In October 2006, Howell was revealed as the producer, with Terry Nelson, of the "Harold, Call Me" attack ad used against democratic Tennessee Senatorial candidate Rep. Harold Ford Jr. in which a white woman said that she had met Ford at a Playboy party.
In October 2006, Howell was identified as the creator of the "Harold, Call Me" campaign advertisement that targeted Democratic Tennessee Senatorial candidate Rep. Harold Ford Jr. The ad involved a white woman alleging she had met Ford at a Playboy party.