Who's Your Daddy?

If you haven't watched our interview with Harold Ford, Jr on Tennessee This Week, you should. He has an uncanny ability to deflect criticism, then smoothly transition into his talking points.

An example is his answer to why it's alright for him to question Bob Corker's relationship with Jimmy Haslam, head of Pilot Oil and Corker's State Finance Chairman, but not alright for Corker to question Ford about his father's influence on him as a lobbyist for Fannie Mae.

Ford said: "My father and my mama had me. They're not part of my campaign. If they want to question my chairman, a Tennessee farmer, fine."

Then he added: " If Mr Corker is saying Mr Haslam is his daddy, and I'm not saying that he is, then that's different, but leave my family out of it."

Ford had a lot more to say during our half hour conversation.

We asked him about his faith. He says he makes no apologies for loving Jesus. Blogger Terry Frank has some interesting thoughts about that part of the discussion at her blog.

He talked about Iraq, arguing that it's time for a new strategy. He talked about the minimum wage, about attending an out of state school and about the "Playboy playmate" ad against.

He also talked about his opponent, saying Corker's attack on his family was "an act of desperation," and Corker's campaign as one that's out of ideas and "in flux."

It was certainly an interesting conversation. Bob Corker gets his chance this week. Stay tuned.