Obama paints McCain as anti labor

Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 12:44 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
After addressing AIPAC, Obama spoke to the SEIU Conference via satellite. His 15-minute address focused primarily on labor issues, attacking the Bush administration as "the most anti-labor administration in our memory" and painting McCain as a continuation of these policies.

"We cannot afford to let John McCain serve out George Bush's third term," Obama said. "I honor Sen. McCain's service to this country. I respect his many accomplishments even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal. They are with the policies he's proposed in this campaign."

While Obama did not mention Clinton, he did briefly discuss last night's successes. Saying he realizes he is "still just a candidate," Obama thanked the SEIU for their work in helping him secure the nomination.

"We scored a great victory yesterday in clinching the Democratic nomination, and it came because we embraced because what I call Stern's First Principle: organize, organize and then organize some more," he said. "Yesterday marked the end of a long primary season. It was full of special moments and some tough ones too."

*** UPDATE *** McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds responds, “John McCain has a real record of bipartisanship, and understands that if you raise taxes on family budgets you hurt job growth. Additionally, Barack Obama’s proposals to raise taxes on hardworking Americans during an economic downturn suggests he just isn’t ready ,or doesn’t understand our economy."

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Comments

He calls the Bush White House anti union; yet his tax proposals mean that hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs may be lost due to his increasing taxes. You can't have it both ways Obama.

Barack Obama
The tax and spend god of liberalland!

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 12:50 PM)

Aside from the coverage of SENATOR Clinton campaign's many failures, has anyone argued that Obama hasn't done exactly what was expected of presidential nominee?

What is it that they hate so much again?

Not race for sure!

T (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 12:51 PM)

Most of the time, its easy (for Obama) to throw mud at someone who has been in public service for some time. Since Obama came out from the shadows and the public knows nothing beyond his message, its harder to put in context what is he really capable of --- in short, he's still a big fat zero in my book. The country will be in shambles once he let his posse run the show starting in 2009.

Pierre, Detroit (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:01 PM)

That's right Obama, pummel McCain on his disinterest in bringing back jobs to Americans in depressed areas that have been broken for decades.

Never stop pounding him on the economy.

No matter the color of the electorate's skin, our tanking economy does'nt discriminate! When you convince the people of your sincere will to help them, they will respond.

donna (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:03 PM)

That organization done in so many states will pay dividends down the road.

Its organization McCain presumably hasn't done because he rode to his nomination on a zero budget, name recognition, a very weak field of Republican competitors and a raging love New Hampshire Republicans have for anyone seen outside of the party establishment. After winning New Hampshire, McCain started looking like the only electable candidate in the bunch. Thompson was asleep, Guilliani was divisive and not acceptable to social conservatives, Huckabee was too much of a sideshow act, Romney has his flip-flopping past... McCain started looking to Republicans like Kerry looked to Democrats four years ago - maybe not the best, but at least a conventional, mainstream pick.

Now McCain will scramble to build organization in a lot of states, which will mean tapping into local Republican databases and building from there. Not an impossible task, but Obama's task is significantly less daunting.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:05 PM)

Anyone who had to work for a living, especially a union job back in the 80's can remember how bad reagan was for labor. Mccain thinks reagan was god, so you could expect even worse from mccain. Bottom line as far as repubs go is, they want everyone in the country working for minimum wage while the CEO's and corporations rake in billions. Basically fascism, just like we have with bush.

Steve A Jonesboro IN (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:06 PM)

Obama, Congratulations. I am glad tobe on your team. We did good!

Now, Iask of you that please take this that has been nestoed on you seriously, not more vacations for the next few months till we have attained the evenatual goal. You have lots of mending to do with the Clinton voters and those obamacans we lost when Rev Write popped up.........

Win or Loose, we are with you. Treat Hill with respesct and compassion, but do not let Bill or her take anything you are not willing to cede. If hill wants, let her align herself with McCain at attacking you nad the dems wil drop her like hot coal......They are not our type anyway, they are status quo for the most part.
I know they woudl be great as allies, but they do not want true friendship - they want to a piece of your pie, and they want to carry for you while they eat it.

The Don (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:07 PM)

Leave it to McCain to make sure that Corporations in this country continue to thrive as the poor in this country get poorer.

http://www.politivine.com

Politivine (SC) (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:09 PM)

Reagan was the most anti-labor president

monty (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:09 PM)

Maybe in your memory, Senator. But Reagan was far more anti-labor than Bush. Probably should read some history.

not an Obama fan (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:11 PM)

The Don (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:12 PM)

Both the early posts must come right from the GOP playbook and FOX News. Maybe you should check facts before opening your mouth.

Obama - His actual support of NAGC issues is 100%." - J.R. Claeys, President, National Association of Government Contractors He supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 39 percent in 2005.
He supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2005. He supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 92 percent in 2005.

McCain - Senator McCain supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 72 percent in 2005. McCain supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 14 percent in 2005. McCain supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 14 percent in 2005.

McCain is all about big business and not the American worker.

Union (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:23 PM)

Obama doesn't need much paint for this job.

Someone ask McCain what he plans to do for the 10,000 soon-to-be displaced GM workers.

For that matter, what did he ever do about those workers in Michigan he was so concerned about a few months ago?

Let's have one of those town hall meetings in Wisconsin, and talk about THAT.

Obama 08/12

Anna Molly (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:25 PM)

Socialism! Yes We Can!

Karl Marx (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:27 PM)

McShame's economic/ JOB plan????
Everyone join the military!
At least you get "some" insurance, shabby free housing (but hey its a roof over your head) and a pay check!
McShame needs YOU! to join the military to fight Bush's new war in IRAN!

coninPA (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:33 PM)

Of course he is anti-labor. Union leadership lost its way back in the 60's and my dad, a lifetime labor man told me when I was a boy that the misuse of power would bring them down. I recall he was sad as he spoke about it. Well, today we have a very weakened Labor organization, and the Republicans used all the powers to strip away most labor rights in this country and they protected big business through it all. Once Labor was weakened, big business set about the task of destroying any sense of common ground for negociations. It is unfortunate that Labor-management has long been so fractured a relationship. It never had to be that way. But, the core Republican value of dominance in all forms makes it impossible for them to respectfully negotiate. That is the value that John McCain shows in most of his speeches. Dominance. It is a value that will no longer keep us adaptable and strong in a new world.

mexed, san antonio, texas (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:38 PM)

THAT OLD TAX, DISTRACTIONS, TEARING DOWN THE OPPONENT'S CHARACTER RATHER PROVIDE SUBSTANCE, ROLLING OUT THE REPUBLICANS SINGING FROM THE SAME HYM BOOK, TALKING OVER PEOPLE, JUST WON'T WORK

WE ARE IN A RECESSION, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST DEFICIT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA, WE ARE SPENDING BILLIONS/TRILLIONS IN A FOREING LAND AND HAVE LOST SIGNIFICANT LIVES LEAVING FAMILIES WITHOUT LOVED ONES. AMERICANS ARE LOOSING HOMES, JOBS, CAN'T BUY GAS, MILK, GROCERIES, PENSIONS ARE LOST OR CUT, OUR HEROES/SOLDIERS CANNOT GET THE CARE OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES NEED, MORE JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST OR SHIPPED THAN IN OUR ENTIRE HISTORY, AMERICANS ARE SLEEPING IN CARS AND WORKING (cnn)

LET'S SEE HOW MANY STAND UP TO CONTINUE THIS ECONOMY

vl, fl (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:42 PM)

jerry, how are jobs lost from taxing the wealthy? The corporations SHOULD pay the taxes; and, if they were providing jobs through Bush' tax the middle class policies, those jobs wouldn't be being outsourced now. Would you rather we further tax the middle class, or maybe everything should just stay the same -more Iraqi and American deaths, more higher gas prices, more housing foreclosures, more out of work, more uninsured, etc. - we don't need any change. Are you still drinking that Reagan "trickle down economics" Kool Aid?

sheribaby, St. Louis, MO. (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:46 PM)

jerry-

what are you talking about? how do you figure obama will be worse for the economy than bush? bush took money from the pockets of hard-working americans and deposited in the pockets of the ultra-rich and foreigners in big oil. that is the biggest wealth re-distribution that i can remember. let's please start calling taxes what they really are...a method of wealth distrubution...and how to control where the money goes. for me, and my fellow hard-working americans, it's time to wake up and demand that we not be the used to make some saudi oil prince richer.

m, philly (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:46 PM)

And Obama has done what for Labor? And Obama has done what for what group? Exactly what has Obama done except run for office? Oh he's gotten the support of the Media.

The Democrats have chosen their poison and I hope to see them go down in flames this November.

Sue (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:04 PM)

jerry/corpus christi texas ,

I have been on your side since the inception of the primary campaign. We've both work together to defeat the Clintons. Now, it is time to break away from you. I am not for McCain but for Obama.

Bee (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:12 PM)

Sue,

Are you still bitter? Get over it, we have a nominee

Bee (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:13 PM)

And so one of the big issues this election is taxes!
The neo-cons have had their way for 8 years...
they call it "trickle down economics!"
Well the reality is it’s been trickle up- the wealthy and all major corps. have had recorded breaking profits with less taxes etc. And what are the results? An economy that is struggling and headed no where real quickly! It's class warfare against the middle working class! And what does the nominee for the GOP say- more of the same with record deficits looming and record amounts of jobs leaving the country and recession.

My question to the GOP , just when do you plan on righting this of course of less taxes to Corporations and the wealthy! How many years do you take radical tax plan until it has a positive effect on the country? Youve done it for 8 years and I need not repeat the result. If American is in a most crucial time, a most crucial historical crossroad, then when does everyone pay a fair tax and do their part? Not just the few that sacrifice, while others get richer and richer under this very-unconservative administration!

rube ruiz , Tucson, AZ. (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:18 PM)

A strong voice for labor is what the corporatists fear the most. Slave labor is the whole point of globalization; all the savings from low wages are passed onto the wealthy class, not onto everyday consumers. Have you ever tried to shop for your family on todays low wages and high prices, "jerry?"

So, whenever Democrats bring up the issue of labor rights, the first knee-jerk reaction of these morally-bankrupted cons is: "Watch out for the boogey man; he's going to raise taxes and cost jobs."

The fact is that after 30 years of "voodoo economics," the tax burden has ALREADY been shifted onto the backs of the working class--and the owner class has STILL shipped our good-paying jobs overseas to the slave-labor markets. In fact, they handed over to China almost our entire manufacturing base in order to make their obscene profits. Talk about appeasement!

Please explain how Reaganomics, flat-earth, supply-side economics is good for OUR country, which is now 9 trillion in hopeless debt? Now THAT is a tax increase--ON OUR CHILDREN!!!

Would all you phoney patriots and false-religious wackjobs please just go away and let the Democrats try to get this country back on track, as our founders intended.

Ryan, Kalispell, Montana (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:19 PM)

Jerry,

Ever wonder why jobs tend to only be lost only when republicans are in office with coupled all those tax cuts?

Ever wonder why economic growth, and finacial stability of middle american families, is ussually most robust during democratic regimes?
The Don (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 1:12 PM)

Yeah how about them Jimmy Carter days with double digit rates and gas lines and a president who bowed to Iran? Plus higher taxes and a congress that is just as bad as the one we have today?

I know Don, what the democrats call the good old days.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:26 PM)

mccain is anti labor mccain opposes fixing NAFTA and proubly admits it. If mccain does want to lose he will have to show he knows what to do about NAFTA rather then saying that it works because it doesnt work for this and many other white working class malesCelebrate
BREAKING NEWS
Why Clinton Why
Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting
McCains New Problem
Electoral Maps for the general election

http://sensico.wordpress.com/

george (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:28 PM)

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