McCain: Americans are hard workers, they just won't work.

[Coexist]

"Our workers are the most innovative, the hardest working, the best skilled, most productive, most competitive in the world, that’s the American worker,” McCain said at a town hall meeting here."


"McCain then offered anybody in the crowd $50 an hour to pick lettuce in Arizona.

Said McCain: “You can’t do it, my friends.”"

[nebenaube]

1. sign me up.. I'm there... n/t

[Danger Mouse]

2. I'll do it.

[skids]

3. I'm working on a video on this...

...as soon as someone uploads the Olbermann segment I'll slice and dice the lettucegate footage in.

[Coexist]

7. Cool.

[skids]

29. Posted...

Show it some love, and maybe it will grow into a nice strong healthy virus. :-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=191005&mesg_id=191005

[Coexist]

31. great job - DUers are so creative.

[WindRiverMan]

4. Pony up the dinero and watch me old man

I am no admiral's son. I can work like a rented mule. Maybe YOU can't, but ya know, they don't call kids like you military BRATS for nothing.

[yellowcanine]

5. Wow. He is taunting them. What kind of a strategy is that? Those union guys will not take that

shit lying down. I hope they got it on tape.

[Obamarulz11]

6. McCain really pissed me off now!!!

"Since you cant do it, we'll ship that job overseas." That is my exact interpretation of what your saying old man.

[The Gunslinger]

8. I'll take it

Way to insult the American worker. Obama should have this in a commercial on every TV in America.

[debbierlus]

9. Here's the link to the lettuce youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWOZKeOauNI

[yellowcanine]

10. Seems to me this trumps "bittergate" by a long shot with blue collar workers.

"You can't do it (pick lettuce for a whole season), my friends."

[anigbrowl]

12. No contest. You're folling yourself

It's from 2006, and it's an extract fram a debate about immigration. It's not going to get people excited.

This is like the 'revelations' last week about Cindy McCain's drug problem in 1994. IT's true, it's an indictment of his character, and all that...but it's also FOURTEEN YEARS out of date. Most people only care about what happened in the last couple of monnths. Digging up old shit and going 'Aha!!' just doesn't wash all that well. Yeah, the Republicans do it too but it isn't working all that well for them.

[yellowcanine]

13. It is about 2 years old, not 14. So what? If Obama had said it 5 years ago in the same context do

you seriously think McCain would not successfully use it as a "wedge" issue with blue collar workers? You know he would. He did taunt workers, he did wag his finger at them, yes it was 2 years ago in a discussion about immigration, so what?

[anigbrowl]

17. So it won't really play

An off the cuff remark meant to highlight the difference between talk and action is slightly embarrassing, but no game changer or even a policy he has to defend. The whole 'bitter' thing was really stupid; you think anyone will give a hoot about that in 2 years time?

[yellowcanine]

21. I think you are wrong and I think we will see it run in an ad by a union 527 before this election is

over. And it will knock McCain down a couple of points. It was hardly "off the cuff". He was lecturing them and taunting them as only John McCain would, showing his mean and ugly side. Obama's "bitter" remarks, while not smart, did not carry the mean spiritedness that McCain's did.

[ladywnch]

22. he just reiterated the 'hardest working, most productive' lines today

that opens the door for the reusing the 2 year old material. he was wrong 2 years ago...he's still wrong today.... perfect tie.

[anigbrowl]

24. Knock yourself out. I think it will elicit a big 'so what' from voters

because I think most people will see it as no more than a rhetorical argument. The 'bittergate' flap was really a storm in a teacup as well despite the attempts of both the GOP and the other primary campaign to make it into a game-changing moment.

As an ex-journalist, my opinion is that 'outrage!' tactics only work on current statements. Dragging up old ones to say how outrageous they are doesn't really get people excited.

[anigbrowl]

11. This is from 2006, in a discussion of immigration

Way to take something wildly out of context.

[skids]

14. It isn't out of context...

...he actually is saying Americans cannot do those jobs no matter what they are paid.

There's no working around it. That's what he said and that's what he meant.

I'm not anti-immigrant, but looking down on the American worker is not acceptable.

[anigbrowl]

18. It's out of context here on DU because the OP didn't give any context.

At first I thought it was something he'd said today. Then when I pursue it I find it's an off the cuff remark from 2 years ago. Ideologically impure it may be, but significant it's not.

[Canuckistanian]

15. So, telling Americans "they can't do it", even for $50/hr is irrelevant?

Because that's exactly what he said.

If I were American, I'd be insulted.

Aren't you?

[anigbrowl]

19. Not really. I think he was right to a certain extent.

Sure, for $50/hour anyone with less than a law degree would consider picking lettuce. But most people don't want to pay $5 per head of lettuce, and they sure won't do it at the same wages Mexican people will. I think it would be interesting to see exactly who he was talking to; it's obviously not a town-hall sort of meeting, and I don't take it as a personal comment on every American worker.

Some people work very very hard, and I could tell you some stories about 70-80 hour work weeks for peanuts. But some people don't like to work too hard either, and some other people work fairly hard but get paid a shitload of money for it, even union members. Me, I'm dubious of people's ideological arguments when it comes to immigration. Sometimes the talk about fair wages and working conditions is just code for keeping people out of the labor market.

[Canuckistanian]

25. You're missing the point

McCain said, clear as day, that the Americans gathered before him CAN'T do it. Note the use of the word CAN'T.

Not that it wouldn't be their preference.

That's what I meant.

[anigbrowl]

26. I think you're reading too much into those words

You could try and make a campaign issue out of it, bu he (or any politician) could just back away from it as a poor choice of words - which, honestly, is all I think it was, a moment of hyperbole.

In a bigger context, what Obama needs to keep hitting McCain on in coming weeks is the collapsing economy and financial system. What they guy said at some meeting 2 years ago when he was trying to push his immigration reform bill is a trivial non-issue by comparison.

[Coexist]

28. he said that Americans wouldn't pick lettuce for $50/hour

there is no context needed. He said what he said.

[scarface2004]

16. that works out to over $100,000 per annum full time

i can do it my friend...put up the cash now you freak!

[yellowcanine]

23. There is no $50 an hour job picking lettuce. McCain pulled it out of his ass. It was a cheap taunt

And that is why it matters, regardless of the context (yes, immigration debate). It is never ok for a U.S. Senator to taunt U.S. workers.

[TheKentuckian]

20. The way you use this is in a "How John McCain" sees the economy

Throw in some more recent outoftouchisims, a lil Dr Phil, a touch of Carly The Outsourcer, a bit of Dubya, a mandatory G-Dub and J-Mac sharing a cake while the people in New Orleans drown and you have a hardhitting commercial that leaves that taste but the clip isn't the centerpiece of the ad.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

27. McCain need a day in the lettuce fields...

at the same pay they give the slave labor.

[shadowknows69]

30. If I had a body that wasn't broken all to shit I'd be there.

[Willo]

32. Today he said most Americans don't pay taxes

I really think he feels like only rich people pay taxes.

[WinkyDink]

37. Here's a newsflash, Johnny: Only rich people are STILL RICH. So I guess whatever taxes they pay are

still keeping them in clover.
Luxury goods seem to be selling rather well.

But you keep saying that line, Johnny---"most Americans don't pay taxes"; it's a winner----------------for OBAMA/BIDEN.

[cap]

33. yup, American workers would rather lose their homes than work in the fields

it's an insult to all hard working Americans.

[Willo]

34. After that meeting the union posted the information

and application online (McCain said he didn't have any on hand at the time).

McCain never retracted or apologized as far as I know.

Later, the Union sent lettuce to McCain's office in Arizona.

[WinkyDink]

35. WTH does "innovative" mean, in today's world? A laid-off Mack Trucks guy is gonna go INVENT his next

job?

[WinkyDink]

36. I hate him. First of all, Cesar Chavez should spit on him from Heaven. Secondly, the real

workers are earning slave wages for stoop labor.
And finally, OFFER THE D**N MONEY, McCain, and SEE how many of your FELLOW AMERICANS WILL WORK for it.

(Sorry for the double post.)