"Maverick" McCain Booed by the Unions?
Say it ain't so. Well, if I did, I'd be lying. The man once known as a "Maverick Republican" (aka, Republican who didn't kiss Bush's backside) continues his fall. As if the Falwell backtracking wasn't bad enough.
See, McCain was giving a speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Legislative Conference on immigration reform (here's his most recent press release on the subject) . He was speaking to the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department. Highlights from the whole ordeal:
The first questioner seemed to challenge his commitment to organized labor. When McCain started to praise a particular labor group in Arizona, the crowd booed again.
"Stop!" he said with a smile, drawing laughter from the crowd. "I surrender."
But he took more questions, including a pointed one on his immigration plan. McCain responded by saying immigrants were taking jobs nobody else wanted. He offered anybody in the crowd $50 an hour to pick lettuce in Arizona.
Shouts of protest rose from the crowd, with some accepting McCain's job offer. "I'll take it!" one man shouted. McCain insisted none of them would do such menial labor for a complete season. "You can't do it, my friends."
Some in the crowd said they didn't appreciate McCain questioning their work ethic. "I was impressed with his comedy routine and ability to tap dance without music. But I was impressed with nothing else about him," said John Wasniewski of Milwaukee. "He's supposed to be Mr. Straight Talk?"
Good question. Some aren't so sure he should have that moniker, seeing as it was supposed to highlight his "maverick" tendencies. I'm inclined to agree.
See, McCain was giving a speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Legislative Conference on immigration reform (here's his most recent press release on the subject) . He was speaking to the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department. Highlights from the whole ordeal:
The first questioner seemed to challenge his commitment to organized labor. When McCain started to praise a particular labor group in Arizona, the crowd booed again.
"Stop!" he said with a smile, drawing laughter from the crowd. "I surrender."
But he took more questions, including a pointed one on his immigration plan. McCain responded by saying immigrants were taking jobs nobody else wanted. He offered anybody in the crowd $50 an hour to pick lettuce in Arizona.
Shouts of protest rose from the crowd, with some accepting McCain's job offer. "I'll take it!" one man shouted. McCain insisted none of them would do such menial labor for a complete season. "You can't do it, my friends."
Some in the crowd said they didn't appreciate McCain questioning their work ethic. "I was impressed with his comedy routine and ability to tap dance without music. But I was impressed with nothing else about him," said John Wasniewski of Milwaukee. "He's supposed to be Mr. Straight Talk?"
Good question. Some aren't so sure he should have that moniker, seeing as it was supposed to highlight his "maverick" tendencies. I'm inclined to agree.
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