Thread: McCain Aide Calls Americans 'Whiners'

McCain Aide Calls Americans 'Whiners'
Candidate Disavows Comments

July 10, 2008

Republican presidential candidate John McCain is distancing himself from recent comments by his chief economics adviser, who called Americans "whiners."

"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," Phil Gramm told The Washington Times in an interview.

"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline."

"We've never been more dominant. We've never had more natural advantages than we have today," he told the newspaper, adding that the country has benefitted from globalization. A recession might be coming, but the country hasn't "had one yet."

Are Americans whiners? Tell us what you think.

In a statement, the McCain camp backed away from Gramm's comments.

"Phil Gramm's comments are not representative of John McCain's views," the statement said. "John McCain travels the country every day talking to Americans who are hurting, feeling pain at the pump and worrying about how they'll pay their mortgage. That's why he has a realistic plan to deliver immediate relief at the gas pump, grow our economy and put Americans back to work."

McCain was campaigning in Michigan on Thursday. Surrounded by manufacturing equipment at Bayloff Stamped Products, in Wayne County, the Arizona senator said that he understands the economic woes faced in Michigan and the rest of country.

Surrounded by manufacturing equipment at Bayloff Stamped Products in Wayne County that he understands the economic woes Michigan and the country face.

The AFL-CIO announced Thursday that it is mobilizing union members who are military veterans to work against McCain and other office seekers it opposes.

The union, which endorsed Sen. Barack Obama , D-Ill., for president last month, plans to form state councils of union veterans in key election battlegrounds, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Ohio and West Virginia. Later, it plans to organize in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia.

The new council will include close to a dozen state affiliates and will also coordinate other veterans groups "to raise the profile of veterans issues and lead the way in securing an economy that works for all," he said.

"With the formation of the Union Veterans Council, veterans will be front and center in the effort to put our country back on track," Sweeney said.

Key issues will include money for the Veterans Affairs Department, health and education benefits for veterans, and job growth, he said.

The union also launched an ad that will air Thursday that features a Vietnam combat veteran criticizing McCain's stance on the war in Iraq and on veterans issues. The ad will air for three weeks on national cable and in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, union officials said.

http://www.wbaltv.com/money/16844966/detail.html

Oh wow and he gets fired for that while Hernandez is STILL working for him? Keep bending over, McCain.

"We've never been more dominant. We've never had more natural advantages than we have today," he told the newspaper, adding that the country has benefitted from globalizatio

Sorry phil you old folked tongue sob. I'ld rather feed my family than Big Oil , Globalization = Rich get Richer . Takes all our jobs as they outsourse. Gee , Sounds like i'm Whining phil