The dean of New York's congressional delegation and a man who may try to become a member of it crossed paths - and maybe swords - in Harlem Sunday.Rep. Charles Rangel and potential Senate candidate Harold Ford were at a closed-door meeting about Gov. Paterson when they exchanged words over health care reform and taxes, multiple sources told the Daily News.
Ford served in the House with Rangel as a 10-year Tennessee representative. He is now mulling a Democratic primary challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
One source said "the tensest moment was when [Ford] took on [Rangel], saying [a] jobs bill should come before health care" and that a health bill shouldn't hike New Yorkers' taxes or leave businesses unable to hire people.
Sources said Ford also warned the assembled leaders against losing touch with the will of the voters - and subsequently losing their offices - even if they felt they were doing what was best.
Rangel, in turn, insisted on defending his work with President Obama on health care, witnesses said, retorting that the final reforms passed will be in Americans' best interest - and telling Ford and the rest of the room that taxes here are less onerous than elsewhere.
"The tone that Rangel adopted seemed a little bit contemptuous - but that was consistent with how a lot of us reacted," a source said. "It was almost as if [Ford] delivered a lecture to us."