Obama Camp Calls Out McCain and Davis for Role in Job-Killing DHL Deal

[kevinmc]

Huffington Post

WHO: Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe and Ohio Democratic Chair Chris Redfern
WHAT: Press conference call to discuss Sen. John McCain and McCain 2008 Campaign Manager Rick Davis' role in the closing of the DHL facility in Wilmington, Ohio
WHEN: Friday, August 8 at 2:30 p.m. EDT

SUMMARY
In this press conference call, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe and Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern call out John McCain and Rick Davis, his campaign manager, for their role in the acquisition of Airborne Express by DHL in 2003. The DHL plant in Wilmington, OH, which belonged to Airborne Express, will close soon according to DHL plans. The Obama campaign points out that Davis lobbied heavily in favor of the acquisition, earning of hundreds of thousands in fees, that Plouffe said has resulted in the loss of more than 8,000 jobs in Ohio. They also say that McCain, as Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, allowed the deal to go through.

Audio at Link

[kevinmc]

1. kick

[Motown_Johnny]

2. Similar thread up, also with link to the radio ad... kicking anyways

[nc4bo]

3. The O-team slams the mcW team with a left and a right hahahaha!

Answer the nice lady from Ohio's question McW - go ahead - I can't wait to hear all about it.

Tell the truth and shame the devil McW!

[CATagious]

4. McCain can't be faulted for this...

I think it would be dishonest to attack him for this as if he knew the plant would be closed and all those jobs lost. This attack is too GOPish for my tastes. There's plenty of legitimate issues to wail on him with.

[CitizenPatriot]

5. come on

he lied to the woman in Ohio. Sorry, but he needs to be called out. I for one do not want a liar in office.

What is so morally wrong with exposing a lie? That is a fallacy of niceness, and while I grant you the intentions are good and honorable, the truth is that by not exposing lies and evil, we allow it to continue. It is not our responsibility to cover for liars or make things nice for them. That makes us culpable. Ask anyone who sat by during any horrible event. It isn't merely being quiet, but not speaking up, which makes one guilty of assisting an act of cruelty, crime, etc. We have, as liberals, a call toward tolerance. That is a wonderful, admirable quality. But it is not correct to extend tolerance toward lies, misinformation, manipulation, and the general attempt to dissemble information which the public needs to know and has a right to know.

the light of truth is the opposite of evil. That is all we need to focus on. Hold ourselves accountable to it as well, as we do. That makes everything pretty simple. Just tell the truth about yourself and others. And make it your duty to correct untruths as they impact others. You don't think the people have a right to know that McCain misrepresented himself as someone who cared about the working person's loss of a job? There are many people who will cast their vote on that very issue. People who can't pay their bills right now. They deserve the truth.

"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." -Dante

[CATagious]

8. If the response is to inform of his role...

then fine. But, the response should not be that he is culpable in the loss of the jobs. That would be ridiculous. You think he would push for the deal if he knew 8,000 jobs would be lost? I don't think so. They actually gained 1,00 jobs after DHL took over. So, it was probably viewed as a good move back then.

I do appreciate your reasoned response tho unlike the person below.

[CitizenPatriot]

10. hi

I see your point, but I'm afraid that he did know that. They knew the company would be moving and they knew jobs would be lost. is it his fault that the company did that? No. But did he assist it in its ability to do so? Yes. Therefor, it was disingenuous to act like he knew nothing about it when he talked with that woman. Also, his track record with the sub-prime melt down didn't show any caring at all for the working person. This has been a theme with him. If it were one time, of course I would not feel this way. But the trend concerns me deeply and I do want the working person to KNOW who and what they are voting for. There's also the bill Obama co-sponsored to protect the working person with unions, etc. That economic group is suffering deeply. McCain is against that bill. Not the first time, second time, or 20th time. yet he has ads portraying himself as "our friend" who gets it while Obama is the elitist. That is a lie. He is a very wealthy man with 11 houses who doesn't know the price of a gallon of milk. that's fine, but don't pass yourself off as something you aren't! and don't accuse your opponent of being exactly what you yourself are. he is the one who made as issue out of being the working man's friend while portraying Obama as the privileged elitist.

It sounds like you want to make sure things are done properly and I get that. It's a good thing. I feel the same way, and after learning about his culpability in so many travesties of not looking out for the working folks, I feel that the right thing to do is call that out. :-)

peace!

[CATagious]

16. yes, i know all of the problems with McCain...

that's why this attack leaves a bad taste in my mouth because there are so many legitimate attacks that can be made. If it's true that he knew the jobs would be lost, then, hell yeah, let's use that. But, I just don't think that is true. That's all.

But thumbs-up to you for your civility! :)

[CitizenPatriot]

20. well

back at you:-) Now see, I did attack him...but civilly! that's what I'd like to see happen. I love Obama's way of remaining above it but not letting it get by. We just need to find a clear way of informing people.


If you can think of a way to do that, I'm all ears! The problems we have as Dems is the issues are on our side, so we fight back with logic and civility and all of that. that just doesn't cut it - we need soundbites. Not because we are like them, but sadly because in this age of TV and internet, that is how people get their info. short attention spans, not academics, that's our target demo.

Anyway, if you have good ideas on this, I am all ears. We need quick catchy sound bites that hit home in a personal way. not nec against the opponent, but see, that is the visceral way McCain gets his message across in 2 seconds. he says "Obama's gonna raise your taxes!" done. it takes us 5 minutes of explaining the policy to get there. Cuz we value facts and truth. but that message isn't getting across to many...

[Gabi Hayes]

6. nice try...you're either willfully ignorant, or deceptive. go back and read

about his role in the Senate in pushing this through, regardless of what he did or didn't know about the 'future'. he was instrumental in selling off US assets to foreign companies, a move that was NOT necessary

then tell us how lily white he was on this

[CATagious]

7. nice try??

nice try of expressing my opinion? Sorry you don't like it... maybe I should just conform to please you.

[Gabi Hayes]

11. your opinion lacks a basic grounding in the facts of the case, and renders it

useless to anyone but yourself

it serves as propaganda, basically

it's like you're telling someone that there's nothing wrong with covering yourself in gasoline, then playing with a sparkler

wise up

[CATagious]

15. and the facts of the case are?

please tell me how he should be blamed for the loss of the jobs. Any attack that blames him for the loss of the jobs is dishonest and disingenuous. You want to point out that he was less than forthcoming about his role when talking to the woman? Then, fine, that is fair game (but I doubt that any politician would have in that situation). But you can't say that he helped push thru a deal that he knew would eventually cost 8,000 jobs. That is my point. My only point. And, my point IS grounded in the facts but maybe you're too self-righteous and pompous to see that. I do not care. Call me a freeper if you want, I don't give shit. It's sad that your only response is belittlement and ridicule.

[Gabi Hayes]

17. what does 'freeperish' mean? can you enlighten me? I'm not familiar with that term,

as you seem to be.

and you haven't begun to address the key facts surrounding this story, instead choosing to spew defensive, hyperbole-filled conjecture that fits the talking points of McCain and his fellow tale-spinners. good job!

why don't you do a little research on that and get back to us?

upon whom SHOULD the blame for job loss fall? Obama? that's what they're trying to do now.

you probably agree with that, don't you?

[CATagious]

19. yes, you got me... i'm really a McCain plant...

nm

[POAS]

18. It isn't that he KNEW about those specific lost jobs

it is that hen and others, knew well that corporate consolidation in general causes job lose.

To a certain extent this is not a bad thing since many companies are operated very inefficiently but now we have entered a period in history where the corporatists are in take over mode, consolidating power wherever they can.

The goal of the ardent capitalist is not fair competition it is the elimination of competition. To be the last man standing, king of the hill. To the extent that McCain and the other corporatist conservatives have enabled this agenda to move forward they should be held collectively and individually accountable. In the DHL case McCain could not have known with specificity which jobs would be lost but he certainly knew in general terms and he enabled the process to further an agenda.

[Gabi Hayes]

21. and what of the fears of the local population when they found out about the possible takeover?

they all WARNED of this.

they SAID it would happen

McCain can NOT claim to have been ignorant of the fears of massive job loss; it's what almost ALWAYS happens when a local company is taken over by foreign interests, under the guise of increased effeciency, or whatever rubric one cares to describe it with

sounds a bit like his prescient, pollyana-ish view of what was to come when we invaded Iraq, yes?

and, Catagious, or whatever your name is, same goes for you, and your head in the sand defense of the benevolent McCain and his pristine lobbyist cum campaign manager. they were pimping this sale for the PEOPLE, weren't they?

jesus....

[CATagious]

25. i'm sure you can provide some proof of the population's ...

rampant fears? Right? But, in the meantime, how about some facts:

"Airborne's former employees were happy with the deal, as well. A press release from the Teamsters union praised the "historic" agreement it reached with DHL after the merger. The agreement protected more than 6,000 Airborne jobs by including a "no-layoffs provision" and held out a promise of "more Teamster jobs" as the result of anticipated growth. That prediction proved true for a while. According to the Cleveland newspaper:

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Aug. 6: Several Wilmington civic leaders said that what happened in 2003 created an economic gain for their community, lasting several years."

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/distorting_the_dhl_deal.html

Now, nowhere do I offer any support for 'benevolent' McCain. I, in no shape or form, support McCain. I expressed my concern that claiming that McCain is responsible for the loss of 8000 jobs was pushing the envelope of honesty and decency. You immediately started with your fucking name calling and condescension without any supporting argument that wasn't merely based on conjecture. Looks like my fears were well-grounded and, sorry, jesus can't save you from your own idiocy.

[CATagious]

24. THIS IS WHAT I WAS AFRAID OF...

and what I got fucking lambasted over for expressing my concern that we're going to go too far with this! So who's lacking basic understanding now, pompous windbag? But, I guess you'll just disparage factcheck.org now. I'm sure you'll say they are idiots and propagandists but then later on you will use their research into McCain's ads and give them props for being objective truth-seekers.

From factcheck.org:
Distorting the DHL Deal
August 15, 2008
An AFL-CIO flier and Obama campaign ads say that McCain cost Ohioans 8,000 jobs. We say that's a distortion of the record.
Summary
Ads from the AFL-CIO and the Obama campaign claim that McCain is partly to blame for the loss of more than 8,000 jobs in Ohio. They paint a false picture.

There's at least some truth in both ads: German-based DHL announced a deal that could result in 8,200 lost jobs in Wilmington, Ohio. And McCain did in fact oppose an amendment that would have kept DHL from buying Wilmington-based Airborne Express. McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, was also a DHL lobbyist charged with easing the merger through the Senate.

But the ads go too far. Some statements about McCain are misleading and some of the inferences the ads invite are unsubstantiated:


http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/distorting_the_dhl_deal.html

[truthisfreedom]

9. Anything that works. McCain could have studied it more, done more projections, and reached

a completely different conclusion. We have no way of knowing for absolute certain if his action was irresponsible, but it very well could have been, and given that he has made so many other bad decisions, it's likely that someone else could have examined this deal and made a different decision.

[anonymous171]

22. This is a legitimate issue. They would do it to us.

[Carrieyazel]

12. It looks the Edwards mess has ruined any chance for this to have legs.

I'm starting to think this timing is highly suspect.

[Gabi Hayes]

13. correlation isn't causality

the dems seem to be working this, and it's not going to die. it may take awhile, but I think they're going to keep pushing this, and they should, because it's on record that McCain used his influence in the senate to make this deal work, and he went against Ted Stevens to do it?

have you seen that part?

Washington Post ran it, and TPM reprinted it, but nobody's talking about it

[anonymous171]

23. This is a local issue. It doesn't have to have legs.

We're fine just as long as Obama keeps putting it out there with local ad buys in Ohio.

[vaberella]

14. Sure sign that Obama listens to the people and apparently DUers. The DUers pushed Obama's

hand with success. I'd like to pat the DUers who emailed and faxed and called in this information right away to the Obama camp and definitely give the Obama camp some serious credo for putting this out in the public where it should be.