Senate Hopefuls in Tenn. Square Off

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Republican Senate candidate Bob Corker on Saturday called his Democratic opponent, Harold Ford Jr., a member of a family engaged in "machine-type politics," while Ford accused Corker of doing nothing about illegal immigrants working on his job site years ago.

Ford, a Memphis congressman who would be the first black U.S. senator from the South since Reconstruction, and Corker, a former Chattanooga mayor, are vying to replace Bill Frist, the Republican Senate majority leader, who is retiring. The Nov. 7 election's outcome could determine whether Democrats can take control of the Senate.

In the first of three scheduled debates, Corker said it is unusual that a Ford has held the 9th District congressional seat for more than three decades and noted that the Ford family has long been active in area politics.

"Let me be clear: I love them," Ford said of his family. But he urged Corker to stick to the debate.

Corker has previously shied away from bringing up the Ford family history. Over the years, members of Ford's family have won numerous local elections in Memphis and won seats in Congress and the state Legislature.

Ford's uncle is awaiting trial on federal bribery charges, and his father once was indicted in a federal bank fraud case but was acquitted.

"I'm making an observation that it's pretty much a family business, and I think it's something we all see and know ... that there's a sort of machine-type politics that takes place," Corker said.

Ford responded: "There's too much joy in my heart to respond to that, so I'll let it go."

After the debate Ford said Corker's comments about his family show a desperate campaign "grasping" for issues to bring up against him.

Both candidates said they want to control government spending, clamp down on illegal immigration and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.

But Ford charged that Corker - who ran a construction company before becoming mayor - did nothing after illegal immigrants were found to be working on a Memphis construction site he was developing in 1988.

"My question is, when you learned there were illegals on the site, why didn't you fire the subcontractor?" Ford asked Corker, who did not have an opportunity to respond during the debate.

Corker noted afterward that his company cooperated with federal immigration officials.

During the debate, Corker criticized Ford's votes against a ban on a type of late-term abortion, a position that Ford said he has since changed.

"You flipped-flopped on abortion also," Ford said to Corker. "You were for abortion before you ran the last time, and now you're against it."

During an earlier run for Senate in 1994, Corker said government shouldn't be involved in the issue.

"I was wrong in 1994," Corker said Saturday. "I didn't understand the issue in a proper way. It was the first time I ran for public office."

Ford has said he backs upholding the "law of the land" that grants a woman the right to an abortion.

Senate Hopefuls in Tenn. Square Off

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Republican Senate candidate Bob Corker on Saturday called his Democratic opponent, Harold Ford Jr., a member of a family engaged in "machine-type politics," while Ford accused Corker of doing nothing about illegal immigrants working on his job site years ago.

Ford, a Memphis congressman who would be the first black U.S. senator from the South since Reconstruction, and Corker, a former Chattanooga mayor, are vying to replace Bill Frist, the Republican Senate majority leader, who is retiring. The Nov. 7 election's outcome could determine whether Democrats can take control of the Senate.

In the first of three scheduled debates, Corker said it is unusual that a Ford has held the 9th District congressional seat for more than three decades and noted that the Ford family has long been active in area politics.

"Let me be clear: I love them," Ford said of his family. But he urged Corker to stick to the debate.

Corker has previously shied away from bringing up the Ford family history. Over the years, members of Ford's family have won numerous local elections in Memphis and won seats in Congress and the state Legislature.

Ford's uncle is awaiting trial on federal bribery charges, and his father once was indicted in a federal bank fraud case but was acquitted.

"I'm making an observation that it's pretty much a family business, and I think it's something we all see and know ... that there's a sort of machine-type politics that takes place," Corker said.

Ford responded: "There's too much joy in my heart to respond to that, so I'll let it go."

After the debate Ford said Corker's comments about his family show a desperate campaign "grasping" for issues to bring up against him.

Both candidates said they want to control government spending, clamp down on illegal immigration and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.

But Ford charged that Corker - who ran a construction company before becoming mayor - did nothing after illegal immigrants were found to be working on a Memphis construction site he was developing in 1988.

"My question is, when you learned there were illegals on the site, why didn't you fire the subcontractor?" Ford asked Corker, who did not have an opportunity to respond during the debate.

Corker noted afterward that his company cooperated with federal immigration officials.

During the debate, Corker criticized Ford's votes against a ban on a type of late-term abortion, a position that Ford said he has since changed.

"You flipped-flopped on abortion also," Ford said to Corker. "You were for abortion before you ran the last time, and now you're against it."

During an earlier run for Senate in 1994, Corker said government shouldn't be involved in the issue.

"I was wrong in 1994," Corker said Saturday. "I didn't understand the issue in a proper way. It was the first time I ran for public office."

Ford has said he backs upholding the "law of the land" that grants a woman the right to an abortion.

Senate Hopefuls in Tenn. Square Off

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Republican Senate candidate Bob Corker on Saturday called his Democratic opponent, Harold Ford Jr., a member of a family engaged in "machine-type politics," while Ford accused Corker of doing nothing about illegal immigrants working on his job site years ago.

Ford, a Memphis congressman who would be the first black U.S. senator from the South since Reconstruction, and Corker, a former Chattanooga mayor, are vying to replace Bill Frist, the Republican Senate majority leader, who is retiring. The Nov. 7 election's outcome could determine whether Democrats can take control of the Senate.

In the first of three scheduled debates, Corker said it is unusual that a Ford has held the 9th District congressional seat for more than three decades and noted that the Ford family has long been active in area politics.

"Let me be clear: I love them," Ford said of his family. But he urged Corker to stick to the debate.

Corker has previously shied away from bringing up the Ford family history. Over the years, members of Ford's family have won numerous local elections in Memphis and won seats in Congress and the state Legislature.

Ford's uncle is awaiting trial on federal bribery charges, and his father once was indicted in a federal bank fraud case but was acquitted.

"I'm making an observation that it's pretty much a family business, and I think it's something we all see and know ... that there's a sort of machine-type politics that takes place," Corker said.

Ford responded: "There's too much joy in my heart to respond to that, so I'll let it go."

After the debate Ford said Corker's comments about his family show a desperate campaign "grasping" for issues to bring up against him.

Both candidates said they want to control government spending, clamp down on illegal immigration and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.

But Ford charged that Corker - who ran a construction company before becoming mayor - did nothing after illegal immigrants were found to be working on a Memphis construction site he was developing in 1988.

"My question is, when you learned there were illegals on the site, why didn't you fire the subcontractor?" Ford asked Corker, who did not have an opportunity to respond during the debate.

Corker noted afterward that his company cooperated with federal immigration officials.

During the debate, Corker criticized Ford's votes against a ban on a type of late-term abortion, a position that Ford said he has since changed.

"You flipped-flopped on abortion also," Ford said to Corker. "You were for abortion before you ran the last time, and now you're against it."

During an earlier run for Senate in 1994, Corker said government shouldn't be involved in the issue.

"I was wrong in 1994," Corker said Saturday. "I didn't understand the issue in a proper way. It was the first time I ran for public office."

Ford has said he backs upholding the "law of the land" that grants a woman the right to an abortion.