Well, he's not THAT left. The American Conservative Union Gives him a lifetime rating of 20, with a 40 in 2003. Compare that with ultra-lib Pelosi's 3 and moderates like Sen. Bayh with 22 and Lieberman with 19. So Ford is squarely in the "Blue Dog" camp.
Just a few "show" votes doesn't make him a Conservative, let alone a moderate. (And Bayh and Lieberman, despite posturing to the contrary, are STILL liberals). His entire family has their hand in Memphis politics, and they are as evil and corrupt (not to mention maniacal) as the day is long. He IS daddy's puppet, period.