Plouffe: McCain's DHL Deal A Critical Moment Of Campaign

Barack Obama's presidential campaign claimed that the general election had reached a critical turning point this past week after it was revealed that John McCain and his campaign manager had helped facilitate a merger that could result in the loss of thousands of jobs in Ohio.

On a conference call with reporters, Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe said news of McCain and Rick Davis' involvement in the DHL deal was "the most important development of the entire campaign this week" and would convince voters in the critical swing state that the Arizona Republican was far from his maverick image.

"He was there a month ago in this community and was asked a question about this DHL issue and did not say one word about his role in this or the role of his campaign manager. That is the furthest thing from straight talk that we can imagine," said Plouffe. "John McCain can become an emblem for people about what is wrong with Washington. He released an ad this week about how Washington is broken and how he will strive to fix it. He didn't mention that he has been enmeshed in a broken Washington culture for 26 years or that his campaign is run by the most powerful, now former lobbyist in Washington."

Prior to the press conference the Obama campaign released a harsh new radio ad blasting McCain for his role in helping "foreign-owned DHL buy a U.S. company and gain control over the jobs that are now on the chopping block in Ohio."

On Thursday, the Republican presidential candidate called on the Justice Department to launch an investigation into DHL's plans to puts its packages aboard the planes of a rival, United Parcel Service. If that deal is to go through (with UPS flying its cargo out of Louisville, Kentucky) DHL's shipping hub in Wilmington, Ohio would be effectively closed, eliminating up to 10,000 jobs.

On the conference call, Plouffe was forthcoming about the political advantages that he believed the revelation presented.

"He has spent several days now dogged with questions about this," said the campaign manager. "His appearances in Ohio were completely overshadowed by this. And by November 4 in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets this is something that is going to be known by every voter in this area."

Comments

[srtjsrtj]

The CEO's Of John McCain's Campaign, Lobbyists And We Are Not Surprised

Phil Gramm, John McCain's Chief Economic Advisor; Architect of the Enron LoopeHole that caused Millions of Hard Working Americans to loose jobs, Pensions, Life Savings, Destroyed Employee Lives

Phil Gramm Architect of the Subprime Mortgage Meltdown that's causing You & Me Billions today

Phil Gramm Architect of the California Electricity Crisis and destroyed Calif

Steve Black Described by many News Papers at the Lobbyists with "Unsavory Clients" dictators, murderers, rapists,

Rick Davis McCain's Campaign Manager ; worked as a Private Lobbyists for DHL now the are Shutting down and Shipping 8,000 Jobs Overseas. The Town of 12,000 has reported that this will Shut Down the Entire Town human sercvices, Police, Hospital, Fire Station,, therefore Destroy The Entire Town

John McCain Supported the Deal for DHL in 2003 and Pushed to get the Deal Approved

Republicans in Congress Voted Against "Extending Jobless Benefits".

Talk about "Judgement" with John McCain you can fully expect More of the Same

[DB55]

And don"t forget:

Carly Fiorina - laid off thousands of workers at Hewlett-Packard, shipped thousands of other jobs offshore, and was ultimately fired by her board for incompetence.

What an economic team - just look at their records, and you know we will be shafted on a massive, national scale if McCain is elected!

[srtjsrtj]

Rich John McCain He Can't Help from Helping Big Oil & Big Business, & Loyybists

Its John McCain who wears $500 shoes, has six houses, and comes from one of the richest families in his state," Schumer said. "It's Barack Obama who climbed up the hard way, and that's why he wants middle-class tax cuts and better schools for our kids."

"McCain's an unappealing candidate," Schumer said. "McCain's done great things for our country, but he doesn't particularly empathize with the plight of the average person."

[srtjsrtj]

JOHN MCCAIN’S NEW AD CONTAINS DUBIOUS CLAIMS
But the ad makes some dubious claims:

1) When it says that Obama voted "to raise taxes on people making just $42,000," that was on a non-binding budget resolution vote that didn't actually raise or lower taxes. From Factcheck.org: "The resolution does not contain a specific provision to raise tax rates, but rather assumes that most of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts expire as scheduled in 2011."

2) According to Obama's economic plan, he would raise taxes only on those making more than $250,000 per year, and would provide tax cuts to those making less than that. Factcheck.org: "Obama has stated repeatedly that his plan would increase taxes only for those making more than $250,000 per year."

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

It's worse than that with 0bama's tax plan if you make $42,000 you get almost 3X back on your tax bill. The only way to fight lies is by spreading the truth.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/11/news/economy/candidates_taxproposals_tpc/index.htm

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS
Here's how the average tax bill could change in 2009 if either J ohn Mc Cain's or B arack O bama's tax proposals were fully in place.
MC CAIN O BAMA
Income Avg. tax bill Avg. tax bill
Over $2.9M -$269,364 +$701,885
$603K and up -$45,361 +$115,974
$227K-$603K -$7,871 +$12
$161K-$227K -$4,380 -$2,789
$112K-$161K -$2,614 -$2,204
$66K-$112K -$1,009 -$1,290
$38K-$66K -$319 -$1,042
$19K-$38K -$113 -$892
Under $19K -$19 -$567

[walkthewalk]

I propose that when he returns from his vacation, Obama holds a joint town hall meeting in Ohio with McCain. I would love to see McCain squirm addressing the DHL issue with no way to wiggle out of it. You know the media would be all over this campaign event.

Should the McCain camp refuse this offer, the Obama campaign can still make their points by spelling out why it is that McCain won't appear at that meeting. What is "Mr. Straight Talker" afraid of?

[BillN]

"You know the media would be all over this campaign event"

If this town hall meeting has any potential to reflect negatively on McCain, I seriously doubt the media will have anything to do with it. They've given him a free pass every step of the way, so far.

That said, I agree with you that it would be a good way to flush out McCain's true colors for all to see. But I think Ohio voters - especially the blue collar voters in Ohio - are smart enough to see through all of McCain's BS and at the same time, be skeptical of what they see and hear from the mainstream media. They WILL swing the state blue this year.

[Totto]

McCain's EADS and DHL dealings show his lack of concern about American jobs.
Thousands would be lost and he doesn't give a damn.

[teron678]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX-ed4_Km2Q .. Obama Nevada Ad

[cmp]

If Ohio doesn't turn blue and vote for Obama then I don't feel sorry for them. When will people see ??

[teron678]

The Ignorant will always remain ignorant ... & gonna die Ignorant ...

[engineer68]

If ohio gives us a true and honest vote count. Nothing is sure when you look at how Ohio holds elections.

[jayelo]

Barack Obama’s father was not a US citizen, and Obama’s mother was only 18 when he was born, which means although she had been a US citizen for 10 years, his mother fails the test for being so for at least 5 years prior to Barack Obama’s birth.

In order for her child to have been a natural-born US citizen, his mother would have had to be 21 at the time of his birth.

In essence, Mrs. Obama was not old enough to qualify her son for automatic US citizenship.

His mother would have needed to have been 16+5 = 21 years old at the time of Barack Obama’s birth for him to have been a natural-born citizen.

Barack Obama instead should have been naturalized, but even then, that would still disqualify him from holding the office of President under current law.

At best, Barack Obama is only a naturalized US citizen.

This is an issue that must be clarified before the election.

Naturalized citizens are ineligible to hold the office of President as is the case with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[Liberoservative]

Are you an idiot?

O's mother was born in Kansas.... last I heard, Kansas is a state in the USA...

O was born in Hawaii... any child born on American soil is a citizen.

You must be one of those who fall for all the Repug lies.

[kay]

They're bonkers. They've been pursuing this nonsense for months.

I think it serves a useful purpose. It keeps the fruit loops busy.

[SoCalNick]

WOW this would be AMAZING BUT.................................it is total BS so run along little troll.

[DaOne]

I look forward to your legal challenge idiot.

[Totto]

Ms. Waste of Space.

[UWorlds1]

We have been listening to too many MSM stations. Barack Obama's mother was born in Kansas, she went to college in Hawaii. Get the facts straight.

[rose london]

Thank you Sam Stein. You Rock. Keep up the Good Work. Wishing other journalist can emulate.

[PumaAnn]

I don't think this will work. Mac has been in townhalls in Ohio and been frank that globalization isn't going away. Unlike O, he has never promised to review NAFTA. O is the one who has flip-flopped on this issue.

I saw that O was not successful in convincing union voters in Ohio to believe him in Ohio in the primaries, and he was really dirty with his NAFTA ads against Hill.

I don't think it will work this time, either.

Today's polls are showing Ohio is now a 4 point race. Amazing that Mac is doing so well there.

[rosecar]

You are not a PUMA you are a Republican. I how you don't need to work for a living. With your amazing Mac you won't have a job. If American's are not working eventually it will get to YOU!!!

[PumaAnn]

35 years......straight Democrat voter.

You're not too good at character analysis on-line.

Don't give up the day job.

[newszombie]

u sock don key di ck

[YunekFlava]

Look, everyone seems to love Mac and Cheese, and I ain't mad at jah' , but how will he hold up thru the debates? Now that is a question that will be answered real soon. The press will not be able to help him with that, because most rational people, believe their own eyes. "Rational" is the operative word here though.

[Dane1911]

I was out eating lunch with some co-workers yesterday and I seen some Vet's. I asked them how do they feel about the election. It was 8 old white men in their late 60's to mid 70's...Still looking pretty good for their age. They all responded we were voting for McCain until he started to run a nasty campaign and saying that american future president wanted our troops to die to win an election..One became really mad, that McCain would say that when he voted against Webb G.I. bill...So they are now supporting Obama, they said he may not have been in Politics for a long time, but he has been consist with his ads, behavior, policies and atitude towards McCain, CLinton and Media...One even had an Obama sticker in his folder and will waiting for the rain to stop to place it on his car..It say VET's for Obama.......


SO McCain is doing damage to his own camp and Obama didnt even hit him hard yet......

Obama 08

[kayfacefl]

Thank you for sharing Dane1911, It brought me hope because I have been running into a lot of resistance from the older generation, especially over 60… I mention Barack and I get a lot of the same old responses, too young, not enough experience and in a lot of cases much worse…

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Fight McBush's lies. In his latest Olympics ad McBush is saying that 0bama will tax you even if you make zx little as $42,000 which is a complete and utter lie. All we can do is tell voters the truth. While McBush wants to give himself a 6 figure tax refund gives people making $42K less than $300 while 0bama gives them over $1,000.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/11/news/economy/candidates_taxproposals_tpc/index.htm

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS
Here's how the average tax bill could change in 2009 if either J ohn Mc Cain's or B arack O bama's tax proposals were fully in place.
MC CAIN O BAMA
Income Avg. tax bill Avg. tax bill
Over $2.9M -$269,364 +$701,885
$603K and up -$45,361 +$115,974
$227K-$603K -$7,871 +$12
$161K-$227K -$4,380 -$2,789
$112K-$161K -$2,614 -$2,204
$66K-$112K -$1,009 -$1,290
$38K-$66K -$319 -$1,042
$19K-$38K -$113 -$892
Under $19K -$19 -$567

[kayfacefl]

I saw the AD last night..they ran it during openning ceremonies. Do you know how many people saw that Ad? I was not happy.

[kay]

The state-specific ad for Nevada is up on Politico if anyone wants to see it.

It's basically the same theme: The Maverick isn't a "straight talker".

[fleaba]

I really feel that there is this lull in the Obama campaign right now. Like the momentum is stalled. Then again maybe it's only me, because I don't have cable.

[gladys46]

There is no "stall" ... don't let the word (vacation) for O disturb ... MSM won't even adequately cover what goes on on the ground in O's camp!! We know better ... O has great volunteer organization in all states and they are registering new dem voters with a passion!!

Cable is not worth it's cost anyway, mis/disinformation 24/7!!! ; )

[eatyourveggies]

I'm at our local library as you speak, registering voters...almost all of them are Dems!

Awesome!

[savethecountry]

Wait until his acceptance speech before 75,000 people at Invesco Field in Denver on Aug. 28. That will be the REAL kickoff to this campaign.

Patience, patience. It's coming.

[Jamchinadian]

It's the calm before the storm!

[jankvkleve]

Deutsche Post (the German post office) uses inflated first class postage costs in a protected market to buy package delivery companies which compete on the open market. Their biggest critic within the industry has been the European operation of UPS. Sounds like DP finally won, with McCain’s help. (For those who don’t know, Deutsche Post owns DHL.)