Obama, friend of the working man and the 2nd amendment

[French G.]

Been hearing this on the local radio all day, makes me want to slap sense into a coal miner.

http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=26467

UMWA Calls for Memorial Period at Monongalia County Mine
Staff
Charleston

Audio Included UMWA President Cecil Roberts
United Mine Workers Union President Cecil Roberts says Barack Obama will not take away gun rights no matter what the National Rifle Association says.

Roberts says an NRA-hired film crew came to Consolidation Coal Company's Blacksville No. 2 Mine in Monongalia County last week and were allowed to interview two miners while a third refused. Roberts says the assistant mine superintendent recruited the miners for the interviews.

Roberts says the miners were asked leading questions about possibly losing their gun rights. "They were trying to get the miners on camera to say they would not vote for Senator Barack Obama if indeed he was opposed to protect the Second Amendment rights and they tried to lead them into saying that," Roberts said during a Monday news conference in Charleston.

The union president says he's spent time on the campaign trail in recent weeks with Obama and vice-presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden and both support the Second Amendment. "So what we have here is the same thing that we've seen a lot of across the country," Roberts said. "The need to talk about something that is irrelevant or misleading folks into believing someone is for something they are not."

Roberts says the UMWA has had a good relationship with Consolidation Coal, but he admits this incident has strained it. "This flies in the face, quite frankly, of the type of relationship we've had in the past."

The union has called for a Memorial period at the Blacksville mine next Monday. Roberts says none of the 440 union miners will work that day. "Anyone who would like to talk to the NRA next Monday is free to do so," Roberts said. "We want to help Consol out with respect to our coal miners having the opportunity to visit with the NRA if that's what they want to do."

Miner Kenny Foyles observed one of the interviews and then refused to talk to the film crew. "They wanted me to bash Obama," Foyles said. "I told them my only concern was that if Barack Obama doesn't win the election."

UMWA Local 1702 Safety Committee member Mark Dorsey says Consol's decision to ask miners to speak with the film crew on company property is a slap in the face to the union. "Consol usually doesn't let anybody on their property," he said. "They (film crew) would repeat a line out and asked you to repeat that and would say, 'Well why don't you just say this,'" Dorsey said.

UMWA President Roberts says the scare tactics being used about the Second Amendment are similar to what happened in the 2000 and 2004 presidential votes in West Virginia. "We are saying to the state right now that you are going to see this, that there's going to be an attempt by the NRA and Republican Party and John McCain's team to say 'If you vote for Barack Obama he's going to take your gun away,'" Roberts said.

[Ryan in Maine]

Well, Obama and Biden support the 2nd Amendment. The catch is the fact that they support their 2nd Amendment, rather than the U.S. Constitution's.

I'm not a fan of leading questions though. Even if they're leading someone with honesty. 

[wacki]

Well, Obama and Biden support the 2nd Amendment. The catch is the fact that they support their 2nd Amendment, rather than the U.S. Constitution's.

I'm not a fan of leading questions though. Even if they're leading someone with honesty. 

That's like saying I support Hitler, my version of Hitler.... which is actually a big fat jolly man named Santa Claus and lives at the north pole.

http://nraila.org/obama/

[MicroBalrog]

Why the hell is Obama still leading?

[Stand_watie]

      UMWA to mine owners. "Make sure your employees don't speak up against Democrats or we'll call a strike on you.."

[Monkeyleg]

"Why the hell is Obama still leading?"

Because he's black. I've read some articles by analysts who say that his lead is actually six points higher than what it really is because many people will say they're going to vote for him, but actually won't when they cast their ballots. Don't know if that's true, but I know a lot of racist Democrats.

Which brings to mind some columns I've read lately that hit on that point. Democrats are now saying that if Obama loses, it's because Republicans are racist. But Republicans are not going to vote for Obama any more than they'd vote for another Democrat. If Obama loses, it's because of the racists in the Democrat party.

[Manedwolf]

There are a lot of racist Democrats. They were FOR continuing segregation back when, remember.

MA liberals are horrible racists. Out of one side of their mouth, they want to give more money from the taxpayers to "people of color" and "increase diversity". Out of the other side of their mouth, they don't trust or want to be near "those people". The only black man you'll see on places like the Cape pretty much is bussing tables. It's like it's still the 1960's.

[Standing Wolf]

If Obama loses, it's because of the racists in the Democrat party.

Unless, of course, it's because America has more sense.

[Scout26]

Okay, so just to clarify:

If a black person votes for Obama simply because he's black, that's not racist.

If I vote against Obama because I vehemently disagree with every single one of policies, I'm a racist.

If I vote against Hillary, I'm a misogynist.

If I vote for Sarah Palin, I'm a sexist.

[macpherson]

So we are supposed to take the word of a pro-democrat union president that Obama really isn't going to take our guns away...riiighht. 

I wonder why they had to select certain miners for the interviews?

As a sidenote, are there any unions that aren't pro-democrat?  I haven't heard of any, yet not much attention gets called to the UAW and Teachers Union's influence on Congress and elections, while the NRA is called a massive gun lobby with too much influence 

[djw]

I think the reason obama may win is that under the present (republican) administration we have;
1) seen our fuel costs go up 400%.
2) seen our food costs more than double.
3) seen our social security checks go up 3%.
4) seen our national debt shoot through the roof.
In other words........"It's the economy, stupid!"
There may be some racism involved but most folks
vote their pocketbook.
Most of the electorate is now semi-literate and have
no idea why some of us are concerned about keeping
the 2nd amendment. They simply are frustrated with
the economic disaster that has begun to be seen.

[Manedwolf]

I think the reason obama may win is that under the present (republican) administration we have;
1) seen our fuel costs go up 400%.
2) seen our food costs more than double.
3) seen our social security checks go up 3%.
4) seen our national debt shoot through the roof.
In other words........"It's the economy, stupid!"
There may be some racism involved but most folks
vote their pocketbook.
Most of the electorate is now semi-literate and have
no idea why some of us are concerned about keeping
the 2nd amendment. They simply are frustrated with
the economic disaster that has begun to be seen.

Who has been in charge of Congress for the past TWO YEARS? During which all that happened, especially the fuel costs, while they did nothing?

Think real hard now.

[280plus]

Ooo! Ooo! I know this one! 

[Balog]

People are generally too stupid/ignorant to realize that the economy is far more influenced by the actions of the previous .gov than the current administration. Barring any massive idiocy of course.

[djw]

I am fully aware that the "do nothing" congress (with a democrat majority) has sat by and allowed incredible spending......even added fuel to george's binge.............my point is that the "face" of the administration is republican. I did not blame either party although both are at fault. My candidate (Ron Paul) was totally ignored by the electorate (who can't read much less understand what he was saying) I really have no dog in this current fight.