Sam Stein

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Sam Stein

The Huffington Post

Clinton Refuses To Cross Picket Line For Dem Debate

November 21, 2007 12:04 PM


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Senator Hillary Clinton, D-NY, announced today that she will forgo CBS News' upcoming presidential debate unless the network can reach a resolution with its employees, who have authorized a strike.

"The workers at CBS News have been without a contract for close to two and a half years," the Senator said. "It is my hope that both sides will reach an agreement that results in a secure contract for the workers at CBS News but let me be clear: I will honor the picket line if the workers at CBS News decide to strike."

In issuing the statement Clinton becomes the first Democratic candidate to publicly state her refusal to cross the picket line. Others in the primary race have expressed solidarity with the CBS writers.

CBS News is slated to host its first Democratic debate on December 10 at the network's Los Angeles studios. Last week, however, approximately three-fourths of CBS News' 500 employees (writers, desk assistants, graphic artists, and assignment editors, mostly) voted to authorize a strike. Employees at the news station have been without a contract since April 2, 2005 and have scheduled a negotiating committee to meet on the situation following the Thanksgiving break.

Three weeks ago, the entertainment and screenwriters of the Writers Guild of America (which also covers CBS News employees), began a strike of their own, after negotiations on a new contract for the union's 10,500 members hit an impasse. These members of WGA are seeking a percentage of the retail price of movies and television episodes downloaded on Internet; something to which the studios have yet to agree.

Democratic presidential candidates have made the strike a forum for demonstrating their pro-labor credentials. On Friday, former Sen. John Edwards joined the picket lines at NBC's studios in Burbank, proclaiming that the WGA Strike was a "fight for justice." Clinton's refusal to participate in the upcoming debate, however, is the most forceful stance yet.

"America's unions are the backbone of America's middle class and I will always stand with America's working men and women in the fight to ensure that they are able to earn a fair wage," the Senator said.

 
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- jlxn I'm a Fan of jlxn 2 fans permalink

Good for them!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:49 PM on 11/21/2007
- DontSpin I'm a Fan of DontSpin 7 fans permalink

I support Obama, but I did always wonder what a debate without the three of them would be like. Maybe we can now hear the other candidates a little more than we have had the pleasure to.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:47 PM on 11/21/2007
- rwe I'm a Fan of rwe 21 fans permalink

the biggest loser will be the perky one...Katie would have more viewers in one night than she has since she left Matt

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:47 PM on 11/21/2007

Hillary's plan worked on Edwards even though the debate would help him and hurt Hillary by bringing otu the truth on CBS a non cable station so even the poor could watch.

Hillary has suffered from being outed on cable
and she can't let her right wing anti-working class stance be made generally known.

SAD.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:26 PM on 11/21/2007
- Dap I'm a Fan of Dap 51 fans permalink
photo

Top Two Dems And Republican Lite Now Refuse To Cross Picket Line For Debate

There I fix the title 4 U.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:25 PM on 11/21/2007
- lornejl I'm a Fan of lornejl 661 fans permalink
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It would be interesting to see if the repub candidates would cross the picket line. What am I saying, Mario Adretti never crossed a line as fast as they would.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:53 PM on 11/21/2007
- mimsnpips I'm a Fan of mimsnpips 13 fans permalink
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Regardless of whether the individual candidates agree with crossing a picket line or not:
The candidates made their 'decisions' after a meeting where the pros and cons, as well as what the other candidates were doing, was discussed in detail in a sort of round table format. Then a carefully worded decision was made and released to the press at a predetermined time.

Sometimes I really feel they can all f themselves but I'm not angry or anything.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:13 PM on 11/21/2007
- rwe I'm a Fan of rwe 21 fans permalink

Solution,,,Both Parties.. have legit debates with legit hosts at legit venues...i.e league of women voters on PBS...no dog and pony shows, none of this crap where the hosts become the issues . Keep the debaters from spewing monologues after each question and no applause signs and no plants or orchestrated skits. And Keep the candidates in their seats without standing up and roaming the dance floor.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:07 PM on 11/21/2007

I'm all for unions, but not to the detriment of the democratic process.

I guess the Americans are supposed to sacrifice having any more televised debates (and forego learning more about our Presidential candidates) so that the union is put in a better negotiating position?

The American voter is TOO uninformed to deny them the opportunity to see their candidates debate. Our "democracy" takes another hit.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:52 PM on 11/21/2007

2nd tier candidates are squirming around trying to decide if they should:

A. Take part in the debate to prop up their poll numbers, at the expense of workers fighting for better rights.

B. Not take part in the debate to support striking workers and spend more money for commercials in Iowa knowing that they have limited campaign funds.

Hmmmmm... decisions, decisions.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:51 PM on 11/21/2007

Sucker passed the House, Senate has not voted yet. N is a vote against Peruvian NAFTA

OHIO

Democrats — Jones, Y; Kaptur, N; Kucinich, N; Ryan, N; Space, N; Sutton, N; Wilson, N.

Republicans — Boehner, Y; Chabot, Y; Hobson, Y; Jordan, Y; LaTourette, N; Pryce, Y; Regula, Y; Schmidt, Y; Tiberi, Y; Turner, Y.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071108/ap_on_go_co/house_rollcall_us_peru_trade_1

"The Peru FTA is not a step in the right direction; for the most part, it's just more of the same. The fact that 116 Democrats — a majority of the party — voted against the Peru FTA shows that this agreement is not an acceptable "new model" of trade, and that we have a lot of work ahead of us to create a framework for trade that is acceptable for people here and abroad. Our Rep. Roy Blunt did the wrong thing by voting for the Peru FTA. He needs to know that we are watching what he does, and we want our representative to vote in our interests. Expanding NAFTA is definitely not in our interests"

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:45 PM on 11/21/2007
- Dendroica I'm a Fan of Dendroica 30 fans permalink

Someone mentioned the $400 haircut.

Why does this stupidity bother people, when Laura Bush wears $10,000 ball gowns for one night? And the president and his friends, wear suits that cost very nearly as much. People in the US have this stupid idea that a $400 haircut is bad, but a half-billion dollar bridge to nowhere is the sign of a politician working for his community.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:43 PM on 11/21/2007
- MoNut I'm a Fan of MoNut 9 fans permalink

Cheney is such a vile excuse for a human being.

He thinks he's so sheik.

But, if anyone saw his frail ass dishonoring the vets on Veteran's Day, it's clear all his criminal ways are taking their toll.

He looks more unhealthy than Bin-livin-in-caves-Laden.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:41 PM on 11/21/2007

Hillary can't control Globalization either.
She could vote against the Peru, NAFTA like trade deal, but she won't.

In fact let me check to see if that has been voted on!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:38 PM on 11/21/2007
- Chandidevi I'm a Fan of Chandidevi 25 fans permalink

Hey Sam, I like the way you have it worded that, "her CHIEF OPPONENT for the nomination, Sen. Barack Obama", and then "finally former Sen. John Edwards....", as tho he hardly even counts in this race. What the hell is that all about? Why are you promoting the disingenuous Ms. Clinton?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:34 PM on 11/21/2007
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