Tuesday, June 01, 2004
“The future of this company is bright”
From an article in the Chicago Tribune... In April 2003, Bush arrived in Stark County, Ohio at the Timken Co. with his usual pomp and circumstance to give another “optimistic” speech about how great the economy was going. Almost a year to the date this May, the Timken Co., the largest employer in the city and surrounding Stark County, "announced plans to close three bearing plants in the area, including its first local factory, built in 1901.”
The news that 1,300 jobs will be cut could hardly have been worse--or more awkward--for President Bush, who returned to the key battleground state of Ohio last week for the 17th visit of his presidency.
Based in a county with many independent voters and "Reagan Democrats," Timken has long had strong Republican ties. W.R. "Tim" Timken Jr., the company's chairman, is a "Ranger" within Bush fundraising circles, meaning he has helped raise at least $200,000 for the re-election effort.
Partly for that reason, one of the company's buildings served as a backdrop a year ago for a presidential speech about the economy. The oration included references to Timken's future in Canton that now appear ironically incorrect and almost made for a Democratic campaign commercial.
"The future of this company is bright, and therefore, the future of employment is bright for the families that work here," Bush said in April 2003.
This article also pointed out a new bumper stickers stating "Outsource Bush" have started to appear in Ohio. Anyone know where to get these?
The news that 1,300 jobs will be cut could hardly have been worse--or more awkward--for President Bush, who returned to the key battleground state of Ohio last week for the 17th visit of his presidency.
Based in a county with many independent voters and "Reagan Democrats," Timken has long had strong Republican ties. W.R. "Tim" Timken Jr., the company's chairman, is a "Ranger" within Bush fundraising circles, meaning he has helped raise at least $200,000 for the re-election effort.
Partly for that reason, one of the company's buildings served as a backdrop a year ago for a presidential speech about the economy. The oration included references to Timken's future in Canton that now appear ironically incorrect and almost made for a Democratic campaign commercial.
"The future of this company is bright, and therefore, the future of employment is bright for the families that work here," Bush said in April 2003.
This article also pointed out a new bumper stickers stating "Outsource Bush" have started to appear in Ohio. Anyone know where to get these?
# posted by AB @ 7:14 AM 
