Fun With Google: Harold Ford and Miami

Blogging for Bryant carries the story of US Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr.'s top-dollar tastes when it comes to his campaign dollars. The original story is here. Definitely an eye-opening read. Something caught my eye, though, and I went digging.

After all, if Google-trolling is good enough for the Commercial Appeal it should elevate the quality of this blog!

I was intrigued by a mention of Miami, Florida. From the very earliest days of the Tennessee Waltz sting, a connection has repeatedly surfaced between Memphis and Miami. To my knowledge, no one has yet investigated it to either bury or prove allegations of links between Tennessee Waltz and Harold Ford, Sr., who lives on the ultra-exclusive Fisher Island. Nor have links between TW and Michael Hooks (who made some oddly-explained trips there) been investigated, either, to any satisfactory degree.

So, among the many campaign expenses of the Ford campaigns, there was mention of nearly $4000 spent in 2004 at the Delano Hotel. Check this map link and you'll see it's a very short drive up the 1A from Fisher Island and Junior's daddy. (The Delano is the red marker. Fisher Island is the Virginia-shaped island just below Highway 41.) How very convenient, eh? The article mentions that Ford has had campaign fund-raisers there, just a stone's throw from Daddy's house.

There are several Miami restaurants mentioned, as well. And sure enough, all of them -- Nemo, Prime 112 and Ago -- are right in the same area.

Of course, the obvious explanation is the innocent one. It's all above board, and it's all convenient to Harold Ford Sr.'s home and exclusive community because daddy is helping his son.

But for those of us who are still waiting for someone to investigate the Memphis - Miami connection, it's all just too tantalising. What will it take to produce answers? Maybe if John Ford was involved, we could interest the Commercial Appeal. But since swanky South Beach, exclusive homes and restaurants, and big money are involved, all of which make for compelling television visuals, I can't for the life of me figure out why any local television news station hasn't done some digging yet.

Or maybe it is all for nothing. If so, then report that.

If you want to pore though Harold Ford Jr.'s expenses for yourself to see how high-living, second-tier Washington lives, then you can go to the Open Secrets website and look here and here. Happy hunting.