John Edwards and his supporters refer to Hillary Clinton as a corporate Democrat. But for reasons only Edwards's supporters can explain, they remain uncritical of Barack Obama, even though Obama may derail Edwards's attempt to secure a victory in Iowa.
The following quote from the Chicago Sun-Times reveals who the real corporate Democrats are:
Michelle Obama resigned Tuesday from the board of TreeHouse Foods Inc., a Wal-Mart vendor, eight days after husband and White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said he would not shop at the anti-union store.Obama has been a director of the suburban Westchester food maker since June 27, 2005. Board chairman Sam Reed received a resignation letter from Obama Tuesday. The company said she quit because of "increased demands" on her time. Obama was re-elected to the board April 19 for a term ending in 2010 -- during a period she was preparing to take on a larger role in the campaign.
In a statement issued by the campaign, Obama said, "As my campaign commitments continue to ramp up, it is becoming more difficult for me to provide the type of focus I would like on my professional responsibilities." She said it was in "the best interests of my family and the company" she quit.
Wal-Mart is a target of organized labor in the U.S., a Democratic constituency playing a key role in determining the 2008 Democratic nominee. Obama's link to Wal-Mart through TreeHouse was a potential liability for Sen. Obama. On May 14, during an AFL-CIO forum in Trenton, N.J., Sen. Obama was asked about Wal-Mart. "I won't shop there," he said.
In a SEC filing, TreeHouse stated Obama's resignation "is not due to any disagreement with the company on any matter.''
According to the Obamas' income tax returns, Michelle Obama collected $51,200 from TreeHouse in 2006.
Although Barack Obama claims he would never shop at WAL-MART, he and his family have enjoyed their share of that corporation's profits.
Who is the corporate Democrat? Who is misleading the American people? The answer to these questions is Barack Obama, whose wife has deep ties to WAL-MART as a result of her appointment to the board of TreeHouse foods after her husband was elected to the US Senate. Edwards and his supporters should discuss Michelle Obama's appointment to this position, and they should note how it occurred as a result of her husband's 2004 victory. If one is to criticize corporate Democrats, one should at least be consistent and thorough. I hope Edwards will ask Obama about his family's ties to WAL-MART during the next Democratic primary debate, for primary voters in rural areas deserve to know how the Obamas have earned their money.
|
|
|
Permalink :: 18 Comments :: Post a Comment
|
In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.
If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.
