McCain Confronted About Jobs in Washington State

by Seth Michaels, May 16, 2008

Sen. John McCain took his campaign to Seattle and Bellevue, Wash., this week, and, as usual, he was confronted with AFL-CIO union members asking him for answers about the economy.

Union members in Washington State want to know what McCain’s role was in awarding a major military contract to a foreign company in March, costing good union jobs to the Seattle area and elsewhere. Workers in Washington are protesting the decision to outsource the building of an air tanker for the U.S. Air Force.

According to Time, McCain had a key role in the decision to send the air tanker contract overseas, and some of his current advisers, previously, were lobbyists for the European aviation company that won the contract. McCain also has a consistent record of voting for bad trade agreements that hurt workers.

In Seattle, McCain was met by 30 members of the Machinists (IAM), who braved pouring rain to let McCain know he needs to protect jobs and preserve vital national security interests. In Bellevue, where McCain traveled for yet another $33,000-a-person fundraiser, 25 more demonstrators came out to ask him for solutions to working families’ economic crisis.

McCain should stop to listen to the Machinists and others who are focusing on the real issues of jobs, trade and health care. He might learn a thing or two.

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