Ford's friends in Australia

I attended the Ford, Jr. v. Corker debate this evening and have to acknowledge that Jr. doesn't make many mistakes when speaking. Well, one mistake I think he routinely makes is being too slick.

But this article (from an Australian journal) reports how Jr. can be more flash than gold. One interesting impression from the article is how Ford, Jr.'s views on international policy are very similar to that of folks like Madeline Albright, who naively struggled with discerning between real allies and real threats.

The gaffes were lost on the audience and he was given a rousing standing ovation from Democrats and Republicans alike. Any chance of clarifying Mr Ford's remarks with the man himself was impossible as minders shielded any international media from asking questions, ushering Mr Ford away.

"You don't win us any votes," said his spokeswoman. And she might have added that it also means he is insulated from pesky questions probing his limitations on enunciating a foreign policy involving a trusted ally.

Not that any of that appears to matter much in Tennessee. The polls have Mr Ford in a dead heat with Republican Bob Corker.

That last sentence is poignant, seeing as these type of stories have to travel all the way to Australia to find their way to Tennesseans.