Republicans call Ford's visit to Rochelle gala 'mistake'

While the official position of the Tennessee Democratic Party is that United State Senatorial candidate Harold Ford Jr.'s visit to a gala for state Senatorial candidate Bob Rochelle is a "total non-story," both the state Republican Party and Ford's opponent's campaign feel differently.
According to press releases from both the state Republican Party and its U.S. Senatorial candidate Bob Corker, Ford showed his true colors about taxes when he attended the gala held at the home of Jere McCulloch, a law partner of Rochelle's.
"After Washington Congressman Harold Ford first charged erroneously that Bob Corker had something to do with the state income tax, Ford then made the monumental mistake of endorsing the sponsor of the state income tax, Bob Rochelle, at a fundraiser," Todd Womack, communications director of the Corker campaign said.
Echoing these sentiments was Bob Davis, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, who said in a press release that it was no surprise that "Ford would attend a fundraiser for Bob Rochelle, the architect of the state income tax, when his own record on taxes is abysmal."
However, according to Tennessee Democrat Party Spokesman Mark Brown, the entire affair is "a total non-story from state Democratic Party's point of view." Calls to Ford's campaign headquarters were not returned.
Both press releases from the Corker campaign and state Republican Party stated that ford voted at least 78 times in favor of higher taxes during his 10-year tenure in Congress, as well as voting against President Bush's tax cuts.
"Tennesseans remember when former Senator Bob Rochelle tried to force the state income tax on us, and I hope they will also remember that Harold Ford Jr. supports this guy," Davis said. "I think it says a lot about how we can expect these two to vote on taxes if elected to office."
However, Rochelle's campaign released a press release Thursday announcing a new television ad in which he tells voters he was "wrong on the income tax." The ad also highlights an Anti-Income Tax pledge he signed.
In the release, Anastasia Apa, Rochelle's spokesperson, said, "It takes a big man to say he was wrong on the income tax."
"I realize now the income tax debate was a huge distraction for the state," Rochelle is quoted as saying in the press release.
Managing Editor Amelia Hipps may be reached at 444-3952, ext. 13, or via e-mail at ameliahipps@lebanondemocrat.com.