 Robert Ford ( born December 26 , 1948 ) is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate since 1993 , representing District 42 , which is located in Charleston . From 1974 to 1992 , he served as a member of the Charleston City Council . Originally involved in the civil rights movement , several of Ford's bills were passed in the state legislature in 2008, including a bill that would allow a family member to make medical decisions for a terminally ill patient. sierpniu 2008 roku Ford został nominowany przez prezydenta Barack Obama na ambasadora