Sen. Clinton campaigns for Sherrod Brown, criticizes GOP spending

AP via Akron Beacon Journal

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton stumped for Senate candidate Sherrod Brown on Saturday, saying he's needed to help curb a crisis mode created by the Republican-led federal government.

"He has fought 30 years for social and economic justice to help get people health care and affordable college tuition," Clinton said of the Democratic congressman.

She joined Brown at a rally at Austintown Fitch High School where she condemned the GOP's out-of-control spending, abuse of power and lack of support for the middle class.

About 1,000 people attended the rally, among 11 stops for Brown between Thursday and Saturday in which he discussed the cost of higher education. Brown is challenging incumbent Sen. Mike DeWine.

Ohio Republican Party spokesman John McClelland criticized Brown for campaigning with Clinton.

"The contrast between the two candidates couldn't be any clearer than today," McClelland said. "While Sen. Mike DeWine spent his day visiting with grass roots volunteers and making phone calls to Ohio voters, Sherrod Brown was rubbing elbows with everyone's favorite liberal, Hillary Clinton."

Read the full article. 

10/08/2006 / Permalink / Northeast Ohio, (all tags)

The rally featured Brown, Clinton and two popular, young TV celebs

Youngstown Vindicator

AUSTINTOWN — This morning's rally to support U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown's bid for U.S. Senate drew more than 1,000 people to Austintown Fitch High School.

The draw could have been the prominent guests sharing the stage in support of the Ohio 13th-district congressman: U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and TV actors Luke Perry of long-running "Beverly Hills 90210" — an Ohio native, and Adam Brody of the current hit "The O.C."

At 8:30 a.m., there were already hundreds of people gathered around the doors of the auditorium entrance. Some carried signs supporting the person they were there to see, most bearing the name of Sherrod Brown or state Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, D-32nd, who is running for state attorney general. Others had copies of the former first lady's book "Living History."

Other participants in the rally included state Rep. John Boccieri of East Liverpool, D-61st; U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th; state Rep. Ken Carano of Austintown, D-59th — a former teacher and debate coach at Fitch; and state Sen. Bob Hagan of Youngstown, D-33rd.
"There is nothing wrong with Ohio that can't be fixed by what is right with Ohio," said Boccieri, who is running for the state senate seat being vacated by Hagan.

The C-130 pilot drew on his own experience in Iraq and Afghanistan in his speech, which brought the crowd to its feet several times before he concluded, "I'm John Boccieri, God bless you."

Read the full article 

10/08/2006 / Permalink / Northeast Ohio, (all tags)

Youngstown TV Covers Sherrod at Denman Tire

09/13/2006 / Permalink / Jobs, Northeast Ohio, Trade, Video, (all tags)

With Denman Tire as His Backdrop, Brown Calls for Review of Trade Pacts

The Business Journal

Worse-than-expected trade deficit numbers appeared to bolster U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown’s argument that Congress should revisit trade treaties, trade agreements that he argues are costing Ohioans jobs.

The trade numbers came the day after Brown’s campaign began airing a commercial targeting U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine’s support of international trade agreements he says have hurt workers in Ohio. Brown, a Democrat who represents Ohio’s 13th Congressional District and is running to unseat DeWine, met with about 40 workers late Tuesday morning at Denman Tire Co.

The U.S. Commerce Department reported that the trade deficit in July was a record $68 billion, with imports reaching an all-time high of $188 billion – in part the result of the rise in oil prices -- and exports declining to $120 billion. Part of that decline was attributed to a drop in sales of civilian aircraft, computers and industrial machinery. The July trade deficit, 5% above the June numbers -- was higher than analysts expected and broke the monthly record of $66.6 billion set last October.

Click here to read the full article. 

09/13/2006 / Permalink / Jobs, Northeast Ohio, Trade, (all tags)

Trade issues split candidates

Tribune Chronicle 

Sherry Killin has worked at Denman Tire for 13 years. For the first time this year, she watched 50 co-workers get laid off because the tire molds they needed for their jobs were sent to Mexico.

‘‘Because of outsourcing and trade agreements, we can't compete,'' she said.

Killin was one of about 50 Denman workers who took time off the job Tuesday to back U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Avon, who is trying to unseat Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. Brown spoke with workers in the Denman parking lot before touring the plant.

Brown has been a staunch opponent of free trade agreements that he says is shipping U.S. jobs overseas and making it hard for U.S. companies to compete. Trade issues are one of the fundamental disagreements between the two candidates.

Scott Tackett, Denman vice president for human relations, said the company is facing competition from China, India and Korea, as well as a nonunion Michigan plant where workers earn half of what Denman's union workers take home.

Brown said nobody at the event was opposed to trade, but it must be fair trade. He also has introduced bills that would prevent sweat shop products from getting into the Unites States and reward companies that provide health care and pensions to their employees while producing goods in the United States.

Click here to read the full article.

09/13/2006 / Permalink / Jobs, Northeast Ohio, Trade, (all tags)

Unfair Trade Keeps 50 At Home

If you ask the workers or the management at the Denman Tire Company in Leavittsburg how unfair trade agreements have affected business, they'll tell you that 50 workers are sitting at home right now waiting to get their jobs back.  That's a sixth of their entire workforce.  The company's tire molds are now being made in Mexico.  Production is down because foreign corporations with weak or non-existent labor and environmental standards are dumping cheaper tires on the U.S. market.  And even Denman has been forced to buy some of its raw materials from the country that is hurting business the most - China.

The Youngstown Vindicator previewed the event in the morning paper.

Sherrod traveled to the Denman plant Tuesday to discuss one of the issues he has championed in Congress today - the critical importance of fair trade policy and supporting local businesses.  Mike DeWine has supported every trade agreement that has made jobs one of Ohio's biggest exports.  The state has lost more than 200,000 manufacturing jobs since DeWine last took office.  Sherrod Brown stood up to presidents of both parties in fighting unfair trade agreements, and was the leader of a bi-partisan coalition in Congress that fought against the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

READ MORE »

09/12/2006 / Permalink / Jobs, Northeast Ohio, Trade, (all tags)

Brown Vows to Lead Fair Trade Fight for Mahoning Valley Workers

Will fight unfair trade agreements, invest in middle class families

LEAVITTSBURG, OH – U.S. Representative Sherrod Brown met with workers and union officials at the Denman Tire plant to discuss leading Ohio in a new direction that will return jobs to the Mahoning Valley by reversing unfair trade agreements and providing middle class families with the tools to succeed.  Incumbent Republican Senator Mike DeWine, who has accepted more than $1 million from companies that have outsourced U.S. jobs, supported the North American Free Trade Agreement, voted to grant Permanent Normalized Trade Relations with China, and voted for the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

“When it comes to helping multinational corporations boost their profits and outsource jobs, Senator DeWine gets things done,” said Representative Brown.  “But when it comes to job creation and helping middle class families, Senator DeWine has no plan.  I stood up to presidents of both parties in opposing job-killing trade agreements.  It is time to put American jobs, not multinational profits, first.”
READ MORE »

09/12/2006 / Permalink / Jobs, Northeast Ohio, Trade, (all tags)

Candidate focuses on jobs and Valley

From Youngstown Vindicator: 

U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, was to meet today with workers who lost their jobs at the Denman Tire plant in Leavittsburg to discuss plans to bring jobs back to the Mahoning Valley.

Brown's campaign began airing a television commercial Monday on Youngstown stations focusing on trade agreements that eliminated American jobs.

...In the commercial, Brown criticizes U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, the Republican incumbent seeking re-election, although he only calls him "my opponent," for supporting "trade agreements that cost us" manufacturing jobs.

DeWine voted for the Central America Free Trade Agreement and permanent normalized trade relations with China and supports the North America Free Trade Agreement. Brown voted against CAFTA, NAFTA and the trade relations status for China.

Ohio has lost more than 195,000 manufacturing jobs since 2001, and Brown said more than 52,000 are because of NAFTA alone.

Click here to read the full article. 

09/12/2006 / Permalink / Jobs, Northeast Ohio, Trade, (all tags)