Tennessee 2006 Senate Debate: on Government Reform


Bob Corker: Work ethic requires solving problems, not just talking

Q: A recent TV ad says you missed several hundred votes in Congress. Have you?

FORD: I’ve been in Congress for 10 years, and made 93% of the votes. During the last two years, while I’ve been running for the Senate, I’ve missed some votes, many of them procedural votes, where my vote would not have changed things one way or the other. A 93% record is pretty decent. I’m proud my name is on some legislation, even while we were in the minority in Congress.

CORKER: There’s a tremendous difference between the way Congressman Ford and myself approach the public arena. My work ethic is that I wake up each day wanting to make the most of it, toward solving problems. Congressman Ford is a great talker. But it really takes hard work and focus to solve our country’s problems. That’s what I want to take to the US Congress.

Source: 2006 TN Senate debate, at Univ. of Chattanooga, x-ref Ford Oct 10, 2006

Harold Ford: Missed votes while campaigning, but voted 93% of the time

Q: A recent TV ad says you missed several hundred votes in Congress. Have you?

FORD: I’ve been in Congress for 10 years, and made 93% of the votes. During the last two years, while I’ve been running for the Senate, I’ve missed some votes, many of them procedural votes, where my vote would not have changed things one way or the other. A 93% record is pretty decent. I’m proud my name is on some legislation, even while we were in the minority in Congress.

CORKER: There’s a tremendous difference between the way Congressman Ford and myself approach the public arena. My work ethic is that I wake up each day wanting to make the most of it, toward solving problems. Congressman Ford is a great talker. But it really takes hard work and focus to solve our country’s problems. That’s what I want to take to the US Congress.

Source: 2006 TN Senate debate, at University of Chattanooga Oct 10, 2006

  • The above quotations are from Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-9th) & Former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker debate at the University of Chattanooga, hosted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, WTVC-TV News Channel 9, & the Chattanooga Bar Assocation, Oct. 10, 2006. .
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Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
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LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 25, 2019