Ford Defies Obama, Confirms Senate Run

Harold Ford Jr. is running for Senate in New York, he sort of announced today—but it's without support from the White House. In a column in today’s New York Post titled “Ford: I’m Gearing up for Senate Race,” Ford says he’s “strongly considering,” such a run, before going on to outline the reasons New Yorkers should vote for him. "Some have already questioned whether I should be running," he writes. "Others are falsifying my record in public life. New York deserves a free election."

Ford strikes a defensive tone, asserting that he is pro-choice and labor-friendly, "despite what critics say about me." Among Ford’s critics: Barack Obama. Yesterday Robert Gibbs said the White House was "quite happy with the leadership of Senator Gillibrand," and would support her reelection, hinting that there would be behind-the-scenes moves to block Ford's run. Asked yesterday if he'd run without Obama's support, Ford professed “great respect” for Obama" but said he’d “listen to New Yorkers as I make this decision."
(More Harold Ford Jr. stories.)