McCain put lobbyist friends, contributors ahead of Washington jobs
SEATTLE – Democratic Chairman Dwight Pelz today called on GOP presidential candidate John McCain to steer clear of Washington state between now and November, suggesting McCain had effectively eliminated what little chance he had of winning Washington’s 11 presidential delegates this fall.
“Any chance John McCain had of carrying Washington state in November left on an airplane to France last week,” said Washington State Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz. “Washingtonians quite literally can't afford a third Bush term of failed economic policies that ship American jobs overseas, and John McCain would be wise to re-route any trips he’s planned here straight to Paris.”
Despite claiming lobbyists don't have any influence on him, the Associated Press reported today that McCain helped EADS, the French-owned company for which many of his top campaign advisors lobbied to win a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract over Boeing – a move that will ship at least 9,000 jobs overseas directly from the state of Washington.
McCain reportedly pressed the Pentagon to ignore the fact that EADS receives subsidies from European governments that give it an unfair advantage over Boeing. After the Pentagon awarded the contract, McCain defended the process, saying he's “never believed that defense programs, that the major reason for them should be to create jobs.” This isn't the first time McCain has helped ship American jobs overseas. McCain has been the leading opponent of “Buy American” rules that encourage the Pentagon to buy American-made goods for the American military. [The Hill, 3/7/08; AP, 3/3/08; Senate Vote 191, 5/21/03]
It's no surprise, considering that McCain himself has said he doesn't understand the economy. Just last week, despite record-breaking gas prices, skyrocketing health care costs, and a housing crisis that has many Washingtonians struggling to pay their mortgages, McCain said the “fundamentals of our economy are still strong” and that the loss of 63,000 Americans jobs in February was “not terrible.” These statements and more leave no doubt that McCain just doesn't understand the challenges our families face every day. ["60 Minutes," 3/9/08; McCain Town Hall, Atlanta, 3/7/08] 3/11/08 ###
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