http://www.iaff.org/across/content/visitors/media.htmlMedia Contacts
Jeff Zack
Assistant to the General President
for Communications & Media
(202) 824-1506 office
(202) 360-9778 mobile
e-mail: jzack@iaff.org
Jim McBride
Communications & Media Assistant
(202) 824-1566 office
e-mail: jmcbride@iaff.org
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http://daily.iaff.org/2004LegCon/031504carv.htmCarville Gives Fire Fighters His Word
March 15, 2004 - “It’s great to be here with the most influential and powerful organization in all of organized labor,” said James Carville in his keynote address at the IAFF Legislative Conference. Carville, who served as key advisor and political strategist for President Bill Clinton, offered his perspective on the fire service, the current administration and the upcoming presidential election.
Recalling his labor relations experience with fire fighters in Baton Rouge, he was struck by why these men and women do what they do. They told him, “We like to fight fires. We like to help people.” Carville told the crowd, “That’s really what it’s about. At the end of the day it’s no more complicated than that -- fighting fires and helping people.
“The people sitting across the table from you need to understand that,” he explained.
Commenting on the upcoming election, Carville said, “I’m just going to lay it on the line -- Kerry is just a better man than Bush. In the end, what matters is what you have inside. And you know that for a fact that John Kerry has more inside any day of the week than George Bush.”
Speaking to the recent Bush ads featuring images from 9/11, Carville noted that he takes a different view. “If Bush can’t use 9/11, what the hell can he do? Bush is the first administration since Hoover to not create a single job. He can’t run his campaign on the economy, foreign policy, health care, or Iraq. He can’t do anything else,” he said.
“Look at what Bush has done to you…you don’t need to look any further. He has four seconds for a television spot, but no time to address your needs.”
Carville went on to describe what will be – and already is -- a fascinating election. “John Kerry has done an outstanding job of standing up to negative attacks, and you know they’re going to keep happening because Bush has nothing else.
“Democrats needs to fight back to win this election,” he continued. “I think John Kerry knows that. Remind him to give as good as he takes.”
Carville concluded with some wisdom about the truth about this country. “It means a lot to be an American; it means a lot to be president. And it’s important for you to restore the good name and credibility of the greatest nation on earth. The word of the president means nothing right now.
“In the end, it’s about having a country with a president whose word means something and you don’t need any proof to go with it,” he said.
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