The Chicago Tribune covers Harold Ford Jr. in Cleveland, Tennessee—Church of God country:

At the Cleveland Rotary Club, Ford speaks to the crowded room about his vision for a government that gets things done in a way that is practical, not partisan. He weaves in the names of people in the room as he speaks, invokes God repeatedly, and tells stories about growing up around a disciplinarian grandmother who taught him right from wrong and always kept her furniture covered in plastic.

He also confides his admiration for President Bush, who is clearly still very popular here.

“I get in trouble with Democrats because I like President Bush,” Ford says. “He has a nickname for me, calls me ‘Fordy.’ So I think he likes me too.”

More here.

Articles like that are probably why we’re seeing write-ups like this (from the Corner at National Review):

Hotline quote of the day [Rich Lowry]
I know this will make some people out there want to gag (and probably helps explain the line of attack the GOP is taking against Ford now):

“He’s hip, young, articulate and talking about Jesus.”

— “700 Club”’s David Brody on Rep. Harold Ford Jr., ABC Family, 10/16

Link to NRO here.