[big campaign] Tracking Update: McCain Employee Town Hall in Aurora, CO 07/30/08

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Hello All, Just got off the phone with our tracker, Kelli, on the ground in Aurora, CO. Below are the notes from our call. *BIG HIGHLIGHTS: * * - Promises "I will not raise your taxes nor support a tax increase," not even to pay for Social Security - Repeats attacks on Obama that - he voted for tax hikes for people making $32,000/ year (vs. http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_32000_question.html)<http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_32000_question.html%29> - his words don't mean much, for all his eloquence - Lumps Obama with Bush Administration and Congress: people saying whatever they need to score political points - Touts community college partnerships as "centerpiece" of dealing with displaces workers - Says he's humbled to go from bottom of his class at Naval Academy to top of the GOP ticket * *Aurora, CO: McCain Employee Town Hall 07/30/08 (Disclaimer: The following are notes, not direct quotes. If you'd like a quotable transcript or video of any part below, please email us.) * Background Details - 350-400 people in audience, all Wagner Manufacturing Co employees - McCain speaks in front of 2 giant tractors and a large American flag - Tracker didn't see protesters outside the event - Security pretty tight, only letting in employees and press - Joe Wagner gives introductory remarks - coal-mining and uranium-mining very important to our business - we support these endeavors but also conservation and development of alternative energy sources - we are on both sides of the energy equation - *As chair of her own company, Cindy can understand how government can help or hurt small privately-owned businesses* - Cindy introduces her husband - These Rwandan women watched their families killed in front of them. But on my trip, I saw a rebirth, led by women. Rwanda will succeed because of their strength, courage and deliberate attitude and leadership. I saw in these women what I have seen in my husband for 28 years. They made sure they put their countries first. - I hope I'm introducing you to the next POTUS. - Event noticeably shorter than most McCain events (trend of the week) - McCain reads from papers, not teleprompters - Stump speech an almost-verbatim copy of yesterday's town hall - McCain's non-cancer spot visible *Speech Highlights* * - TY Cindy, Wagner (your son is doing a great job -- not as great as his dad), TY for the tour - *I was surprised to hear your business is as far-reaching as Mongolia - i hope you all get to visit* - Happy to hear you're making good use of community colleges. We need to provide training and education to workers, esp displaced workers. We can't leave people behind. The best way we can take care of displaced workers is to get them a quality, high-paying job. - Probably the best test is workers that stay for a long time. I know you're proud. - The purpose of this meeting is so I can respond to your questions, comments and insults. Town halls are the essence of America. Americans want to be heard today, they're hurting. - I've been called a maverick, someone who marches to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes meant as a compliment sometimes an insult. I don't work for a President, a party, special interests or myself - I work for you and the country I love. - I spoke up against a President when he had a strategy I thought wasn't working, against a party when I believed they had wasteful spending, against a Congress for an irresponsible energy bill. - This hasn't made me friends in DC. I've heard pundits tell me this isn't a smart way to go, but - We need to change everything, from education to energy to - We have a lot of work to do and to get it done, we're really going to have to have the energy to change Washington - Obama wants to raise your taxes to pay for bigger government. I promise you this: "I will not raise your taxes nor support a tax increase" - Obama's requested about $1billion in pork-barrel projects. I never have. I will veto every bill that comes across my desk. It's wrong and I know how to fix it. We'll stop We won't spend millions investigating the DNA of bears. - Obama says he'll only vote for tax increases on the rich, but in the Senate he's voted for raising taxes on people making $32k. - I am opposed to raising taxes on Social Security. I want to fix the system without raising taxes. That's a debate I'm willing to have. We need to sit down together to fix SS. - We are Americans first before GOP or Dem, i will always put my country first. - Raising taxes in a bad economy is about the worst thing you can do because it kills jobs. I want to keep jobs - Obama has said every domestic energy sources has a problem, I think every domestic energy source can be part of the solution - We ought to start drilling for more oil at home, including offshore! Obama opposes that. Meanwhile Congress is gridlocked, esp on offshore drilling. That's what's wrong with DC. - Obama says he wants peace. But his policy of unconditional withdrawal could lead to more violence and a third Iraq war. I believe in withdrawal based on conditions on the ground. I hate war and I know its cost. - For all the eloquence of Obama's words, they dont mean very much. Not just Bush Admin or Congress, but everyone says what they need to get elected and score political points. If Obama cant say what he means openly and honestly, how can he stand up and change Washignton? We don't need another politician in Washington. - I always chose my country first. I will always put our country's greatness, prosperity and peace and hopes and ambitions of its people before partisan politics. Question & Answer - 1Q) Do you view term limits as an effective resolution to an ineffective Congress? - MCCAIN: It's addressing a symptom of the problem rather than the problem itself. There are great people in Congress who have irreplaceable experience, e.g. Sen. Lugar. What we need is more people involved in the political process and have those who aren't as good in judgment leave. I go back adn forth, but I prefer leveling hte playing field for challengers adn give them a chance. We've seen a rise in voter reg and in independents, saying I'm not happy with GOPs or Dems. I think we on both sides have to put our country first. And we GOPs have seen our base disaffected by our wasteful spending. Sometimes I feel differently when I try to do the Lord's work in the city of Satan. - 2Q) I'm not prejudiced, but what's your view on immigration? - MCCAIN: Twice Sen. Kennedy and I, working with Administration, sought to get comprehensive legislation and secure our borders. We failed because public didn't believe we would. We need to secure our borders, then truly temporary worker program (prosecuting employers who hire ppl without tamper-proof biometric IDs), then address the 12million people here illegally in a human fashion (they shouldnt' get precendence over people who came legally, and they should come here legally and they should have to learn English). Another issues is the Mexican drug cartels, a life-and-death struggle in Mexico. Calderon has a huge struggle on his hand because the corruption bred by these cartels goes up through the govt. And we have an interest in this because their product is coming across the border and killing our people. We also have to do something about the demand, which is anohter subject. - 3Q) I've also been critical of you reaching across the aisle too much. When things liek offshore drilling and the Fairness Doctrine are put up in Congress adn the leadership does nothing, I start to lose faith that DC will ever change. - MCCAIN: First, there's a poll that shows 9% Congressional approval and 80% people think USA on wrong track. So we see gridlock in Congress. Is there anyone here taht thinks we shouldn't at least vote on offshore drilling? They won't get spending under control. Let's face it, we are in crisis in America. These are tough times. these are times when Americans historically stood up together and said we're not GOPs or Dems, we're Americans. I have a record of reaching across the aisle, from Abramoff investigations to Boeing deal to campaign finance and other issues. You may disagree with me on some of these issues, but I know how to get things done. - 4Q) What are you going to do to help those of us who have to choose between buying gas to get to work versus buying groceries? - MCCAIN: On the price of food? - Audience member: On both. - MCCAIN: They're not disconnected. Cost of energy, e.g. ethanol has a direct effect on cost of food. There are Americans who have to choose between buying gas and buying food. Mostly the lowest-income Americans. We have to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. Will it solve the problem? No, but it will send a message to the world. We can't afford this $700B transfer of wealth. We also need wind, tide, solar. We need nuclear. The French do it. We need to store and re-process. I want to build 45 nuclear plants. And green technology. I saw GM's new Volt. This is a leap forward in technology. We have to understand that it took us 30 years to get into this position, so we're not going to get out tomorrow. I believe offshore drilling and conservation can get us where we need. I call it the Lexington Project. We will start as soon as I'm POTUS. - FOLLOWUP: In the meantime what are we supposed to do? - MCCAIN: I'd like to give you a gas tax holiday. It's been much derided. Is that going to help? It'll help some. Diesel-truck driver doesn't like that his tax goes to bridge to nowhere, etc. I'd remove the ethanol subsidies and the tariff on imported sugar-energy, I'd invest $2m in R&D. - 5Q) [President of Aurora Community College] - MCCAIN: Can you tell us more about the partnership between Warner and your community college? I've been briefed, but I think this is the future of dealing with the displaced worker. - ACC President: We provide training and they provide equipment, very successful. - My question is these programs only exist when there's a huge investment like Wagner has done. - MCCAIN: We all know that because of international competition and jobs fleeing, we have lost tons of jobs. *I think the centerpiece is, the govt should sponsor these programs.* If you're a small-business person and you need a person educated in your particular specialty, you can turn to the community colleges and get that person. And I'd be glad to supplement an older worker's income while they're getting retrained. And i say that as a small-government, low-taxes conservative because we all know that a job is more than a job. - 6Q) What is your stance on benefits for veterans? - MCCAIN: Say what? Oh. First of all, TY for your service to this country. I carry around with me a quote from George Washington ('willingness of young Americans to serve is directly related to how we treat vets). you know about the disgraces of Walter Reed. The good thing is that we've improved in the speed we can get people from the battlefield to care. *And there are going to be a lot of people coming out this current conflict are going to have PTSD because of its horrific nature.* So we're going to have to increase our capability to deal with combat-related wounds and injuries. But for routine health care needs, they should get a plastic card and see a doctor of their choice. - CO is going to be a battleground state. I will be back. I want to thank the people here for the work they're doing, as far away as Mongolia - that's one thign I didnt expect when I came here. - I'm very humbled that a guy that stood 5th from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy could stand with the nomination of the party of Lincoln and T. Roosevelt. But I'm also honored. I'm the luckiest guy. - Years ago, N Vietnamese offered me to leave early and I wanted to, but I also wanted to honor a guy who had come there first, Everett Alvarez, and our code of conduct. I put my country first then and I always will. * -- Sara DuBois Tracking / Communications Manager ProgressiveAccountability.org [email protected] 202-609-7681 (office) 410-967-7306 (cell) --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group. To post to this group, send to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] E-mail [email protected] with questions or concerns This is a list of individuals. It is not affiliated with any group or organization. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---