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Machinists’ Union TELLS It Like It Is [UPDATED]

By SusanUnPC on February 20, 2008 at 2:24 PM in Barack Obama, Crown family, Hillary Clinton, Workers

Grrrrrrrrrrrroooooowwwwwwwwwl. Machinists Union President Tom Buffenbarger, introducing Clinton, talks about Maytag. He talks the betrayal by Barack Obama, who only gave those Maytag workers a speech. WORDS. Baloney. But then Obama collected huge sums from the Crown family of Chicago, owners of Maytag who shipped those workers’ jobs out of the country. The Crown patriarch says that when he talked to Barack Obama, the subject of those jobs NEVER came up. WOW. Now, the snooty press reports — like that of Politico — leave OUT the part about the story of the Machinists’ Union, concentrating on a few phrases union president Buffenbarger used. NOW you get to hear the full speech:

UPDATE: I found a Feb. 2 article from McClatchy/Chicago Tribune to which Buffenbarger refers, “Obama’s fundraising, rhetoric collide: Union says senator did little to save jobs.” I am looking for more. But here, for now, is the McClatchy/Chicago Tribune article:

Video from MSNBC. Awesome.

ARTICLE: “Obama’s fundraising, rhetoric collide: Union says senator did little to save jobs“:

Maytag workers whose jobs were shipped to Mexico serve as consistent characters in Barack Obama’s stump speech. He employs their stories in railing against corporations that use trade pacts to replace well-paid union workers with low-cost foreign ones.

It is a ready applause line for the Illinois presidential hopeful, one that he has been reciting almost verbatim since he was a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004, when appliance giant Maytag was in the process of shutting a refrigerator plant here, putting 1,600 people out of work.

But the union that represented most of those Galesburg workers isn’t impressed with Obama’s advocacy and has endorsed his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Its leaders say they wish he had done more about their members’ plight.

What rankles some is what Obama did not do even as he expressed solidarity four years ago with workers mounting a desperate fight to save their jobs.

Obama had a special connection to Maytag: Lester Crown, one of the company’s directors and biggest investors whose family, records show, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Obama’s campaigns since 2003. But Crown says Obama never raised the fate of the Galesburg plant with him, and the billionaire industrialist insists any jawboning would have been futile. [BUT OBAMA COULD HAVE TRIED, DAMMIT]

Aide: Didn’t know of tie

Obama’s chief political strategist, David Axelrod, said late Thursday that the senator did not know Crown sat on Maytag’s board until the Tribune noted it last September in a story about the closing of the Maytag headquarters in Newton, Iowa. … READ ALL.

  • Salo

    McGovern II?

  • ckrantz

    With ‘Nixon’ in the White House. History do run repeats sometimes.

  • Gregoryp

    One of the best speeches I’ve heard. Provides the perfect contrast between Obama and both Hillary and McCain.

    • Kat Ballentine

      This is the kind of speech that Hillary should have been giving all along. The PC thing just crippled her campaign.

    • DJ

      Amen. Why aren’t more people aware of this?

  • Sha

    Tom Buffenbarger for Hillary’s VP!!

    WHAT A WONDERFUL SPEECH. Let’s get it played everywhere. The facts he includes about Obama are devastating!

    • johns

      Or, Clinton’s Labor Secretary!

    • Chris

      Do you want McCain to win? What are all of you going to do if Obama wins the nomination? Are you going to keep beating up on him, and hand the election to McCain? That would be far worse. I think Hillary would be a great President but I also think that Obama would be better than McCain by a longshot. Especially when you consider that the next president will nominate at least 2 Supreme Court Justices.

      We need to stop the circular firing squad. We should battle it out until the convention and then get behind the winner. This is too important an election to let this poison continue.

      • Iceblinkjm

        Actually given the recent articles posted here at NQ I would rather have McCain as POTUS. I won’t have to worry about National Security or being sold out to the Middle East or Africa with Obama’s purely crazy notions on foreign policy. Sorry his relationship with his cousin and middle eastern businessmen make me mighty uneasy. This nation is getting punked and McCain might be are only hope. I don’t like the GOP very much but I dislike the idea of an Islamic Caliphate even more.

        • S. Markom

          I have to agree with you. Once again Democrats are managing to pull defeat from the jaws of victory.

          After Super Tuesday I was of the belief that the Obama phenomenon would die down and that she would prevail. Between her and McCain I was not so concerned about who would win and felt assured that national security would not be an issue.

          With Obama’s latest rhetoric I believe he is believing that he is much more than a man running for political office and more of a spiritual figure leading a movement. Scarey.

        • Chris

          You are a mindless, gullible fool. You have bought wholesale the smears put out by the Repugs and also the Clinton supporters (who are ironically hurting her campaign). Spend some time reading McCain’s actual positions. Think about the Supreme Court nominees he would choose. Think about what would happen in Iraq.

        • Independent

          DAMN! You one cold dude. lol

          The ONLY good thing about McCain becoming President is that there would be four years of instant grid lock. You can’t spend money as fast in gridlock. Until there are term limits that is the next best thing for this country.

      • Nellie

        Sorry Chris,

        I absolutely have no sympathy for you Obamaphiles. YOU opted for FEEL GOOD Rhetoric, over common sense and doing the homework and vetting.

        Politically, I am an American first, a New Hampshirite Second, and a Progressive third.

        Because I did DO the hard work, I fully believe Obama is VERY dangerous for my country and I WILL NOT – got that, WILL NOT vote for a Cheat, Liar, Rovian type smearer, and a potential big time crook.

        Further, you have a lot of nerve trying to lay guilt trips on us, because we refuse to pick the god awful mess you made so you could selfishly have a high with euphoric speeches, as opposed to honest solutions.

        • Joey (bjobotts)

          Then by all means don’t vote republican.

        • Chris

          I am not an Obamaphile. I was an Edwards supporter. Now I am adrift, and I would be happy with either Obama or Clinton. McCain would be a freakin nightmare for our country. He is not the maverick, independent-minded politician the MSM paints him as. He is a neocon sellout. Vote for whomever you want, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that it doesn’t matter who wins.

      • Gregoryp

        Not only do I hope that McCain would beat Obama in a rather sound fashion I plan to vote for him over Obama. How this affects my down-ticket democrat vote I haven’t decided yet. So you know I vote a straight democratic ticket every election. I have always figured that if someone wanted my vote they should have ran as a democrat. Not this time though. Barrack has some serious apologizing to do for his campaign tactics and for his constant flip-flopping. I have some real reservations about voting for a republican. We need to rebuild every one of the bureaucratic agencies, we need to balance the budget and work on that debt and we need to institute a progressive economic plan. Maybe, Obama can convince me that he can do these things and more if he actually gets serious about his campaign. All I am getting from the guy is superfluous rhetoric and nasty Karl Rove type politics.

      • chris

        (suddenly I want to change my name…but I’ll never capitalize my name here, so I can be distinct from the other. I post here daily and don’t want to be confused)
        Chris, no, I don’t intend to “support” Obama if he gets the nomination. I will support Obama when he earns my support. There are actions and positions taken by the candidate, the campaign, and the followers that have really hit all my buttons for doubt. I’m especially pissed off that the more I say I’m not impressed, the more I see smear, lies, innuendo, retaliation against a candidate I also don’t necessarily want to support, but will vote for in the primaries.

        The scorched earth policy isn’t the sole property of one campaign while the other is all above this crap. Obama keeps talking about new change, new washington, but there isn’t a fucking thing new about his campaign than others before him. “Oh, I’m gonna be nice, they are attacking me, oh, I’m the candidate for change, they are the same old”

        I’m reading just as many Obama supporters who say they will not vote for a Democrat unless its him. So I don’t really appreciate when some dimwit does the same thing to Hillary Clinton supporters. If you don’t want to vote at all if its Hillary v McCain, or anyone else, FANTASTIC! That’s a principle stand, and you should take it.

        I’m in line with my primary candidate who got poo-pooed early on by the Dems, Kucinich, then Edwards. Dennis pissed of the smug ass democrats by saying he would not sign a pledge to support the front runner if he didn’t become one. He said, Hell No! and I reserve the right to conclude my vote in November.

        My vote has to be earned. I don’t reduce it to a poker chip. I don’t see it as a blocking card. I already did that with Kerry who wasn’t at all impressive to me, but I wanted Bush out. Didn’t happen obviously.

        I simply won’t vote for either if it comes down to Obama vs McCain. Obama hasn’t proven himself to me. Hillary Clinton has a ton of areas I don’t like, agree with, or support, but there are other areas and records that she has I can support because she has a 38 year record of achievments. She isn’t only the Iraq Vote. I’d be a stupid idiot if I ignored all the rest.

        I’m not stupid enough to fall for the idea that if Bill Clinton did something that Hillary Clinton is responsible. And there are some differences between them that are pretty easy to see, unless you choose myopia over analysis.
        This would be a “Guilt by Association” fallacy mixed with an “Ad Hominem circumstantial” fallacy. I’m a little to seasoned to stop at their last names.

        In fact, the more I read over her record of accomplishments and acknowledgements I am amazed that Bill Clinton ever became president instead of her.

        I don’t fall for the attacks on her character as harpy, bitchy, and elitist. I’m glad she’s tough, determined, and doesn’t take shit from thug pundits and politicians. I have been affected by all the negative attacks on her because after a while the characterizations stick even if not true. That is why our brains are capable of critical analysis instead of only feeling and intuition. Our feelings can be played and intuition is only good until its wrong. Critical thinking is invaluable.

        I’d rather vote for a candidate who has flaws I can see because they are present and accounted for, than a Myth of Messiah who works to not be on record (Not Voting). It really sucks to be all up in Obama’s business, but he wants to be president. If he wants that, he has to earn my vote and the votes necessary to prevail. He hasn’t earned my vote.

        I’m not going to argue that you have to vote for Hillary Clinton. That’s your choice to do or not do.

        And I resent any fucker who reduces my complaints to “Obama hater”. Anyone who says this is a hater. Keep your hate to yourselves.

        • jtool

          Wow, that was amazing. Amen!

      • DJ

        If Obama wins the nomination we will lose the white house. Doesn’t anyone remember how nasty the Rep machine can be?

        • jyotinc

          Sorry, I’ll take McCain in a heart beat than Obama who got no experience at all. Please don’t threaten me with that.

      • jyotinc

        Shut Up! Wake Up! The rhetoric of this man is not enough for you. Obama is not Hillary, you don’t get that. I’ll vote for somebody who is experience and not for expediency.

    • Marjorie

      Great speech! I could hear the last chorus of “Joe Hill” in the background-”I never died,” said he. “Where working folks are out on strike, that’s where you’ll find Joe Hill.”

      The labor movement stands for everything Obama says he stands for-so why the disconnect? Maybe Obama doesn’t know any working folks?

  • CK

    Damn shame that the teamsters are going to endorse Obama. Of course the teamsters know that NAFTA is the tool being used to destroy their union. So maybe the endorsement isn’t surprising.

    • CK

      Hmmm looks like the boilermakers union is also on board.
      Maybe one summer’s vacation in alaska doing a bit of manual labour here and there before going back to law school is just not proof that one is “blue-collar.” Maybe one summer’s commodity trading is … just luck.

    • Nellie

      The Teamsters are also the home of Jimmy Hoffa, and have a long history of sleaze and criminality.

      Perfect fit for Obama, and in keeping with his ongoing patterns from way back. Obama likes them dirty and sleazy.

    • Joey (bjobotts)

      Only Kucinich was willing to end NAFTA the others will just modify it.

      It is up to the voters to change the candidates policies. We never said we accepted them just because they offered nothing else. We must let them know that we are allowing them to represent us and tell them when we don’t like what they are selling. We will make sure that no republican wins the WH this election but we must also make sure that the dem we elect will listen to us and what we want. We are not electing rulers but representatives, so act accordingly.

    • Gregoryp

      Wasn’t it Obama’s plan to extend NAFTA until he found out he might get more votes if he condemns it instead? If elected president does he plan on working to get it repealed? I live in Texas and NAFTA has been pretty beneficial to us. The real problem isn’t NAFTA anyway because the vast majority of our factories got shipped to Asia years ago. Also, are the Kossacks still floating that story about the giant superhighway from Mexico straight through my state?

    • TeakWoodKite

      Saw as tory about Texas and the NAFTA highway And the american free trade zone on Lou Dobbs. …more eminent domain. errr Texans are pissed.

    • chris

      They must not have read about his support of NAFTA in 2004.

  • Anne

    Wow – that was a great speech! Withering in its criticism of “The Poet.”

    More wasabi!

  • A

    We may find out how the right wing would have run a campaign against George Bush or Dan Quayle, because with Obama, we get our very own mix of the two.

    I’m just waiting for Obama to read a pet goat book and mis-spell potato.

    Can we please elect competent politicians, for their merits, rather than for the Madison-like marketing campaign?

  • jenn

    I will say this, I don’t think Obama is incompetent or dumb. He is running the campaign that will allow him to win and getting help from some dinosaurs in the Dem Party and the media. It’s probably not an accurate analogy but I liken it to Rudy’s one-issue campaign and waiting until Florida to try and make his move. The primary season is so different from the general election and Obama’s people are, so far, not showing any signs of changing their tactics.

    He’s going to start getting defined by the GOP and, if history shows, its very effective. A packaged candidate was sold to us in 1999, remember. Obama’s team is working that angle, plus he’s taking the Hillary hate as far as he can go. Just like Bush in 2000.

    • Simon

      I will say this, I don’t think Obama is incompetent or dumb

      But, jenn, Rove’s game is old hat, a win isn’t always a win, and Rove is not considered bright, despite what the Republicans think are domestic victories. So WHY in the world is this bright young thing emulating what other bright young things KNOW is a failure? And even then, doesn’t he YEARN to develop something new, untried, his OWN ideas ?

      heh.

      And Obama can’t see people at the top, steals from Rove, steals from Hilary, I mean, how the hell DID he get into Harvard, anyway?

      Someone pull strings for him?

      I mean, Obama IS Islamic correct, and those Islamic ties extended to the Nation of Islam, to whom the Syrian Tony Rezko was connected since 1984, when he attended school in Chicago (even though he’s ostensibly a Christian. In fact, Elijah Muhammad (the founder of the Nation of Islam,)son was one of Rezko’s first patrons, all apparently , feasting at the corruption trough that is IL. They were even thrown off the minority contractors list in Chicago, as they were caught defrauding the city. Money crimes and influence peddling seem to be a problem with Rezko.)

      And they’re all connected to Mayor Daley’s bigger corruption, and Obama is a part of that, too, the Chicago machine.

      An arab blogger from IL, Ron H. (and I will provide the link), says the money web, in IL, at least, is set up like a spider web, kickbacks disguised as finder’s fees, or political contributions, and so on, to bank accounts, say, in the UAE, notorious for laundering money, even Osama’s, and Al Qaeda.

      And Rezko has numerous ties to that area, and is himself indicted for some serious stuff, involving the transfer of money.

      I mean, something is wrong here…

      • jenn

        Are you being sarcastic or argumentative or what? Not sure I care, but whatever.

        • Simon

          Well, what do you think, jenn?

      • Kathleen

        I wish Obama was a Muslim but he is not. He is a Christian. These are sad fucking times. Many fucking Christians have caused more death and destruction on this planet that anyone. I grew up Catholic and it drives me insane the people who hide behind those little fucking crosses on their necks and endlessly threat others like shit.

        I have met more Muslims the last few years and have a deeper respect for them and their religion as I watch the way they treat others and find out just what it is that they believe in.

        I want to see all of the radical Jews, Muslims, and Christians put back in their corners and kept there.

        • Simon

          I wish Obama was a Muslim but he is not. He is a Christian

          I have reason to doubt his veracity.

          In the end, it’s about money, and identity, for Obama, the need to define oneself as important, and hip, cutting edge, in the eyes of others.

          Apparently by plagiarizing from Hillary Clinton, and Karl Rove.

      • Nellie

        Simon,

        I mean, how the hell DID he get into Harvard, anyway? Someone pull strings for him?

        Obama’s daddy was an alumnus – that always helps in getting to the head of the line.

        • TeakWoodKite

          My dad laughed when I told him how much books where for college ($80.00) He said I was cheap compared to my older sibling who graduated from from there. That place was 80% patronage required and 20% merit.

          I mean if GW thinks he attended ’cause he was judged on the merits, why not Obama?

        • rjj

          I think Obama’s dad only studied at Harvard, which may not be enough for a legacy admission.

      • Joey (bjobotts)

        Forget about some corrupt Reizko connection, it only makes you look bad. Whatever was there isn’t even worth mentioning. Talk about things that matter.
        Did you know that students elect the editor of the Harvard Law Review? It’s like winning a popularity contest…going to the black boy in the class…they are all candidates for that position. Obama says he hears us but he isn’t listening. Of course we want change, of course we have hope that we can change the course of present events, but this is what we want…Not for profit healthcare for one, quit blowing smoke up our butts with al qaeda in Iraq crap and what they might do to control or take over Iraq…especially since by a high estimate there are only about 80 of them in a country of millions. don’t tell me how proud you are to be a Christian when what you should be saying is thank god I’m not a Muslim in the land of so called religious tolerance and freedom. Start saying ‘how’ after every Obama sentence. How will you do that. I’m so sick of hearing “we need to…or we must” when he knows “we” aren’t going to be in a position to do much of anything but applaud after the election. What will you do, how will you do that. How will you make these obstructionist in the senate quit blocking every piece of legislation coming through there. How will you go about restoring our democracy?

        “We hold these truths to be self evident”..only words…No because we therefore fought this huge battle with these slavers and won after much blood was spilled on this battleground at Gettysburg!…so no not just words. Where will you unite us. Are you going to lead a charge against the senate republicans or what?…other wise yours are just words. “I have a dream”…just words…no…he gave his life leading a civil rights movement against racists…are you going to march with us to impeach Bush/Cheney and end the war now…then yes, yours are just words. I coukld go on and on with what sacrifices stand behind these words which you have not committed yourself to doing. Yes we can What as mentioned on this site. Do what and How will you do it. I’m ready.

  • cloudy

    I’ve added this to Digg. You can go here and recc the story up.

    http://www.digg.com/2008_us_elections/Obama_Not_Exactly_The_NEW_Type_of_Candidate_He_Claims_To

  • fribbles

    Ouch. It hurts because it’s true.

    Gloves are coming off now. Grab the popcorn.

  • Kathleen

    I listened to both Obama and Clinton on C-span today. Not sure who they were giving their speeched to. Obama is an inspirational speaker. “hope” pause “change” pause hope pause change pause. Turn that head hold that pose “hope, change” etc. I am going over the top here. What he has to say is truly moving, but it still frightens me when you ask his supporters “give me more than “hope, change” they can not. Inspiration can only take one so far. I respect that he chose to work for those far less fortunate than he has been, I respect that a great deal. But something is missing can’t quite put my finger on it.

    Hillary speech was effective talking about what she has done damn that woman has put in her time and taken her knocks, there really is something to what she says about experience. I just with I would hear her say that she is committed to diplomacy with Iran.

    Both of them have taken on almost all of Edwards talking points. Now they are both talking about our Vets under bridges, getting out of Iraq in a responsible (if that is possible) way, raising the minimum wage, creating jobs, universal health care. One thing I have not heard either of them do is take on Edwards work 10 hours a week while your in college to pay for your college plan.

  • Kathleen

    Susan I have been out of the loop for a while. Have you or anyone else that you know written about the possibility that some Republicans may be voting for Obama in the primary (thinking that he can not beat McCain) and then voting for McCain in the fall.

    When I was in Charleston South Carolina working for the Edwards campaign I was staying with a woman who worked directly with the chair of the Democratic party in that area. One night the chairperson came over and they brought up that they really believed that Republicans were voting for Obama (believing that he can not win) in the primary in South Carolina ( I actually talked to a few voters there who were doing this).

    I was recently in Dayton Ohio taking care of a parent through the private health coverage versus medicare maze (what a mess) and was talking with one of my Republican cousins ( I have 29 cousins almost all Democrats) but this one is different. She shared that she would be voting for Obama (also believe he can not beat McCain) in the Ohio primary and McCain in the election.

    How much do you think this is going on?

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      A lot. I’ve read some accounts, Kathleen. And your stories add to it.

      And most of the conservative pundits are on board with that — which exlains why, for months and months, they have been so nice to Obama, and so critical of Hillary. (Ann Coulter didn’t play ball, but they probably don’t worry about her.)

      McCain would have a far tougher time against Hillary on national security, the military, etc. He’ll be able to cream Obama on those issues, and have everyone in America terrified of voting for an inexperienced man.

      And the pundits will turn. Brooks already did a bit yesterday. Then they’ll really turn on him — full-out.

      P.S. Hell, in 1999, when we could vote by ballot in Wash. state, I knew Al Gore was a foregone winner in the state’s Dem primary. And I’d been reading up on George W. Bush, and he scared the pants off me. And I knew he could win the general just because of the monstrous money machine he had. So I crossed over, and voted for John McCain. It didn’t help — because I was a lone ranger — and George W. Bush handily won the GOP primary in Wash. state.

      Crazy story: I knew some environmental activists back then, and they were really excited about Bush. They thought he’d make such a mess of the environment that people would rise up and the environment would finally get the attention it needed. Oh, and the activists would get to be great heroes of the people rising up! (There’s always an ego appeal involved in these insane fantasies.)

      Just a little story to point out that there’s a lot of screwed-up thinking that goes on in this country. Rather than for the good of the country and its people, a lot of people are more interested in messing with things or promoting themselves.)

      • TeakWoodKite

        voted for John McCain. It didn’t help .
        At least you were not alone in this. Me too.

      • Joey (bjobotts)

        I hate when people talk about the dynasty concept of Bush/Clinton Bush/Clinton when I have to explain to them that the Bush’s re genetically connected ..Father-son…but Hillary is only a Clinton by marriage…if she divorced she would no longer be a Clinton. She’s her own person not a Clinton genetic clone. Maybe they would find it easier to refer to the chain as Bush/Clinton/Rodham to help them end that dynasty concept which shouldn’t matter anyway since all government elected officials are have the same uncle.

        • chris

          Excellent point I haven’t written here but have been vocal about in my recent talks. I did losely say this above by stating I don’t hold her accountable for his choices because that would simply be illogical. In fact, a little scratch beneath the surfaces of their relationship reveals very different positions on many issues.

    • cloudy

      If you go over to CBS’s election results you can see this happening in their exit poll.

      9% described themselves as Republican, 72% of which voted for Obama.
      28% described themselves as Independent, 64% of which voted for Obama.

      http://election.cbsnews.com/campaign2008/exitPoll.shtml?state=WI&race=P&jurisdiction=0&party=D

    • Cee

      Kathleen,

      A Republican cousin in Texas voted for Hillary because he thinks she can be beaten.

  • Kathleen

    Audio interview with Gareth porter about Iran
    http://antiwar.com/radio/2008/…..porter-21/

    Michael Scheuer

    Osama’s Indispensable Ally: US Foreign Policy
    Michael Scheuer, former chief of the CIA’s bin Laden Unit and author of Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror and Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq, discusses the politicians’ willful ignorance about al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden’s one indispensable ally: American foreign policy and the danger of future attacks.
    http://antiwar.com/radio/2008/…..scheuer-3/

    • Joey (bjobotts)

      Osama bin laden is dead. Has been for years. Ever know anybody on dialysis? Besides there were several reports and witnesses. The politics of fear depend on keeping “al qaeda” alive and well. They would need to create this group in order to accomplish their economic and foreign policy plans. This oil business will ruin us all in times to come. I live in more fear of this president…of what he might do next than I ever did of AQ or OBL. Oh “the Power of Nightmares”. High estimate of 80 AQ members in Iraq. I stopped believing anything this administration is saying a long time ago.

  • DisenfranchisedVoter

    Damn! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dude. I’ll vote for Tom Buffenbarger before Barack Obama. He really does tell it like it is and I like it! Something we haven’t gotten enough of in this election.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Wasn’t he awesome. And the a-h–e media just quoted his stuff about Obama being a thespian — but they did not cover his story about the Maytag workers. Maddening.

      I wish everyone could see this speech. EVERY American. Hell, that new 527 could just put up that video in TV ads.

      • Gloria

        They won’t show the nitty gritty stuff ever…did they ever really let Edwards’ anti-corporate message get any traction????

  • Mr.Murder

    In fairness to his peers, the people behind him were mostly mute when he pilloried Obama, but they strongly endorsed his praise of Hillary.

    Teamsters went with Obama. A friend who is a member must have heard a lot from his local. Big item there, because IMO Unions can accelerate security items for border security, checkpoints, freight inspections, and even help in scale development and country rebuilding necessary to our foreign policy, and here at home on infrastructure and job creation.

    Whoever wins office should enlist unions as part of the policy for helping us in stand up/stand down claims we’ve made contingent to exit strategy.

    • Cee

      IMO Unions can accelerate security items for border security, checkpoints, freight inspections, and even help in scale development and country rebuilding necessary to our foreign policy, and here at home on infrastructure and job creation.

      Mr. Murder,

      Good points. You also just reminded me of a line from the movie Wall Street.
      The airline unions reps told Michael Douglas about all the things that they could do if he didn’t drop his hostile takeover bid.

  • Herschel Greenspan

    Buffenbarger’s speach is proof that these are the last days of the Clinton campaign. Stay nasty Hill and friends, because all it does is push more and more people to vote Obama. How does it feel to lose ten straight primaries by huge margins?

    • DisenfranchisedVoter

      Obama won undemocratic CAUCUSES – very different from primaries -in states that will go to McCain in November. He also won primaries in states with large African American populations.
      Clinton did not have a strategy in Wisconsin. That was one of the few states this month that I will admit she could’ve won if she had more money and organization.
      But the potomac states and the caucuses were losses that Clinton supporters expected.
      There is a part of me that almost wants Obama win just to see him get ripped apart by the Republicans. It will be the Clinton campaign laughing in the end.

    • Joey (bjobotts)

      More unifying talk from the O supporters bringing us all together. Remember pointing out facts is really just being nasty. How dare us to question? We are all just so stupid for not thinking like you do. I’m sure the repubs will agree with you tube and give up being “nasty” so we can all be united and come together for change. Hugs and kisses Greenspan. btw…are you related to…no it can’t be.

    • chris

      Outstanding push for your candidate. DO you use this same technique to get laid? “Hey baby, you’re dumb as shit and I’m victorious, wanna fuck?”
      You are the worse carsalesman of all time. I wouldn’t buy your broken candidate with your smug gait.

      “How does it feel to lose ten straight primaries by huge margins?”
      There really is something fun about watching bloated egos like yours eat crow. But it is actually more rewarding to watch you be very full of yourself while you perceive yourself to be on top right now. It tells me volumes about your ability to be a graceful loser too. Ah how your gloat tells me what is wrong with Obama’s CHANGE, and REFORM WASHINGTON speeches….because YOU Hershel are almost plagarizing every fucking Bush wonk who gloated while their piece of shit was handed election and then beat Kerry in 2004.

      The Bushie supporters are famous with their, HA! You’re Fucking Sour Grapes attacks on the perceived losers. Welcome to your own nightmare. You have become one of the rabid Bushies and don’t even know it. You have no respect for democracy, for citizens, only being in the winning category. You reveal it in every gloat you post.

      The only thing worse than a poor loser is a piss poor perceived Winner. Chomp on that a bit chumpy.

    • http://OUTRAGEDBUTNOTSURPRISED bama_barrron

      so herschel what was so nasty about the speech … did he lie? no, he merely reviewed obama’s record … what he promised and what he actually tried to do or not … in this case.
      herschel if you promise me one thing and then do something else how can you be surprised i wont trust you. this is exactly what is being said … nothing more nothing less.

  • bayathena

    ISLAM ISN’T A RELIGION, IT’S A CULT. NO WORLD RELIGION TEACHES THAT IT IS OK TO KILL. ONLY ISLAM.

    AND A CULT IS A CULT WHETHER IT IS MADE UP OF TEN PEOPLE OR TEN MILLION PEOPLE.

    • susanunpc

      Thin ice, bayathena. thin ice. Group?

      • Simon

        It’s a religion, which deserves respect.

        The bigotry, and hatred, that leads to murder, and rights suppression, I could live without, but that’s not Islam.

      • TeakWoodKite

        Kathleen had it about right. Take all religious extremism and toss it in the closet of history.

        And Kathleen would you be good enough to toss ignorance in there as well? Thanks.

        bayathena been listening to Savage no dought.

        Dude where is anger coming from?

    • CK

      A refresher reading of the Old Testament might be in order.

    • Nellie

      Whoa,

      ISLAM is NOT a CULT. It is and has been a legitimate religion for centuries, and has many truly beautiful aspects. Did you know that REAL Muslims have to spend days and weeks ridding themselves of ALL negative thoughts and actions BEFORE they are fit to plimgrimage to the Haj?

      Just as the wackjobs who follow Ted Haggart, he of the sneaky gay and drug fame, or James Dobson, are the epitome of CHRISTIANITY!

      There are cults/kooks in EVERY relegion. Unfortunately that small minority can make the rest look bad. Perhaps the majority should organize to get THEIR message out better, and make the troublesome few look like the kooks they are.

    • Joey (bjobotts)

      Bullshit. Nearly all of them do in one way or anther. Even Hindus say if you must kill, kill with love in your heart. It really isn’t very smart to capitalize your ignorance. Islam was meant for desert tribes and so was Judaism and that was the whole world to them then. Are you one of those who think it would be justified to kill Muslims like we did those savage American Indians?

    • chris

      Care to show where Islam teaches to Kill? Name the chapter and verse. Then when you’re done, shall we venture into the Bible, Old and New test and show you where it says Kill?
      Don’t play a game of scripture when you don’t know what you’re talking about.
      You are so off, it would take years to get you on track. You need to go back and read Judeo Christian scriptures a bit. Sorry, you’re a bit whacko.

      • Mike Howell

        I’m not sticking up for any religion or cult whose followers go out and kill. Not Christian abortion clinic bombers, not jiihadists, not the Weather Underground.

        If your religious beliefs tell you to kill; I don’t believe that they deserve 501C3 status.

        I can’t abide the way the Catholic Church treats women, so I’m sure not buying into Islam. And you’ll have a very difficult time convincing me of the peaceful nature of Islam.

        Have you heard the one about the difference between theory and reality?

        • Fred C. Dobbs

          >>> Have you heard the one about the difference between theory and reality?

          You mean the one that ends with:

          “In theory we have two million dollars, but in reality your mother and sister are whores?”

          That one?

    • chris

      Here’s a little teaser for your ignent ass
      “Numbers 31:17, 40
      [Verse 17, Moses says:] “Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.”

    • Fred C. Dobbs

      “Showing one’s ass,” as they say in the Midwest, is a trait seen across the whole of humanity. Whether one elects to show one’s ass and attribute the act to religion, patriotism, primogeniture or the Second Amendment is largely a matter of personal choice.

      Islam arises naturally from a Seventh Century A.D. world. I imagine that many of its adherents take comfort from certain highly structured aspects of its practice.

      As do many Catholics from their beliefs, Jews from their own and even Unitarians.

      I have, in nearly sixty laps around Sol, never observed Being an Asshole to be a major respecter of race, class, religious preference or national origin. In fact, it looks to me like that trait is pretty much evenly distributed across the whole population of Featherless Bipeds.

      Now it’s time for me to go boil some water for my afternoon adoration of The Flying Spaghetti Monster…

  • justsomeone

    Susan, Powerful speech by the Machinists union Pres. If it’s true that Obama took 100k+ from the Crown family, fained public sympathy for union workers & then did nothing he needs to respond to this publicly. Send your article & tape to Lou Dobbs & another copy to John Edwards. Force Obama to answer the charge. Although I must say that it was Clinton’s NAFTA that made the whole lousey deal possible in the 1st place.

  • bayathena

    justsomeone:

    EXCELLENT SUGGGESTION.

  • justsomeone

    Kathleen, Obama is proposing $4,000 a yr schloarships for college students if they agree to volunteer in homeless shelters, VA hospitals, some type of national service.

    • Joey (bjobotts)

      Higher education used to be free before Reagan and is in most industrialized nations. Screw the sholarship bit…make college free for those who want it, not just “more affordable”. Get the profiteers out of the commons. Stop making people go into debt for most of their lives just to get an education. Everyone should have to go through 1-2 yrs of gov. support programs before college or anything else just to keep our democracy a functioning democracy. Imagine the one yr. gov. service draft in the area of your choice. Especially since they’ve quit teaching Civics in school. Do educators get kickbacks for making student buy $100 textbooks from certain publishers as the only textbook they will use in their class. Must buy if you want to pass? Privatizing everything is not a good answer. Guess the mob isn’t buying pinballs anymore …now it’s textbooks right Jeb…the civilized corporate mob that is.

  • S. Markom

    “Obama’s fundraising, rhetoric collide: Union says senator did little to save jobs.”

    But he gave them hope and definately a change.

    • susanunpc

      You’re making me feel faint.

      • S. Markom

        Don’t faint I was being facetious.:)

        I think Obama is seeing himself as much more than a man running for poltiical office. I think he actuall believes he is more of a spiritual figure annointed to lead a movement. Very scary.

  • justsomeone

    Thanks Bayathena, however Obama could counter that high on his agenda is to revoke tax credits to companies that export jobs. Wonder if the W.T.O will allow that after 15 yrs of trying to govern by treaty

  • CK

    The coming election is going to resemble a previous election. 1932.
    Bankrupt nations have no national security.
    What is left of the union movement in the USA is learning this.
    We have Bush for a president for many reason, one of them is that at the end of Clinton’s second term, Greenspan through the economy into a sharp decline with his federal reserve maneuvers just as the dotcom bubble burst. As soon as Bush was annoined by the supreme court, Greenspan reversed course and pumped money into the economy by crashing interest rates. Eventually after 9/11 he had interest rates down to japanese carry trade levels and the japanese started to scream. Since then the fed has given us the Greenspan and now Bernanke roller coaster.
    Unfortunately, the latest news is that even with the latest fed rate cuts, the demand for mortgages is down and the quoted rate for mortgages is going up.
    1932 Rooseveldt vs Hoover. McCain is no Rooseveldt.
    23 Republican senators are available to destroy this time, 12 dems. Only Landrieu of Louisiana looks weak for the dems. 9 Repubs minimum going down.
    32 open seats in the house, 26 of those republican retirements. This is going to be a throw the Bush bums out election.
    And if there is another incident between now and the election, after the rethugs have sold us how good they are on security, it can only hurt the thugs.
    Anything like a 9/11 and it is utter destruction of the republicans for letting it happen TWICE on their watch. Their Pres, their veep, their DHS, their DOJ, their military all overseas instead of defending the country. 1932 Hoover took 6 states. McCain should be so lucky.

    • Gloria

      So how many new Democratic bums do we get in the place of the Republican bums???? You put Congressional wimp Dems in combination with Obama and see what happens…the Republicans still left will make mincemeat out of them anyway, because the Democrats are complete cowards, with no core anymore…

      • Joey (bjobotts)

        Democrats in the senate aren’t cowards and are not caving…they are doing what they believe and agreeing with Bush policies. They call what they are doing as standing up for America and the voters…even ignoring all the polls to the contrary. Case in point…Claire McCaskill of Missouri. Ran on being a progressive and has voted with the republicans on all the major issues…every single time. She is an Obama supporter and is campaigning for him in Missouri, even though she won’t hold town meetings to explain herself. She pushed every repub talking point on the FISA bill. They all are jumping on the “young people’s” idol train called ‘hope and change’ claiming she was forced onto it by her college daughter’s insistence(once again admitting she is a go along). Here is another progressive disappointment losing support from those who got her elected. (at least I’m better than the republican may be true but what is the difference when you vote just like one)

        • Gloria

          Yup, that’s exactly what I’m afraid of….MORE loser Democrats being elected…betraying people….and the old Democratic party….

  • bayathena

    YOU KNOW ALL, THAT IS THE SILVER LINING IF HILLARY LOSES. I DON’T THINK OBAMA CAN WIN AGAINST MCCAIN AND I WAS THINKING THE OTHER DAY THAT IF WE DEMS LOSE THIS ELECTION (AGAIN) AT LEAST WE WON’T HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE REPUBLICAN MESS. IRONIC. LET THEM STEW IN THE MESS THEY CREATED. AND LET THEM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THINGS RIGHT.

    OUR NATION IS STRONG AT ITS CORE…I AM A NEW YORKER WHO HAD BEEN FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN SEVERAL PLACES IN THIS COUNTRY: RURAL, SUBURBAN, SEMIRURAL…AND I AM IMPRESSED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ON THE LOCAL LEVEL WORK FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. IF WASHINGTON WERE NUKED TOMORROW, THIS NATION WOULD SURVIVE BECAUSE IN ADVERSITY AMERICANS DO PULL TOGETHER.

    • Gloria

      Does Obama ever mention the SUPREME COURT????? I don’t even trust him to nominate decent justices at this point….
      Remember how Clinton had to fight to get Gregory, a black judge, appointed to the Federal bench?? It was stalled for years and years….But Clinton never gave up on him…

    • Joey (bjobotts)

      No republican will win the WH this election no matter who we nominate. And as Einstein (I think) said I don’t know how WWIII will be fought but I’m certain WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones. You don’t survive nuclear wars…some may just die slower. We are the largest carriers of Nukes…why? The billions wasted on overkill with so many nukes.

      It’s not McCain we need to worry about…it’s the “economic royalists” mentioned by FDR. We let them get back into power again and now we must push FDR’s policies which they have consistently been dismantling . In the words of Rush Limbaugh, “REAGAN IS DEAD! His policies may live on but we are in the process of doing something about that as well.” (I think I got that right).

    • TeakWoodKite

      Stop yelling…
      IF WASHINGTON WERE NUKED TOMORROW

      Huh?

  • Cee

    Tom Buffenbarger, introducing Clinton,

    LOL! This is the guy a local station just played on the radio.

    People were calling in and laughing. Don’t Prius driving and Birkinstock wearing people vote for Hillary?

    Buffenbarger doesn’t think much of them. Did Hillary stand by and say nothing when he spoke ill of them like she did when Bob Johnson stepped in it?

    Gawd.

    • Cee

      He got booed off the stage

      http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4316236

      Sad that he was treated this way.

      He may be right regarding his claims but he alienated more people… like the Clinton campaign is doing on a regular basis.

      • chris

        how one eyed of you….you cannot tolerate a different view from your own Cee. You refuse to see that Obama’s campaign and supporters, like yourself, are also alienating more people. How much more of the one-sided truth will you avoid?

        You haven’t heard all the people who are being alienated by the Obamathon. How fucking sad.

        • Cee

          you cannot tolerate a different view from your own Cee. You refuse to see that Obama’s campaign and supporters, like yourself, are also alienating more people.

          Chris,

          You’re just angry and wrong.

          Watch this portion of the speech that Susan didn’t provide.

          http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4316236

          • chris

            I don’t need to see any link, and how substantive you are to simplify something to “you’re just angry and wrong”

            When you write:
            “He may be right regarding his claims but he alienated more people… like the Clinton campaign is doing on a regular basis”

            You say, “Like the Clinton Campaign is doing”
            and you fail, and refuse to acknowledge how many of people, and its beyond NQ, are not following Obama’s tune because of alienating behavior from the Obama Campaign, Obama himself, and his various followers.

            Now, I can admit that the Clinton campaign, the Clintons and their followers ARE alienating potential voters. I have called their campaign several times more than Obama’s campaign in the last year to warn them they will not receive votes from our house and from many I deal with if they keep up shallow stupid attacks and petty criticisms.

            But I don’t see you acknowledge, even a smidgen, that the OBAMA campaign and followers are Alienating voters. If you can’t see it, you are certainly not reading this blog, many other News site comments, or visiting in local political circles.

            Last night I met with just over 60 folks who span the range of Green party to light Democrat to simply independent, and we had a very lively conversation on the campaigns. Both felt that the campaigns were being divisive. But the big stink in the room was that one of the two campaigns was trying to pretend it wasn’t engaged in negative attacks (as of course opposed to positive attacks) and that this claim was bullshit.

            Wanna guess which campaign that was?
            “You’re Just Angry And Wrong”
            Ad Hominem attack with no substance, very typical of the critic wonks. You can do much better with that grey matter.
            I am not JUST anything…I am a complex human being just like you. I am irritated yes, and that is completely irrelevant.

          • chris

            Oh my bad, I did see this FALSE asserted clip from ABCNews. It really is funny to hear you play into their false headline..”jeers”

            You need to go to your local college and sign up for some audio engineering classes (my degree by the way), and you can learn a little about audio and how to use an equalizer to turn up and down certain frequencies to fine tune ambient noise.

            You aren’t hearing JEERS in this clip (that’s just your personal filter enjoying ABCNews misleading line). How would it be JEERS if they are chanting “HILLARY” over and over again.

            There are a few individuals who are saying things that are not part of the chant, perhaps talking among themselves, but sorry, you need to really tune in again and enjoy your filters.

            Seriously, use a basic home equalizer and start tuning down the higher range bands on your eq 10k and higher especially. Also turn down any of the frequencies below 80 cycles.

            • Simon

              Seriously, use a basic home equalizer and start tuning down the higher range bands on your eq 10k and higher especially. Also turn down any of the frequencies below 80 cycles.

              My father bought me one of those when I was 16, as he felt I needed a more technical hobby, the music thing by itself being kind of soft.

              He didn’t understand my immersion in music, the artistic expression, but he did know electronics, I suppose he thought he could turn me into an audiophile, teaching me to manipulate the musical frequencies I was hearing.

              I was happy as long as the needle hit the groove, but, I did try to isolate Chris Squire’s backing vocals, say, on a Yes record, playing engineer.

              I was quite the fan of English music, then, I suppose I still am.

              Though the American roots scene, independent of the music business, is astonishing, producing some great, vibrant, healthy stuff, politically aware and artistically relevant.

              • chris

                Close to the Edge, down by the river…

                Thanks for the offtopic background, its always good to know more about our various peers around heres.

                Its been part of my job for years to decipher audio and restore it. We get old recordings and restore them, and transcribe vocals from them. Rarely do I do that with music, though my music credentials are more numerous than my resoration work. But we take speeches or hard to hear meetings and transcribe them. When you have sometimes 12 people speaking at once, you have to really play the audio at different frequencies and speeds to get some of the audio that is either distorted, saturated with too much crosstalk, or where the room tone or white noise is louder than some of the softest voices.

                This jab from ABCNews is really shameful and they can do better if they want to find “jeers”. Its pathetic that they just jumped to a conclusion without double checking the audio. They had better release a different clip if they want this to hold the muster.

                (Note: my first run at all this was about 20 years ago when I would have to notate Zappa’s live bits for my jazz theory class. You gotta have bionic ears sometimes. I don’t have bionic ears, but they are pretty seasoned none the less)

                • Simon

                  Thanks for the offtopic background, its always good to know more about our various peers around heres.

                  Sorry, the offtopic does allow us all, I think, to understand each other, to know where we’re coming from.

                  And the best of any culture focuses on more than politics, say, in this instance, how are our politics formed, how does culture and the political integrate to give us an Obama, or a Michael Hobbs, or that silly MIT professor?

                  By only focusing on one issue, we run the risk of becoming myopic and uncreative. I think much of the mediocrity we see now, out of our elite, derives from this limited notion of intellect, intellectual development.

                  I see someone like Michael Dobbs? Hobbs? the Washington Post reporter, and I think, oh god, don’t let me end up like that, an obtuse hipster, a slave to the opinions and thoughts of others, please don’t let me be intellectually specious, an unknowing fan of Madonna, too stupid to see the truth.

                  And cultural knowledge is important, because culture is derived from politics, or politics derived from culture.

                  You can’t know one, without knowing the other, right?

                  It affects critically reasoning. Without cultural insight, as well as academic training, the next thing you know, you’re bombing Iraq, or supporting Obama.

                  • Marjorie

                    Simon-
                    “And cultural knowledge is important, because culture is derived from politics, or politics derived from culture.”
                    Are you familiar with Berger and Luckman, sociologists who wrote ‘The Social Construction of Reality’? Anthropologists refer to the theory and the “cultural” construction of reality. From the title you can infer that our reality is a CULTURAL construction. Culture is everything from marriage rituals and beliefs to food to politics and beyond.Taken together these things make up our “reality” and account for strong reactions to actions by others that don’t reflect our reality. So if culture is the starting point for analysis, it is easy to understand why differences arise. My background, for example, is 1930s and on working class. I felt very at home with the union speech because it fits my cultural reality. Even though Hillary comes from a different social class, enough about her meshes with my reality that I will vote for her. I am angry with Bush because he has so much and has done so little good and so much bad.I can’t fit his actions and attitudes into my reality. It sounds like a fairly simple analysis, but since “reality” is the starting point, it is quite complex and visceral.

                • Simon

                  Rarely do I do that with music, though my music credentials are more numerous than my resoration work

                  How would you apply this to music, would you be able to enhance the quality of the audio, purifying it, for lack of a better word?

                  That is fascinating, can you recommend a web site?

  • http://www.skullduggery.com.au Douglasbot

    Janus was the god of looking back at history and ahead towards the future. He was also the god of new beginnings and stood as the point between barbarity and civilization, villages and urban cities, and youth and adulthood. What an insult!

    I also loved the mention of Birkenstock wearing, latte swilling, liberal elites in a speech in which he references roman gods and thespian wunderkinds.

    Methinks he’s more aerospace geek than machinist worker.

  • Cathy

    That is the most inspiring speech I have heard this entire campaign season. This gentleman should be having a sit down with the Teamsters and the other unions who have endorsed Obama, and should be campaigning for Hillary all over this Country.

    An earlier poster said Hillary has been too P.C. I agree. I think she was trying to fight the image she has with some people, but she is going to be accused of being a b*tch no matter what she does. So I say, she should be the best b*itch she can be! And I mean that as a compliment.

  • rosaleen

    That was a great speech! The Birkenstock thing was ridiculous and took a little bit away from the speech. Not too much though.

    This cracked me up:

    Herschel Greenspan says:

    Buffenbarger’s speach [sic] is proof that these are the last days of the Clinton campaign. Stay nasty Hill and friends, because all it does is push more and more people to vote Obama. How does it feel to lose ten straight primaries by huge margins?

    Erica Jong wrote an article about the hate mail she gets for supporting HRC over B.O. and the first thing she says is “they can’t spell.” Hahahaha!

  • ghost2

    He is absolutely right about his.

    Who are Hillary’s backers? Tough union guys, basically no-shit, take-charge men who have at least one foot solidly on the ground and who know what they are doing.

    who are her critics?? media and latte-drinking bloggers. Chris Bowers said Obama has the backing of the ‘creative class’. Of course, he hasn’t caught on to the fact that BULLSHIT is all him and his friends create.

    • Cee

      ghost,

      You just provided that point that I keep making about the Clinton being divisive.

      Obama has supporters across the entire spectrum.

      Are the Brotherhood of Boilermakers shit taking punks?

      Hillary continues to NARROW HER BASE.

      Negative tactics DON’T WORK!

      I mentioned a while back that during the protests of the WTO in Seattle some members of the Teamsters (also Longshoremen) union continued to march into town with us when the leadership of the other unions had their people go in the other direction.

      There I was, 5’4″, 120 lbs and scared to death of what we were facing but I felt a whole lot better with those brave men at my side.
      I feel the same way now with their endorsement for Obama!!

    • Kathleen

      Was recently with a pack of 80 year olds all Teamsters all WWII Vets….all voting HIllary (many had been for Edwards). Many blue collar women voting for Hillary in Ohio.

  • Cee

    ack…just PROVED the point

  • Cee

    Susan does seem to be right regarding Obama and Crown.

    We have no perfect candidates. SHOCK!!

    http://www.shareholder.com/fbfs/moreinfo.cfm?id=032g7962

    http://www.thenation.com/docprem.mhtml?i=20080218&s=cockburn

  • bmc

    Buffenbarger is genuinely infuriated by Obama’s actions against Unions, as am I:

    Obama refused to support union pensions, other union issues

    01.12.2008

    http://www.goiam.org/content.cfm?cID=11708

    Fact and Fiction on the Campaign Trail

    Senator Barack Obama recently released a television campaign ad that highlighted an IAM leader from Galesburg, Illinois. Only the back of his T-shirt was visible and it says, “JOBS! Worth Fighting For.” The image was memorable. But so are the facts.

    “Illinois State Senator Obama came to a single rally as union, state and community leaders tried to keep the Maytag plant in Galesburg open,” said IP Buffenbarger.

    “Once elected to the United States Senate, he never lifted a finger to help stop the outsourcing of those jobs. He stood idly by as an entire Illinois community was devastated.”

    When United Airlines declared bankruptcy, it happened again. Thousands of airline workers in Illinois saw their pensions disappear, their health care benefits shrink and their wages fall to pre-1996 levels.

    When those blue collar workers need his help, again Senator Obama stood idly by.

    “As Senator Obama’s rhetoric flourished, his own constituents’ lives dissolved,” said Buffenbarger.

    “His new-found zeal for the trade issue seems more rhetorical excess than real passion.”

    A United Airlines Pilot was quoted at Taylor Marsh a few months ago:

    I loved barack when he first came out; not anymore. He better not talk about not taking money from big business, because if you work for United Airlines you know that is what he did…

    When we were going thru bankruptcy, he was set to sign on to a bill to save our pensions, at the last minute he voted against saving our pensions, and then said he couldn’t vote against his constituent united airlines from his state of Illinois… he is a liar… he is also spineless and gutless… he has screwed us on alot of other worker friendly issues. i dont care who wins, but not this poser. (Monday, August 06, 2007)

  • Independent

    Obama is for open borders. McAmnesty is for open borders. Clinton is for open borders and her Husband laid the “fast track” to NAFTA land from Bush Sr. No Dem. in their right mind should have touched NAFTA with a ten foot poll. Like I have said for years. There is only repubican and repubican light.

  • http://www.skullduggery.com.au Douglasbot

    2 years ago Roman mythology buff and Prius hater Tom Buffenbarger, blamed the Bush Administration for the Maytag deal.
    - “This closure is the direct result of the Bush Administration’s abdication of its oversight responsibility when it allowed the merger of two companies that would end up with almost 80 percent of the U.S. market share for washer and dryer manufacturing.”

    Since jumping on board the Hillary campaign…funnily enough it’s now Obama’s fault.

    Back in the mid 90′s when Mr Buffenbarger became president of the IAM he deep sixed a proposal to consolidate the Machinists, UAW and the steelworkers into a larger entity, potentially bringing more muscle as a united front and encouraging lagging memberships in an increasingly hostile environment for workers. Why? Well considering at the time he was a young, new president of a relatively small union, to consolidate would mean giving up his power and a private jet (A lot cooler than a Prius i grant you).

    Consolidating may have done nothing, the Maytag deal may still have gone through. But Tom certainly didn’t give the workers that chance.

    So mix in a little NAFTA. Add some political ego boxing between Tom and the AFL-CIO and i think there is a little more to the story than just “Jr Senator Obama with not much political capital did nothing but talk pretty to workers therefore corporation destroyed town”.

    Could Obama have done more? Maybe…possibly. Mr Buffenbarger certainly didn’t do all he could either.

    I wonder if they serve a hot latte on his jet?

    • Cee

      Douglas,

      Thanks for the additional information on Buffenbarger.
      The union leadership is often at odds with the needs of the members.
      How do the members feel about his representation?

      • http://www.skullduggery.com.au Douglasbot

        I did a bit of research yesterday after Tom’s tirade of “telling it like it is”. And while there isn’t anything i could find specifically about members being disgruntled with his representation, one would think, considering the Maytag deal was eventually responsible for the loss of something like 4500 jobs, it kinda speaks volumes. If i was one of Buffenbarger’s struggling machine workers, I’d want less Birkenstock screeds and a little more positive action.

        Either way my friend and yours Tom Buffenbarger has been very anti consolidation of Unions for some time. Whether thats for political, philosophical or selfish reasons…i guess depends on which side of the coin you sit.

        An interesting article in the Nation from a couple of years ago discusses the vision Andy Stern (president of the SEIU) has for strengthening union power via the serious restructuring Tom is against. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050314/moberg

        And a short editorial from a Gainsville local paper in regards Obama and his involvement back in 2004. Obama is not exactly absolved…but he’s by no means the SINGLE reason (as Tom so eloquently suggests) for this pretty devastating loss of jobs.
        http://www.wickedlocal.com/ghs-newsservice/opinions/editorials/x546805975

        Once again could Obama have done more? Possibly. Maybe. But Buffenbarger certainly didn’t do all he could either.

        It’s wonderfully ironic though. The same people who call supporters of Obama a cult of personality mesmerized by platitudes, speeches and empty poetry are the very same calling “Buffenbarger for VP!” because he made a speech with, well as it turns, out whole lot of empty poetry.

        Whats good for the goose and all that. Isn’t vetting fun?

        d.

    • simon

      I wonder if they serve a hot latte on his jet?

      No, but they do in his “liberal limo.”

      Jeezus christ, I implore you, THINK OF NEW TROLL METHODS, this is SHIT!

  • Joe

    This guy and a lot of the comments on this site represent why Hillary’s campaign couldn’t survive.

    While she is a smart, capable, if flawed, candidate, her comfort with being the longtime frontrunner has attracted some ugly support.

    I see in this guy the death rattle of a dying paradigm of dominant and monolithic union power driving a machinist Democratic party.

    I don’t believe Hillary was completely comfortable with it, but for as long as can be remembered that’s how a Democrat won. Everyone else was a McGovern or a Dukakis, right?

    Looks like this could be an exception.

    Obama is tarred as an empty suit. Dems have had empty suits before (Kerry, Dukakis, Carter, Hart even) but they never got this kind of support. People see him and, yes they hear great things, but they also can see the wheels turning – they can understand his logic (especially the young) and that is rare in a politician.

    For those of you calling Obama corrupt or incompetent, take a step back – are you that different than the Obama nuts calling her a racist or the Republicans calling her a murderer?

    • RMC

      Utter nonsense. A Kool-Aid extravaganza.

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  • Nobama

    Awsomeness! I’m in awe!

  • JoeySky

    GIVE ME A BREAK!!! LOVE IT!

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Isn’t that the best speech?! Oh how I wish every American could hear him. ‘course, CNNMSNBC etc. would never play it.

      I dig Buffenbarger.

  • Nancy H. Armstrong

    We have the Machinist Union in Wichita, KS. The members are mostly aircraft workers. Right on to the Machinist Union for backing Hillary. Our Machinist Union as well as our republican representatives are up in arms over Boeing losing to EADS and Northrup Grumman. Kansas could just possibly swing Democratic since McCain was at least partly responsible for uncovering all of Boeing’s kickbacks.

    I hope that our Machinist Union here in Kansas can see its way to supporting Hillary. Until Obama had spoke at Butler County Community College in ElDorado, KS, he had never even stepped foot in this state. It is time for Kansas to step away from the koolaid and support Hillary.

    Thanks for the post. If you could get this into the MU newsletter to be seen by all MUs around the USA, it could change things. We go to our congressional convention in April. Get it out to the MU members, maybe Obama could lose ground at this convention as well as our state convention.

    • Nellie

      Nancy,

      Feel free to copy and/or print. I am sure your machinist friends would really appreciate you giving them a copy or having it shown on disk.

      Have a great convention.

      Best

  • Nancy H. Armstrong

    One more thing I sent this article/blog to the MU in Wichita, KS. I hope it gets passed around here.

  • RMC

    Right. Obama didn’t know about the Crown Maytag connection. Right. Oh damn here go those pigs flying supersonic again.

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  • http://www.surveyseeker.net Luke Rumfelt

    The best thing you folks can do is not to purchase Maytag’s products and write them and let them know why.

    The Kellogg Corporation is getting a taste of what happens when you do something the public dislikes due to their withdrawing from their contract with the swimmer who was photographed smoking weed. They had to set up a big call room to deal with the complaints.

    Write Maytag or better call them and let them know why you won’t be buying anymore of their products, and let them know who’s products you will be buying in a concrete or abstract way.

    It is high time the power of the consumer force the corporations to use American labor if they want our business.

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  • http://www.fec.goc marie

    As long as the democrats and republicans have a monopoly on politics… As long as those same democrats and republicans are being paid off by lobbyists… The working man and woman will be treated very badly by all politicians. Money talks. Until the Machinists Union pay the politicians more than big business pays them, all we’ll ever get is lip service.

    Go to http://www.fec.gov to see how much your federal politicians admit to accepting, from big business and special interests, this year.

    They made bribery legal and the American public accepts it as a way of life. We deserve what we get.