Union Leaders Boo McCain on Immigration

[Cdowwe]

Are they afraid that people will work for less than 25 dollars an hour as an assembler, like in the UAW union?

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) threatened on Tuesday to cut short a speech to union leaders who booed his immigration views and later challenged his statements on organized labor and the Iraq war.

"If you like, I will leave," McCain told the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department, pivoting briefly from the lectern. He returned to the microphone after the crowd quieted.

"OK, then please give me the courtesy I would give you."

It was a colorful and contentious session, producing as many laughs as boos, that tested McCain's commitment to the straight-talking, wisecracking image he honed during his failed 2000 presidential bid. An underdog six years ago, the Arizona Republican is expected to seek the 2008 GOP nomination as a front-runner.

"I loved it. I love mixing it up like that," McCain said after the speech to a Democratic-leaning crowd of several hundred.

He did seem to enjoy the back and forth that began minutes into his address, when he mentioned campaigning on behalf of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a fellow Republican. The crowd booed the reference to Schwarzenegger but laughed at McCain's self-effacing joke that followed.

He said somebody came up to him at the Schwarzenegger event and said, "Do people tell you look like John McCain?"

"Yes, they do."

"Doesn't that make you madder than hell?"

Later, the senator outlined his position on the Senate immigration debate, saying tougher border enforcement must be accompanied by guest-worker provisions that give illegal immigrants a legal path toward citizenship.

Murmurs from the crowd turned to booing. "Pay a decent wage!" one audience member shouted.

"I've heard that statement before," McCain said before threatening to leave.

Afterward, the senator said he offered to cut his speech short "because I wanted to be heard."

In the speech, McCain also argued that withdrawing U.S. troops prematurely from Iraq would turn terrorists loose on the United States.

This time, there was no booing — though one audience member cursed from the back of the crowd.

McCain got another laugh when he finished the speech and asked whether anybody had "questions, comments or insults."

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?"

Others said McCain showed some moxie, if not the best political judgment.

"Most of us don't agree with him on immigration, but I give him credit for trying," said Chris Schoenbeck of Milwaukee.

With his profile rising, a growing number of Democrats are accusing McCain of flip-flopping on issues to court conservative GOP primary voters.

McCain denied that charge later Tuesday — after addressing the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a GOP-leaning group that backs his immigration views. There were no boos. Just laughter, and at the end of his remarks, a standing ovation from the Hispanic leaders.

Yet McCain's mind was still on the labor activists and their prickly reception.

"I can't tell you how much fun that was," he said

[The 12th Commandment]

You've gotta admit that McCain has stones. He stood there and took it like a man.

[Sarge]

He needs a good booing

[jbooma]

ignorance is going to destroy this country :doh:

[Fergasun]

Look at how dumb McCain is...

He truly believes that no American will pick lettuce, even for $50/hour. What an assclown.

[Enter Apotheosis]

I'd pick lettuce for $50 an hour. I'd hate the job but I'd love the money...

[Sarge]

Look at how dumb McCain is...

He truly believes that no American will pick lettuce, even for $50/hour. What an assclown.

Prisoners can do it for about .25 an hour

[Stigmata]

Yesterday i was listening to talk radio, and was told a story. It seems the INS visited a huge farm in california, they looked at the labor force and concluded they were illeagals, so they whipped out thee badges and everyone bolted, they managed to capture some..

Well the farmer was pissed and called both his senators, 1 republican and 1 democrat, and gave them both an earfull over the incodent.

So both senators called the INS official and said in essence, WTF are you doing what is your problem? do you want to keep your job? you better get your arse back over there and find those workers and get them back to work now! your not supposed to go in before picking season, go in just at the end, now this farm has no labor and cant possibly pick its crops, go in later so the farmer doesnt have to pay all of them..

this is close to what i heard maybe not exactly 100% to a T but close

not sure if this is a true story, but the point on the radio is these are the same senators that will pass tough imigrations laws and do nothing to enforce them.

[The 12th Commandment]

I don't doubt that any of you guys would pick lettuce for 50/per, but I don't' think you got what he was saying.

McCain was implying not that they wouldn't, but that they couldn't. And I'm gonna back him here.

If you haven't spent a long time doing manual labor in 110+ degree heat, with the scorching Phoenix sun, you ain't gonna do it, no matter how bad you want to. You'd be dead in half a day. Watch the Survivor Man episode in the Sonora desert. He wasn't picking anything and he was hurting.

The ability to do hard labor in that sort of conditions is something your body must be acclimatized to. Like the indians in Peru who can live at 14,000 feet and still breath. You or I would walk 100 yards and be heaving. Same thing. These folks have been doing grueling work in the brutal heat most of their lives. They're conditioned to it. You don't mow your lawn here after noon. New residents wind up in the hospital every summer from trying. That's all I'm sayin. :2cents:

[brewdogmike]

Only a labor union would think to invite a U.S. Senator to speak at their meeting and then heckle him.

[Kilmer17]

Does anyone think that getting booed by union leaders will do more for McCain than if he been applauded by them?

[brewdogmike]

The ability to do hard labor in that sort of conditions is something your body must be acclimatized to. Like the indians in Peru who can live at 14,000 feet and still breath.

You've got a point to make, but you stretched it too far. What you're talking about here is just acclimatizing to air pressure and O2 content. A fairly decent athlete from Florida would have a hard time walking up Pike's Peak because he's been training near sea level.

As for Americans being unwilling to pick lettuce for 50 cents an hour, lettuce growers can't legally pay an American 50 cents an hour for that work. There's just going to have to be an enforceable guest worker program, or else we're going to have to pay more for lettuce.

[brewdogmike]

Does anyone think that getting booed by union leaders will do more for McCain than if he been applauded by them?

Hell yes. Dick Gephardt was the labor unions' poster boy, and it didn't do him much good.

[Kilmer17]

Actually, if Kerry had picked Gephardt as VP, he would be President right now.

But that's a different party.

McCain getting booed helps him with the far right in the Primary Season.

[chiefhogskin48]

Only a labor union would think to invite a U.S. Senator to speak at their meeting and then heckle him.

Exactly. Unions are a disgrace and a vestige of the 19th and earl 20th century. They do nothing but artificially increase market wages and protect the good ole boy club that's entrenched in those $80-100k per year jobs. I wonder why the other 90% of American workers isn't protected by a union...

It's time to call a spade a spade and stop waxing poetic about unions.

[The 12th Commandment]

You've got a point to make, but you stretched it too far. What you're talking about here is just acclimatizing to air pressure and O2 content. A fairly decent athlete from Florida would have a hard time walking up Pike's Peak because he's been training near sea level.

As for Americans being unwilling to pick lettuce for 50 cents an hour, lettuce growers can't legally pay an American 50 cents an hour for that work. There's just going to have to be an enforceable guest worker program, or else we're going to have to pay more for lettuce.

Dude, we weren't talking about athletes from the U or Florida . Who I think could probably spend a week at altitude and be ok. They are an exception to be sure. But they aren't gonna be picking lettuce now are they? We are talking about a bunch of brat grubbin, good beer swillin Wisconsin blue collar 'necks. Those boys breathe hard when the comb their hair in the morning. And maybe my analogy wasn't perfect, but you have to become acclimatized to working in severe heat, (your body is amazing in the adjustments it can make) just the same as differing oxygen content. Anyway, you didn't put forth a better analogy.

I fully agree with your second para.

[G-Prime]

I'd pick lettuce for $50 an hour. I'd hate the job but I'd love the money...

pfft.. I don't need money at all but I'd still take a job picking lettuce for 50 dollars an hour. And be happy about it.

[Fergasun]

KAOSkins,

I didn't realize they picked lettuce during the summer in scorching 110 degree heat in Arizona. Right now they are picking lettuce and strawberry's up here in California in ~60 degree weather and rain.

No one is saying 50 CENTS and hour but McCain said "Americans won't do it for 50 DOLLARS an hour".

$50/hour equates to about $100k per year before taxes.... but if it were a produce job you wouldn't have work year-round... it would probably be about $60k/year... which is a decent wage. I don't think people picking crops should be paid that much, just finishing the example.

[The 12th Commandment]

KAOSkins,

I didn't realize they picked lettuce during the summer in scorching 110 degree heat in Arizona. Right now they are picking lettuce and strawberry's up here in California in ~60 degree weather and rain.

No one is saying 50 CENTS and hour but McCain said "Americans won't do it for 50 DOLLARS an hour".

$50/hour equates to about $100k per year before taxes.... but if it were a produce job you wouldn't have work year-round... it would probably be about $60k/year... which is a decent wage. I don't think people picking crops should be paid that much, just finishing the example.

Quote from Article: 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.

I now Cali is different. I was only speaking to the points raised in the article.

But you are right about the pay. I think he was just trying to make these guys understand how hard it was to do the job. And it is.

And to be trithful, they don't pick lettuce in those tempartures anyway. Not even in Phoenix. Only because lettuce doesn't grow in those conditions. In he desert it's a spring, winter and fall crop. They are working in those conditions with other crops though. Citrus, cotton and onions would be the ones that come to mind