“I would not have backed off the comments if I were Mayor Booker,” Ford, a Democrat, said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “The substance of his comments on ‘Meet the Press,’ I agree with the core of it. I would not have backed them out… private equity’s not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, private equity is a good thing in many, many instances.” [Politico]
TWO DEMOCRATIC BROTHERS blew away the Obama campaign’s entire economic strategy against Mitt Romney in just two days. First it was Mayor Cory Booker on Sunday, followed today by Blue Dog Democrat Harold Ford. It’s been a devastating start to the week.
Booker tried to fix things on Twitter, then with an embarrassing YouTube that I will not insult you by posting. The guy’s a mess.
I awoke this morning to a press call announcement from team Obama rolling out the video above and hitting hard on “RomneyEconomics” and his management decisions regarding Ampad, which after Booker’s “Meet the Press” performance read like damage control.
It hit its target, because Bain actually responded:
Throughout Bain Capital’s 28-year history, we have been focused on growing businesses and improving their operations. We acquired Ampad from Mead Corp. in 1992, and grew the overall business during the four years we controlled the company. The Marion plant was a challenging situation in a business that was performing well overall, growing revenues and adding jobs. Our control of Ampad ended in 1996, fully four years before it encountered financial difficulties due to overwhelming pressure from ‘big box”’ retailers, declines in paper demand, and intense foreign price pressures. Despite political attacks that emphasize the few companies that have struggled, the facts are that during Bain Capital’s ownership, revenues grew in 80 percent of the more than 350 companies in which we have invested.
Mitt Romney’s now got a ready made ad, using Democratic voices, African Americans no less, to bolster that Bain’s not bad. He can even throw in Steve Rattner for color.
Well done, Democrats.
You’ve turned from being known as hep civil rights advocates and hell fire and brimstone social and economic justice advocates to squishy, nouveau riche, Wall Street, grand bargain Blue Dog conservatives bent on compromise with yourselves.
I do not find this surprising at all. In fact, I think it’s safe to predict that many of the DLC types will be joining Booker and Ford. Given both Obama’s and the Democrats’ dependence on Wall Street money these days, this campaign always struck me as more than a little hypocritical. Now we’re seeing an example of why I think that way.
Whenever Harold Ford says something we should all keep in mind that he works for Bank of America! As for Booker he was playing to Wall Street the way lots of politicians here in the New York area do. He did do some short term damage to the President with his words but he also did some long term damage to himself!
I agree he did Solo. and Harold Ford should just stop pretending he is a Dem and be what he is a moderate Republican…..oh yeah, no room in the GOP for moderates.The Dem Party is being used by individuals who have no business there.
You will hate this but Obama did the same thing. He is a moderate Republican at heart too.
I agree with most of your post but not all! I think the overall moral of this story is that Blue Dog Dems absolutely cannot be trusted!
Except Obama himself, right Solo?
You can believe whatever you want to believe about President Obama, it won’t make any difference come this November!
Believe me, the GOP is not going to let this go. They will take this and run with it, so for this being a short term damage, I think this will stick because its going to be something the RNC and others will run all year around. It gives Romney a excuse and it was a couple of Democrats that helped. Taylor, fantastic post and I agree, the Democrats again walked in it. The two owned Big Bussiness Parties go hand in hand when it comes to money talks and reform walks.
In general the I am of the opinion that the average Americans lack of a long term memory is a bad thing but in this case for the Dems it’s a good thing. We also need to remember that the Obama Campaign still has those video clips of Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich making President’s anti-Bain arguments for him during the GOP nomination process. What Booker and Ford have done over the last 24 hrs is what Romney’s opponents did during the Republican primary except on the Democratic side.
No he does not Solo.
Harold is an E.D. at Morgan Stanley.
*whispers* he doesn’t like Barrie either.
You really need to take a day from from your Obama derangement. You’ll sleep better!
Booker and Ford both know that private equity’s slash and burn policies were fueled by generous tax breaks, tax breaks that have also benefited them personally. If Obama were a true populist, rather than an actor playing one, it is these breaks that he would be attacking, not the individual entities that have profited from them. Booker and Ford are part of the Ivy league corporatist elite and would be expected to defend them. If democraticvoters are looking for solace in either of these two Wall Street marionettes, they will surely be disappointed.
Oops. The truth that the Democratic Party is doing Wall St.’s bidding just as slavishly as the Repubs is leaking. Frankly, I prefer the “honesty” of Ford and Booker to empty election year populist rhetoric from Obama or his surrogates. For four years, their actions have belied the fact that the D economic agenda is not that far from R. Hence, the Democratic Party’s strategy to make this election about social issues and the “scary” Repubs.
“We’re gonna slash Social Security too but look over there! It’s a dog on a roof!”
Ford has a high need for attention (and cash). If he were a true democrat, I would have a hard time explaining his lack of concern for economic justice.
We really need to show people like Ford the door.
Mayor Booker broadside now makes sense. He has taken money from Bain!
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/05/21/488002/bain-financial-industy-gave-over-565000-to-newark-mayor-cory-booker-for-2002-campaign/
I am so glad Kirsten Gillibrand sent this guy packing when he came to NY looking to run a primary against her. Please.
Really!!
Anyone watching the farcical interview of Booker by Maddow? It was an exercise in saving Booker’s career and not his ridiculous commentary on MTP. Not one question about Bain and the donation he received from them? Or any confrontation of what he said. This is one reason I have not respected Maddow for a long time now. That’s the only reason he did her show because of the soft balls she threw at him and they both knew that would be the case. I thought I was watching Larry King.
Way to go once again Rachel!
Wow! I agree with that post completely! It was bound to happen! LOL!
agreed. she has become a tool
ndd1~ Ha! I call that groveling at the speed of light! he is not dumb, it was a major career screw up. I know what you mean about Maddow but she did make some good points when she pointed out how many lukewarm endorsements Romney has gotten from people who should be acting as Republican surogates.
I think this had hurt Booker more than the President.
Hey LakeLady,
I agree about who it may hurt more: Booker and much, much more.
LL
HA! Now, if only we could start building those bullet trains to put people to work as fast as Booker grovelled tonight.
LL
That’s true but that’s beside the point of the meat the potatoes of what the issue was and still is with Booker. I knew where this interview was going as soon as she started her prequel to the interview and spoke about where the interview was headed: the tepid surrogates and how the GOP is using what Booker said to their own advantage. Well, duh! That’s what we would have done as well and would have been guilty of political malpractice had we not been as quick as a jaguar in responding to that self-serving verbal diarrhea by an equivalent GOP Booker.
That’s beside the point of what that interview should have done. Confront Booker about what he said and why? His conflict of interest: his own in accepting a hefty donation from Bain and then being their surrogate instead of the president’s.
But, she and he made him into the victim of the GOP. How about the victims of Bain? That is where Maddow should have gone.
Oh, and of course, the point made ad nauseum about The Maddow Show making news by being the one and only “news” show to get the Booker interview. And, she had Andrea Mitchell as her Greek Chorus. But, to Mitchell”s credit she did bring up Booker’s comments on MTP and the potential damage he may have done to Obama and the Dems.
Looking forward to seeing how Jon Stewart covers this over the next few days.
I need a good laugh after this BS.
I sometimes wonder if these people in the big time newz biz realize how disgusted a majority of us are with the lot of them instead of relying on the worshiping fans that are blind in their adoration of these folks.
Yes, the MSNBC staff and their patting themselves and each other on the back all the time or asking for praise like Rachel does constantly is so uncalled for and embarrassing.
What a display, heh?
The only one that holds my attention and is truly a first-rate intellect and does a very interesting show is Chris Hayes and on occasion Dylan Ratigan. I may be wrong, but I don’t think Hayes (or Ratigan for that matter) would have let Booker off the hook (without the histrionics of the loathsome Matthews) as Maddow did.
I actually learn from Hayes and some of his guests which is astounding for any TV program let alone cable. He’s more BBC than NBC and in a good way.
As an aside, I DVR his show, Jon Stewart, Mad Men and Nurse Jackie. All great TV, imo.
Will have to wait until next Tuesday for a new Daily Show. Hope he covers this farce.
“has”
The problem is that Booker and Ford know that Obama doesn’t really believe in the Bain argument that his campaign is making. What Booker and Ford are guilty of here is telling the truth. Of course truth in politics is now defined as a gaffe.
I hear you Romberry but they know how the game is played and they both got caught in the nexus of their personal career truth and the truth of what take down companies like Bain have done to this country. Obama may really think more like they do but that does not make the campaign theme wrong.