Have You Driven A Ford Lately?

Hillary's replacement in the Senate for New York is Kirsten Gillibrand, and while as a member of the House she was decidedly Blue Dog, as a Senator she's done a wonderful job as a progressive, pushing for the repeal of DADT and standing up for ACORN when most of the rest of the Senate Dems pussed out.

In other words, I was completely wrong about Gillibrand.  She's one of the good guys, and she's got Wall Street nervous too.

Naturally, Wall Street does not want to see another six years of her.  They want somebody they've already conveniently purchased:  our old Blue Dog friend Harold Ford.

About a dozen high-profile Democrats have expressed interest in backing a candidacy by Mr. Ford, including the financier Steven Rattner, who, along with his wife, Maureen White, has been among the country’s most prolific Democratic fund-raisers.

“Maureen and I worked hard for Harold in his last race because we think the world of him,” Mr. Rattner said, referring to Mr. Ford’s run for the Senate in Tennessee in 2006. “He has extraordinary drive and intelligence and will excel at anything that he chooses to do.”

Among those who have encouraged Mr. Ford to consider a run are Merryl H. Tisch, the chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, whose husband, James, is the chief executive of the Loews Corporation, and Richard Plepler, the co-president of HBO, according to people who have spoken with them.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who has publicly tangled with Ms. Gillibrand, is open to the possibility of supporting a challenger of Mr. Ford’s stature, according to those familiar with his thinking.

Those who have expressed interest in a Ford campaign remain skittish about discussing it publicly, citing Ms. Gillibrand’s power over billions of dollars in financing around the state. The state’s senior senator, Charles E. Schumer, has been aggressively elbowing out potential primary challengers to Ms. Gillibrand.

Mr. Ford, chairman of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, would begin the race at a significant financial disadvantage: Ms. Gillibrand had raised $5.5 million as of Oct. 1, and is expected to raise tens of millions more.

But he has a formidable track record as a fund-raiser. During his Senate run, he amassed about $15 million, with about a fifth of his contributions coming from New York. Mr. Ford, who is black, may also be able to tap into African-American donors nationwide; the Senate is poised to lose its sole black member, Roland W. Burris of Illinois, at the end of the year.

And while Gillibrand ran as a Blue Dog in the House and managed to absolutely surprise me as a Senator, Harold Ford is a Sensible Village Centrist through and through.  Naturally, Wall Street would be thrilled with Ford over Gillibrand.

This Ford's still a clunker.

[UPDATE 12:52 PM]  TBogg on Harold Ford:

Honest to jeebus. Watching Harold Ford during his run against Corker I felt I was watching the smarmiest and most  insincere politician ever to grace the political stage. I still feel that way.

And, yes,  I’ve seen Sarah Palin give a speech.

If someone offered Ford a $100 for his vote, they’d own it.  If the opposing side offered him $100.05, they could take his vote to the bank…unless the bidding moved to $100.10.

That is Harold Ford.

Win.