Subject: [big campaign] Tracking Update: McCain Employee Town Hall Meeting Warren, OH
From: "Cammie Croft" <[email-masked]>
To: "big campaign" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:37:15 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Hello All,

Just off the phone with our tracker Andres who is on the ground in Ohio
today.  Below are the notes from our call.*

**Warren, OH - McCain Employee Town Hall Meeting
*(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: *
- Event at GM plant - team Lordstown
- Small venue - 18 audience members on stage, 75 chairs and 10 standing
- Room is so small there is not enough for print reporters and traveling
press. They are scrambling to see where they are gonna fit them.
- Stage has a large American flag, otherwise room is decorated with company
banners and flags
- Press - local and embeds, including WRMJ (NBC), Fox, CBS, couple news
reporters.
- Less staff then usual
- He is having a tour of the plant, followed by the town hall and then a
media availability
- Opening remarks by XX, thanks union leadership, introduces John McCain

*Speech Highlights:*
- Thank yous.
- I'm here because I want to see what can be done to restore and retain
jobs, but also move forward in addressing energy requirements and the great
opportunity that lies in green technology.
- America is hurting now -- manufacturing jobs have left, we're struggling
to compete.  But let's talk about the future of the auto industry.
- It's gonna be long, hard and tough
- I have faith in the innovative ability of American and quality of our
workers -- we have the best workers
- In the state of Ohio, more people have lost their homes than anywhere
else.
- This issue is a nexis of national issues we face:
   - 1) national security issue -- dependent on nations that are bad for our
oil supply
   - 2) environmental issue -- there's enough compelling information now
that shows human activity is hurting the planet
- We can become energy independent and one of the ways we can do that is
through the automotive industry -- hybrids
- But we also need nuclear energy, clean coal technology -- I'm willing to
invest $2B a year in clean coal energy
- And I believe we can rebuild the automotive industry
- We can compete in the world; I am optimistic, but we have to take action
- A word about nuclear power -- the French 80% of their electricity comes
from nuclear, the reprocess the waste
- We need to reprocess the waste but we need to store the waste as well --
including Yucca mountain
- None of these are the ultimate answer -- but you put them all together and
it can work -- and we give the American worker more job opportunities and
get them back in their homes
- We need better job training programs
- The same old jobs are not going to be there -- new jobs will be there,
they'll be here in Lordstown
- I proposed a $300 million dollar prize for a battery -- it's been called a
gimmick
- I wanted to give Americans a gas-tax holiday too -- wouldn't it be nice to
give folks a break?  I think so
- He have to have a whole broad array of initiatives to solve this
- And who's getting hurt the most?  low-income, fix-income people with old
cars
- Thanks for having me -- these meetings are a great part of the political
process
- I'd like to take a moment to recognize and thank the veterans
- We're in two wars -- one in Iraq and Afghanistan
- After 4 years of mishandling -- we now have a good strategy and are
succeeding
- I'd much rather lose a political campaign than a war
- I look forward to this debate
- No one has contributed more than our solidiers
- It's gonna be a long, hard struggle but I believe we will win
- I'm here to tell you that -- no matter if you vote for me -- that I will
reach across the aisle and I will always put my country first

*Question and Answer:
*Q 1) Yesterday Sen. Obama said the auto industry may need some bridges to
reach this new technology.  What do you think about that and what would you
do?
MCCAIN: I will make the research and development tax credit permanent.
And I gotta give you some technology, once we develop that technology, I
believe we should hand it over to private industry.
The Internet was created this way -- started by the federal government, then
handed over to the private industry where it could be further developed.  I
am convinced we are not that far away from a pure electric car - it's the
battery and we're almost there.  It's a national priority.  When we look at
our dependency on foreign oil, the government has to be an active
participant.

Q 2) Oil prices rising -- the American people are confused on what is
causing this.  What would you say to the American people?
MCCAIN: I believe the root cause is finite resource that a cartel controls
and that many countries need and desire.  That is first and foremost the
major part of the problem.
There's got to be more transparency in this whole global market.  And
there's investigations going on.  If more are needed, then we should do
them.  But really, the root cause is basically there's not really an
expandable finite resource and we are seeing a growing demand.
If we develop/when we develop cars we can drive 100-200 miles, we are going
to need more electricity.  We need nuclear plants.  We should have 45 new
ones by the year 2030.  My answer to you is the fundamental problem is there
and we have to determine the role speculators have played.

Q 3) You are strictly against opening up any trade deficits.  If our deficit
is in the trillions, is there anyway we can make it more fair?  Our
manufacturing jobs are going.  My plant closed.
MCCAIN: I don't believe every trade agreement is fair.  We have had various
disputes on the implentation of free trade agreements.  I would say that
if/when we conclude additional free trade agreements perhaps we can do a
better job of preventing unfair practices.  But I do believe there are some
realities of life, that when we erect barriers to other countries, they do
the same to us.  I also think that when we look at countries in our own
hemisphere, that if they had a better economy they would be better to deal
with.  We should conclude the free trade agreement with Columbia.  I
understand the pain.  I will make sure our trade practices are fair.  When I
say we're for free trade, because I believe it's in the best interest of the
U.S.  I know we've lost manufacturing jobs -- I don't have to tell you to
look at Detroit or the stock market -- but I don't think we are going to get
the labor intensive jobs back in America.  But I do think we're more
innovative than any countries and other kinds of jobs will come.
That's no comfort to your colleagues I'm sure.  But I will make sure
everyone has a second chance.
I understand it, I will act as quickly as possible and I will provide relief
as quickly as I can.

Thank you for being here today.  I will be back.
*
*
-- 
Cammie L. Croft
Tracking/Media Monitoring Director
Progressive Media USA
[email-masked]
202-609-7679 (office)
206-999-3064 (cell)

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