Well, the ramifications of the racist anti-Harold Ford ad have hit home for a Republican political consultant.

A prominent Republican political consultant severed his ties with Wal-Mart on Friday night, forced to resign in fallout from a controversial political ad in Tennessee’s Senate campaign.

In submitting his resignation, Terry Nelson said Wal-Mart had “come under political pressure from liberal special interest groups” as well as labor unions. “It’s unfortunate that this pressure has had an impact on Wal-Mart.”

In an interview, he said of the commercial that critics deemed racist:

“There was no intention to offend anybody and it’s unfortunate if people took offense. That was certainly not what people planned for or hoped for.”

The ad had no direct connection with Wal-Mart, but the reaction by civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and other critics — and the company’s reaction — underscored the extent to which even the world’s largest retailer can feel compelled to respond to political pressure.

I guess Wal-Mart was smart enough to realize that people of all colors and political stripes shop at their stores. As much negative press as this ad has created, I’m certain there was no way that Wal-Mart would want to be a recipient of any of it.

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