The master of the backdrop photo-op has misfired again. The Bushies would dearly like to have back their well-planned "victory banner" photo-op aboard the carrier back. Oops, the war seemingly was just getting started.
And now we have this. I am amused.
(From the Washington Post White House Column)
When President Bush visited a Timken Co. ball-bearing plant in Canton, Ohio, a year ago, he told workers that their optimism about the future of their company inspired his optimism about the future of the economy.
A photo from his talk at Timken leads the White House Web site's "Building America's Economy Photo Essay." It shows Bush standing in front of a glorious red, white and blue "Jobs and Growth" banner.
As he said at the time, the "greatest strength of the American economy is found right here, right in this room, found in the pride and skill of the American work force."
Last week, Timken announced that the folks right there in that room are getting fired. Timken, the world's largest industrial bearings maker, whose chairman is a major donor and fundraiser for the Republican Party, plans to shut down three factories in Canton and eliminate 1,300 jobs.
It's a particularly tough setback for Bush because job loss is a key issue in Ohio, a critically important swing state come November.
Mark Naymik writes in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: "When President Bush needed a factory floor to serve as a prop for an economic speech last year, Canton-based Timken Co. opened its doors.
"But the maker of bearings delivered a symbolic political blow Friday to the president's re-election bid in Ohio, when it announced plans to close three plants in Canton and eliminate 1,300 jobs.
"Manufacturing plants have been at the center of the presidential debate in Ohio, which has lost about 155,000 manufacturing jobs since Bush took office."
Gloria Irwin of the Akron Beacon-Journal writes about why Timken closed the plants: "Costs of production at three Timken Co. bearing plants in Canton are far higher than at other company plants and at competitors -- partially because the union workers continue to receive full, company-paid hospitalization."
Thomas W. Gerdel writes in the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Timken plans to move production "elsewhere."
Timken is currently Canton's largest employer, but has 56 bearings plants in 27 countries.
Canton is in Stark County. Joe Milicia of the Associated Press writes: "Stark County is a bellwether county in a bellwether state, having voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1960 with the exception of Jimmy Carter in 1976. Only two presidential candidates have won without carrying Ohio since 1892."
Here is the text of Bush's remarks in April of last year.
"Tim told me that this is a company -- we are a 'roll up your sleeves' company, a can -- it is a can-do environment," Bush said. "Which is one of the reasons I've got so much optimism about the future of our economy -- because of the 'roll up your sleeves' attitude by thousands of our fellow Americans, because of the business sense of 'we can do whatever it takes to overcome the obstacles in our way'. I know you're optimistic about the future of this company. I'm optimistic about the future of our country. . . .
"I appreciate the Timken family for their leadership, their concern about their fellow associates. They're working hard to make sure the future of this company is bright, and therefore, the future of employment is bright for the families that work here, that work to put food on the table for their children."
Even at the time of his speech, some workers expressed concern about jobs. The Associated Press wrote: "Bill Miknis, 50, a welder who has worked at the Timken Co. for 29 years, had a front-row seat for the president's speech at the company's research center in this northeast Ohio city. Calling himself a Bush supporter, Miknis praised the administration's work during the war with Iraq.
" 'But I'm concerned about the economy. I think we need to get the country going and get more jobs here,' Miknis said."
Opensecrets.org shows that the Timken Company and various Timken family members in Ohio have given more than $1 million in the past three elections -- as far as I can tell, pretty much all to Republicans.
And now we have this. I am amused.
(From the Washington Post White House Column)
When President Bush visited a Timken Co. ball-bearing plant in Canton, Ohio, a year ago, he told workers that their optimism about the future of their company inspired his optimism about the future of the economy.
A photo from his talk at Timken leads the White House Web site's "Building America's Economy Photo Essay." It shows Bush standing in front of a glorious red, white and blue "Jobs and Growth" banner.
As he said at the time, the "greatest strength of the American economy is found right here, right in this room, found in the pride and skill of the American work force."
Last week, Timken announced that the folks right there in that room are getting fired. Timken, the world's largest industrial bearings maker, whose chairman is a major donor and fundraiser for the Republican Party, plans to shut down three factories in Canton and eliminate 1,300 jobs.
It's a particularly tough setback for Bush because job loss is a key issue in Ohio, a critically important swing state come November.
Mark Naymik writes in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: "When President Bush needed a factory floor to serve as a prop for an economic speech last year, Canton-based Timken Co. opened its doors.
"But the maker of bearings delivered a symbolic political blow Friday to the president's re-election bid in Ohio, when it announced plans to close three plants in Canton and eliminate 1,300 jobs.
"Manufacturing plants have been at the center of the presidential debate in Ohio, which has lost about 155,000 manufacturing jobs since Bush took office."
Gloria Irwin of the Akron Beacon-Journal writes about why Timken closed the plants: "Costs of production at three Timken Co. bearing plants in Canton are far higher than at other company plants and at competitors -- partially because the union workers continue to receive full, company-paid hospitalization."
Thomas W. Gerdel writes in the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Timken plans to move production "elsewhere."
Timken is currently Canton's largest employer, but has 56 bearings plants in 27 countries.
Canton is in Stark County. Joe Milicia of the Associated Press writes: "Stark County is a bellwether county in a bellwether state, having voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1960 with the exception of Jimmy Carter in 1976. Only two presidential candidates have won without carrying Ohio since 1892."
Here is the text of Bush's remarks in April of last year.
"Tim told me that this is a company -- we are a 'roll up your sleeves' company, a can -- it is a can-do environment," Bush said. "Which is one of the reasons I've got so much optimism about the future of our economy -- because of the 'roll up your sleeves' attitude by thousands of our fellow Americans, because of the business sense of 'we can do whatever it takes to overcome the obstacles in our way'. I know you're optimistic about the future of this company. I'm optimistic about the future of our country. . . .
"I appreciate the Timken family for their leadership, their concern about their fellow associates. They're working hard to make sure the future of this company is bright, and therefore, the future of employment is bright for the families that work here, that work to put food on the table for their children."
Even at the time of his speech, some workers expressed concern about jobs. The Associated Press wrote: "Bill Miknis, 50, a welder who has worked at the Timken Co. for 29 years, had a front-row seat for the president's speech at the company's research center in this northeast Ohio city. Calling himself a Bush supporter, Miknis praised the administration's work during the war with Iraq.
" 'But I'm concerned about the economy. I think we need to get the country going and get more jobs here,' Miknis said."
Opensecrets.org shows that the Timken Company and various Timken family members in Ohio have given more than $1 million in the past three elections -- as far as I can tell, pretty much all to Republicans.
posted by Robert | 1:47 PM
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