Democracy Has Prevailed.

April 3, 2008

Hillary Clinton's "21st Century Jobs Summit"

I attended Hillary Clinton's "21st Century Jobs Summit" yesterday at the IBEW Hall.

The Post-Gazette covered it here and it was live-blogged by Lindsay at Pittsburgh Metblogs (here, here and here).

I will add that in addition to what you can read in the above articles, I was impressed hearing how Clinton had acted proactively in New York State to bring together various companies and institutions to work collaboratively for the benefit of them all. She stated that she believes that the role of government in helping business is to be "a convener, a collaborator, a catalyst and a partner."

She emphasized the need for basic research.

She also talked about both how to keep people who receive higher education in this state as well as valuing vo-tech education.

Listening to her speak and the panels of people who she assembled, I thought at one point, "Damn, I want this woman to be my president."

Here's some pictures from the event:

21st Century Jobs Summit






Christine Pambianchi, VP of Human Resources at Corning:


Gov. Rendell kept the panels moving:


Oh, the people you have to rub shoulders with during a campaign...


Three generations of women being inspired:


Mobbed at the end:
.

25 comments:

Philip Shropshire said...

It could have been subtitled "Would you like fries with that?" or "I was for NAFTA before I Had to Campaign in Rustbelt states" or "Lobbyists are people, too, so we're probably going to give you health care just like auto insurance and fine you when you can't afford 500 a month premium."

But seriously Maria, how does Queen Hillary win without a superdelegate coup?

Schultz said...

More questions for the panel:

1. So after this "summit" does Luke Ravenstahl finally know what a 21st Century job is?

2. Did Senator Clinton apologize to Onorato for blocking those jobs that were supposed to come to Monroeville last year?

3. Did Hillary discuss her latest program titled "Character assassination 101" which the Clinton recently executed upon their friend and former colleague Governor Bill Richardson?

Anonymous said...

1.Why were there no 'Farewell Tour' and 'Hit Jobs' signs?

2. Was Tonya Harding present?

Anonymous said...

The Mayor is fully committed to bringing the cutting edge of 21st century technology to Pittsburgh and its workforce. That is to say that his stylist just turned him on to some fantastic new pomade.

Also, Yarone handles the hi-tech details. That is to say, reading other people's emails.

- Shawn

Anonymous said...

Hey thanks for the great blog, I love this stuff. I don’t usually read much into politics but with the election coming up (not to mention the dem primaries) and everyone going green these days I thought I would leave a comment.

I am trying to find more about the government and if they are going to ratify the Kyoto Protocol any time soon. Has anyone seen this pole on EarthLab.com http://www.earthlab.com/life.aspx ? It said 75% of people think the government should ratify the Kyoto Protocol on Earth Day (when I took it). I also saw something on Wikipedia but it wasn’t up to date. Any other thoughts on where the government is going with this?

I am looking for more info on what candidates’ opinions are and how are we are going to get closer to solutions. Drop a link if you see anything worth my time.

Anonymous said...

More importantly did Hillary come under any sniper fire? She must be a fan of Sylvester Stallone movies. She portrayed herself as Rocky the other day. Over in Bosnia she played Rambo dodging sniper fire. What a gal.

Anonymous said...

Regardless of whether the preceding comment was scribbled by an Obama supporter, a McCain supporter, or just a reflexively Clinton-hating right-winger, I regretted finding it here.

I have seen no indication Sen. Clinton tried to advance her prospects by tearing down the other candidate(s) at this event. That type of campaigning should be applauded; the out-of-left field bashing consequently reflects poorly on the author.

Anonymous said...

Lots of empty seats at the IBEW hall were shown on WPXI TV's noon coverage . . . maybe everyone was at the Michelle Obama rally at CMU.

Anonymous said...

5:14 pm anonymous thinker. you think you can learn something here.

" am trying to find more about the government and if they are going to ratify the Kyoto Protocol any time soon. Has anyone seen this pole on EarthLab.com http://www.earthlab.com/life.aspx "

Sorry, this blog is for bashing Hillary only. Get off!

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry. I should never tell anybody to "get off". Just stick to the topic. Maybe you could add something here. Like dig up weather Hillary has Acrylic nails, or not. If she's blowing money on that, think what she would do with the budget. Stick around, lot's of good stuff here.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Govt creates jobs? What type of products do they produce? Where do they get their capital from to expand?

Anonymous said...

"Damn, I want this woman to be my president."

Of course you do. Her war in Iraq is going so well; her war in Iran would have been even more successful, and her bill revoking the First Amendment was just a joke. All this without even mentioning her wildly successful health-care plan, proposed in a period where the Dems controlled the House, the Senate, and the White House.

Who could ask for more from a presidential candidate?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @ 10:54

Lots of empty seats at the IBEW hall were shown on WPXI TV's noon coverage

What part of the term "closed event" confuses you?

CB Phillips said...

Wow. The anti-Hillary sentiment is remarkably strong. It's funny. I honestly never cared one way or the other about Hillary. She was always a little too DLCish for my taste, and of course there was her Iraq vote, but, alas, she wasn't alone among Democrats with that, was she?

But I never understood the absolute winger hatred for Hillary. Actually, to this day, I still don't. But I do understand the newfound contempt being shown for her here and in Democratic/Independent circles. And whether those who support her think it's fair, I would think that it has to say SOMETHING.

Because, like me, I don't think (and I could be wrong) these are people who think Obama is some savior or the only person who can right the ship. But they, like me, seem to be disgusted by the slimy tactics of the HRC campaign.

The willingness to use those tactics says two things about the candidate:

1) winning is the most important thing, damn the consequences

2) that, despite all of the rhetoric about "change," HRC obviously does not adhere to that belief, otherwise the campaign would not be employing the same disgusting tactics that have pretty much come to define American politics.

With any luck, Obama can eek out a win in Pa., and perhaps that could convince the HRC campaign that it's time to wrap things up, and let Obama take his huge war chest and put it to better use.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: If I need a job, and Sen Clinton is creating jobs, can I drop off my resume with her? What does Sen Clinton pay? Do I get health care? She isn't giving her campaign staff health care so I was just wondering. Also, these jobs Hillary is creating, do they offer 4 weeks vacation?

Anonymous said...

But I never understood the absolute winger hatred for Hillary. Actually, to this day, I still don't. But I do understand the newfound contempt being shown for her here and in Democratic/Independent circles. And whether those who support her think it's fair, I would think that it has to say SOMETHING.

Actually the modern conservative hatred is much more understandable. Modern "conservatives" (a real misnomer if there ever was one since these people aren't interested in "conserving" anything) tend to be what psychologist Robert Altemeyer calls "Right Wing Authoritarians" (for a for a much more complete explanation, see here).

Among other traits, Right-wing authoritarians (RWA) are generally hostile to those they view as being outside their group (hence their hostility towards gays, feminists, Muslims, etc.).

I do have a hard time fully comprehending the hostility towards Hillary coming from some Obama supporters and independents.

Though I am currently leaning towards supporting Obama, I would be quite happy supporting Hillary should she be the nominee.

Anonymous said...

On a side note, Christine Pambianchi kinda looks like Laura Linney. This a good thing. A very, very good thing.

- Shawn

Anonymous said...

I do have a hard time fully comprehending the hostility towards Hillary coming from some Obama supporters and independents.

Let me help you with that, Dave, although you may have seen me make these points before.

First, understand that I am not particularly motivated by my admiration for Sen. Obama. A number of his behaviors and positions make me uncomfortable.

Second, know that I was a solid fan of Sen. Clinton until she well and truly earned my disdain by authoring her flag-burning bill.

Until then, I was willing to forgive her for authorizing the Iraq war, and was even willing to write off her implausible and disingenuous excuse as political posturing. But it is now obvious that her positions are determined by her perception of the likelyhood of garnering votes are are not guided much by moral considerations.

Then there was Kyle-Lieberman. Everyone who had attained either the age of six or the IQ of sixty knew that Bush would use this amendment as a excuse to invade Iran and damn the consequences. Sen. Clinton, having been "fooled" once by Dubya, eagerly voted for the Iran invasion, casting her lot with one of Congress's most conservative Republicans (Kyle) and the Congress's MOST conservative non-Republican (Lieberman). Fortunately, she and Dubya were thwarted by the actions of some patriots in the CIA who revealed the Bush Administration's lies about Iranian capabilities.

Sen. Clinton has done little to rehabilitate her conservative reputation since her days as a Goldwater Girl. Her attitude toward war, her stance WRT civil liberties, and lately her campaign tactics all label her as a right-of-center politician when it is convenient, which is fairly often.

Now perhaps you understand the dislike many of us have for the Senator, not as a person, but as a leader, and why I will not vote for her even if she manages to purloin the Democratic nomination.

I agree with many, including probably Maria, that it is time for a woman to become president in our country. But not one who is a conservative war enabler with an anti-civil-libertarian bent.

Maria said...

Fillippelli: "employing the same disgusting tactics"

Schmuck: "her campaign tactics"


Would that be like negative campaigning? You mean how Obama and his top campaign spokespeople have been slagging Hillary since January? Calling her:

"Disingenuous"

"Too polarizing to win"

"Divisive"

"Untruthful" & "Dishonest"

'Calculating'

"Saying and doing whatever it takes to win"

"Attempting to deceive the American people"

"One of the most secretive politicians in America"

"Literally willing to do anything to win"

"Playing politics with war"

Or do you mean poaching pledged delegates like the Obama campaign tried in Texas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nROKBU_KlZw&eurl=http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27314

More here.

Or do you mean like using Republican talking points and misleading ads like Obama did with his Harry & Louise-style anti Hillary ads? Or talking about the "excesses of the 60's" (what? like the women's movement? gay rights? civil rights? anti Vietnam war movement?) while praising Reagan and knocking President Clinton?

Please explain why you don't fault Obama.

Anonymous said...

Go get'em Maria. How blind they are and possibly anti- woman. I wish they were blind. So they didn't just see a skirt and see it rattling pots and pans wearing Victoria Secret jammies.

Anonymous said...

Please explain why you don't fault Obama.

I guess you missed the part where I said I wasn't crazy about the guy, so I'll just answer your question directly:

-- Because he didn't vote to enable Bush to invade Iraq.

-- Because he didn't vote to enable Bush to invade Iran.

-- Because he didn't author a bill to restrict political freedom of speech.

Were there other questions?

Maria, let's BOTH find a woman who doesn't want to set back liberal politics 50 years and back her for president next time. Whaddya say?

Anonymous said...

just read this:I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that people like you and Portia and others have a chance to have, you know, rights to be able to go to the hospital, to inherit property, to make sure that you can list somebody as a beneficiary on an insurance policy," Clinton said in an interview to air Monday on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

"That's all we want is to be fair,"

not a Lesbian, but want to be fair too. She means it!

Unknown said...

Regarding Maria's list:

I personally don't think that saying something is inaccurate, untrue, divisive, playing politics with war, or anything else or your list is out of line in a political campaign.

I looked at each reference and in each instance reference is being made to Hillary's policy positions or her campaign tactics.

Were you thinking that NOTHING Hillary did should be criticized?? Did you have "nicer" words that you think should have been used?

I think that a presidential candidate should be able to handle criticism of their positions---why wouldn't they?

I think that the thing that has made me leave Hillary's camp is that the women there are so close to being anti-feminist. I saw too many things going on there like Maria's list (which suggests that Hillary's gender should protect her from her policies being criticized) and sooooo many kept talking about Bill Clinton's record.

Feminist politics don't make allowances for behaviors like these. It does not encourage the weepy female stereotype being reinforced by using it---even if it will work. It does not support having your husband or daddy or spouse whining about 'boys, picking on you'.

In fact, these are precisely the behaviors that feminist politics are suppose to combat. Hillary's entire campaign seems to disrespect women and disregard the values of feminists.

Hillary nor her supporters seemed to think her credentials stood well enough on their own (she was not seeking an independent identity--ESPECIALLY by including the "First Lady" in her experience). A feminist has her own credentials and does not use others achievements---they don't need to!

That seemed rather embarassing particular given the amount of disrespect her husband's behavior suggested that he had for her.

In an interview with the Des Moines Register in April of 2007 Hillary referred to Obama as "irresponsible and naive" because he had said that he would meet with foriegn heads of states without preconditions. That pretty much did it for me.

Feminism is all about tolerance and treating all people with dignity and respect. Hillary had said in the debate that she would not hold so much as a conversation with a person---not without an plan or agenda (which would obviously be needed) ---but unless she was sure that she could get something out of it. I could not believe it!

Silly me---I had anticipated that Hillary would correct herself or apologize--instead she was calling belittling Obama for adopting what would essentially be the "feminist" political position.

Meanwhile, the Hillary supporters entire argument on behalf of Hillary had become this "Obama is just as bad" thing like what Marie(a) has posted. No matter what you asked or said there seemed to be no woman supporter with anything good to say about Hillary---just bad things about Edwards or Obama.

So I began researching Hillary. I wanted to see what her feminist credentials were. She has NONE.

She belongs to not one but TWO prayer groups in the Fellowship which among other ugly things, is known for denigration of women. Yet in her book she praises Douglas Coe.

http://www.foothillpc.org/pastor_writings/Dysfunction%20in%20Fellowship.pdf

She has refused to return the campaign donations of John R. Burgess who has been accused of sexual harassment by 10 different women and whose company was described by a female attorney:

"This is by far, hands down, the worst case I've ever experienced," said Diane Smason, one of the EEOC lawyers handling the lawsuit."

http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/29/718285.aspx

Her campaign committed credit card fraud against a female donor who had worked for Hillary---and ultimately the woman was forced to file charges to get her money back. This lady identifies that the Clinton Campaign ROUTINELY was asking donors for greater than the legal campaign limits telling them that the limit was $2500.00 instead of $2300.00)(which may explain why so much of her funds have been earmarked for the general election---they cannot be used in the primary?? I don't know). What I do know is that feminist ideals of fair play and honesty certainly have not been encouraged in the campaign.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=7F9C5E434D15B96D08D673C0B74153A9?diaryId=7104

She has a case pending in California for campaign finance issues where the charges may escalate to perjury as she lied about her degree of involvement. (the 43 page brief with the allegations in this trial is available on line)

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56868

Two of her funders have be tried and found guilty (one pleaded guilty) to frauds, Hsu and Jinnah.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/02/21/news/na-jinnah21

New York is currently investigating fraudulent listings of donors to Hillary's campaign in Chinatown.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-donors19oct19,0,4231217.story

One of Hillary's fellow alumni from Wellsley is so distressed by Hillary's association with Monsanto that she feels the need to speak out.

http://www.celsias.com/2008/02/19/an-open-letter-to-hillary-clinton-from-a-wellesley-college-alumna/

And one of Hillary's former employers claims to have fired her because she was unethical.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1994337/posts

Yet---With all this information available and not being reported on cable news or smaller papers, Hillary supporters have kept complaining of media bias and gender bias. It has even reached a point where they argue that we should vote for Hillary BECAUSE she is a woman, and Bill has in the same week complained that the "boys" were beating up on his girl AND that anyone running for president should be ready to take their blows.

Chelsea, has been all over the USA promising voters that she KNOWS her mom would make a great president but when asked about the one and only crisis that Hillary had to personally address during the 8 years in the white house Chelsea says THAT is none of our business.

When asked if she remembered snipper fire in Bosnia, Chelsea would not give an honest yes/ no answer, saying "I believe my mother has already commented on that"

So I decided that Hillary people must be VASTLY different than I am. I would be mortified if my daughter EVER lied to anyone especially to cover something I did.

I have a great deal of respect for truth and accuracy. They are important to me and I don't play relative morality games with them.

By relative morality I mean things like the youtube posted here.

This woman tried to CREATE a problem and seems to see nothing wrong with that. The ends seem to justify the means in her estimation and THAT is "RELATIVE" (to intent or circumstances) morality. The road to hell is still paved with "good intentions" and some of us still don't buy into the "win at all costs" mentality.

The woman in the youtube tells a story that is not verified by anything. The damning charges are all just allegations she makes. The person she "claims" had the experience with the Obama campaign is ODDLY not in the video.

This woman keeps alleging she is a Hillary supporter but on the phone with the Obama campaign she acknowledges that she may not have listed a candidate. (DESPITE the fact that she wants to blame them for having her listed wrong). THAT is pretty dishonest to me.

When she on two separate attempts trys to get the Obama campaign to tell her to go and sign up under Obama they tell her "NO!" I believe the man says it 3 or 4 times.

THEN---failing to get anypart of what she set out to create from the Obama team she goes ballistic! Accusing him of calling her---despite her acknowledging that she called him with the INTENT of creating a record of something she CLAIMS is going on.

Just placing it on a posting board when it is sooooo clearly dishonest is to far below my standards of honesty.

I guess that I just don't want my daughter or grand daughters to turn out to be the sort of person who does ANY of the things I have pointed out in this post.

Changing the sex of tyranny resolves nothing, imho.

NOW --- I am certain that the Hillary people here will wag their finger at me and scream "shame on you" but if outlining the information that has lead me to my choice to leave Hillary's campaign is something the Hillary campaign supporters feel is "hateful" then call me that name if you chose.

I love myself, my sisters in feminism and my yet unborn daughters and grand daughters to have Hillary or the sort of person who overlooks these behaviors be their road models. I want them to stand up for what is right and tell the truth. I want them to love and respect their husbands but not to think or believe that their husbands successes should carry over to her. I want her to find positives in herself with which to compete ---and NEVER try to win by trying to pull her opponent down to her level.

That is how I feel and think ---guess what---this is still america and I am merely sharing facts and voicing an opinion with regard to those facts.

Anonymous said...

"Feminism is all about tolerance and treating all people with dignity and respect."

Rk goes on and on and on. I ask: How can you criticize Chelsey's response to the question about her mother's reaction to the "sex scandel". That was a totally mean thing to ask and she answered it perfectly. Or would you have had her perform as a contestant on the Jerry Springer show? screming, cussing, "I told my mommy to "Bobbitt" him".That stupid kid must be the child of Ann Coulter.

I didn't read the rest of your femnist book. That statement was enough to tell me your full of.....hypocracy.

Bram Reichbaum said...

That's a shame. RK's comments were quite interesting.