Breaking: Nebraska Businessman (Raimondo) Withdraws as Manufacturing Czar

[VolcanoJen]

Breaking now on CNN... hmmmm, second thoughts about Tony Raimondo, once they found out about his manufacturing plants in communist China, as well as laying off 17% of his own work force?

Kind of ironic, too, that the story broke while Lou Dobbs was still on the air, rolling his eyes. Honestly, I think Lou finds the entire affair delicious.

Chalk up another victory for John Kerry, folks!!!

Linky:

Bush Administration Candidate Withdraws from Manufacturing Post - SFGate

Excerpt:

A Nebraska business executive withdrew from consideration to be President Bush's point man on manufacturing Thursday after Sen. John Kerry raised questions about his stance on shifting U.S. jobs to foreign countries.

The Bush administration said Anthony Raimondo's withdrawal was related to Nebraska political issues and not the flap raised by the Kerry campaign.

Raimondo's nomination had appeared in doubt since Kerry raised questions Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Don Evans had refused to answer questions about whether Raimondo, the chief executive of Behlen Manufacturing Co., in Columbus, Neb., was still being considered for the position, saying only that the administration was "continuing to look at candidates."

"It's not so important when we make the announcement. It's who it is," Evans said in an interview on CNBC.

---

Bwaaaaaa-ha,ha,ha,ha, Don Evans! Hey, nice hire! Who's running your background check department, anyhow?

[madmax]

1. Another smackdown!!!

Kerry talked about this - this afternoon.

[displacedtexan]

2. Lou and Suzanne (sp?) are laying out the whole thing!

Hoorah!

[Nlighten1]

3. Too late!

The soft underbelly of the beast has been exposed! Will any Dem attack it?

[Just Me]

9. Good question,...one I seriously contemplated today,..

,...this may have been a dart at the corporatism which has its claws deeply embedded in this country,...but, it certainly has not controlled that beast. Nevertheless, I must celebrate every small victory.

[madmax]

4. 'not connected to Kerry's criticism'.

Yeah right. Just like he didn't change his tune after Kerry went after him about only having an hour for the 9/11 inquiry but time to putz around at a rodeo. Kick his ass, John :kick:

'The administration had scheduled a news conference for Thursday to announce its selection for the job of assistant commerce secretary for manufacturing. Bush last September had announced the position to coordinate the administration's efforts to bolster the country's beleaguered manufacturing sector.

However, the planned news conference was scrapped after Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, and other Democrats raised questions about Raimondo's stance on shifting U.S. jobs to foreign countries, a hot political issue given the loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs since mid-2000.

But the administration said Raimondo's withdrawal was not connected to Kerry's criticism.'

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/03/11/financial1809EST0393.DTL

[VolcanoJen]

7. Ya know, it's really too bad that Kerry wasn't the frontrunner...

... like, three years ago. If he would have started a little earlier, maybe Chimpy could have actually accomplished something during his one, lone term.

Over the past few days, it seems that when Kerry attacks, Bush flip-flops. It's quite amazing, and now that Kerry has figured out that they're paying attention, I think he ought to make a pretty big fuss about it.

Exactly who is leading this country....?

Growing more impressed with Kerry by the minute,
Jennifer

[madmax]

10. I was so frustrated during the 2000 campaign

Gore never went after bush and there was so much in his Texas record to go after. I think Howard Dean showed them the way. I respect Dean for doing that for the party.

Thank you, Dr. Dean :)

[VolcanoJen]

11. If it weren't for our spirited Democratic Primaries...

... we wouldn't be achieving so much, so early, as we are now.

We have many candidates to thank... Howard Dean for lighting a fire under our collective asses, Dennis Kucinich for appealing to the liberal spirit in each of us, John Edwards for running a positive, uplifting campaign on a message of jobs and fairness, Wesley Clark for adding gravitas, kicking Chimpy's ass on his misguided war, and proudly proclaiming himself to be a liberal.

I'm just madly in love with the New Brand of Democrat, 2004. Keep kicking ass, John Kerry!!!

:dem:

[sandnsea]

5. Pow, biff, bam

He's taking it to them!

[LisaM]

6. Can't Kerry just take over NOW?

I'm loving this! He is dogging their every step. I'm beginning to see why he steamrolled all those primaries.

[TacticalPeek]

8. Typical cheap labor 'conservatives'.

They'll save a buck by hiring the Chinese Labor Minister to be our " point man on manufacturing".

Fools for the short-term, gone for the long.

[Sticky]

12. Kerry Gets The Headline!

Bush Nominee Withdraws After Kerry Remark

http://tinyurl.com/3xysz


Raimondo's nomination had appeared in doubt since Kerry raised questions Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Don Evans had refused to answer questions about whether Raimondo, the chief executive of Behlen Manufacturing Co., in Columbus, Neb., was still being considered for the position, saying only that the administration was "continuing to look at candidates."


"It's not so important when we make the announcement. It's who it is," Evans said in an interview on CNBC.


The administration had scheduled a news conference for Thursday to announce its selection for the job of assistant commerce secretary for manufacturing. Bush last September had announced the position to coordinate the administration's efforts to bolster the country's beleaguered manufacturing sector.


However, the planned news conference was scrapped after Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, and other Democrats raised questions about Raimondo's stance on shifting U.S. jobs to foreign countries, a hot political issue given the loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs since mid-2000.

[VolcanoJen]

13. Oh, hell yeh!!!

Thanks for making my day with that lovely headline, sweet_scotia!!!

[LONG-LINER]

14. Kind of like hiring the wolf to watch the sheep

This guy could have set a new record for job exports!!

[fearnobush]

15. Who's running your background check department, anyhow?

No one, these people believe outsourcing is good for the average US worker!!! They always seem surprized when we, the people freak out when they claim that outsourcing is good. So out of touch, way out of touch.

[Dr Fate]

16. Your Sig image is killer!!!

I likes!

[pinto]

17. Bush Nominee Withdraws After Kerry Remark (AP)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040312/ap_on_go_pr_wh/manufacturing_post_6