporters, trying to defend your prior positions against that community and “enlighten” them, convince them that you have changed your ways and now support them and their issues automatically demands you educate yourself on the issues before showing up.
New York should not vote for Harold Ford, should he chose to run. Not just because of his prior position on issues, but because he clearly has no grasp of them. Watch the video and note his slim grasp on issues and his own prior positions. He proved he is not a man of great reasoning or intelligence, conviction, or passion. He may or may not support the LGBTQ community, but he doesn’t understand us, or New York, and worse, has made little attempt to do so.
Note: Apologies for the poor quality of the photos. I’ll search for better from other sources online and try to bring them to you.
You can watch the complete set of videos from the meeting now, here.
For more, visit, Good As You, (who has better video!) TPM, Towleroad, Gay City News.