And some people thought racism was out of politics for good...
In 2006, the Republican National Committee released an ad attacking Democratic congressman Harold Ford Jr. to halt his quest for an open senate seat in Tennessee. The ad starts out pretty normally, sarcastically showing citizens agreeing with some of Ford’s more liberal viewpoints -- like his support for the estate tax and gun control -- that don’t fly well with some Tennessee voters.
“Okay,” we thought. That’s fair -- pointing out policies that voters wouldn’t like is a regular part of campaigning. But after the first four actors spoke, a scantily dressed white woman appears on television -- who some may label a you-know-what -- charging to have met the African-American Ford at a Playboy Party. At the end of the ad, she returns, whispering, “Harold, call me,” followed by a promiscuous wink.
Before you enter a raging fit about this, know that Congressman Ford did, in fact, attend a Playboy-sponsored Superbowl Party and owned up to it. “I like football and I like girls,” he said. “no apologies for that.”
Soon tons of people -- including both Ford and his opponent, Bob Corker -- denounced the ad for appealing to a racist value that black men shouldn’t “mess around” with white women. Too late, though -- the ad was successful and Corker beat Ford.
Did You Know? After Tennessee didn’t work out for the US Senate, Ford was seriously thinking about giving New York’s seat a shot by challenging appointee Kirsten Gillibrand for Hillary Clinton’s old seat. Not so fast, Mr. Ford – he was discouraged by other New York Senator, Chuck Schumer and other political heavyweights
In 2006, the Republican National Committee released an ad attacking Democratic congressman Harold Ford Jr. to halt his quest for an open senate seat in Tennessee. The ad starts out pretty normally, sarcastically showing citizens agreeing with some of Ford’s more liberal viewpoints -- like his support for the estate tax and gun control -- that don’t fly well with some Tennessee voters.
“Okay,” we thought. That’s fair -- pointing out policies that voters wouldn’t like is a regular part of campaigning. But after the first four actors spoke, a scantily dressed white woman appears on television -- who some may label a you-know-what -- charging to have met the African-American Ford at a Playboy Party. At the end of the ad, she returns, whispering, “Harold, call me,” followed by a promiscuous wink.
Before you enter a raging fit about this, know that Congressman Ford did, in fact, attend a Playboy-sponsored Superbowl Party and owned up to it. “I like football and I like girls,” he said. “no apologies for that.”
Soon tons of people -- including both Ford and his opponent, Bob Corker -- denounced the ad for appealing to a racist value that black men shouldn’t “mess around” with white women. Too late, though -- the ad was successful and Corker beat Ford.
Did You Know? After Tennessee didn’t work out for the US Senate, Ford was seriously thinking about giving New York’s seat a shot by challenging appointee Kirsten Gillibrand for Hillary Clinton’s old seat. Not so fast, Mr. Ford – he was discouraged by other New York Senator, Chuck Schumer and other political heavyweights