Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., has announced that he will step down after 36 years in the senate: ["Sources: S.C. Senator Hollings to Retire"]. He had previously been governor of the state. I caught some of his retirement news conference on C-SPAN in repeat this evening and he is still as impressive and hilarious as ever: [Transcript].
"They just don't worry about the 60,100 textile jobs alone we have lost since NAFTA. We always brag on BMW in Spartanburg County. Ten years ago we were down to 3.2 percent unemployment there, and now we're at 8.5 percent unemployment. And in the country this is endemic. In the country itself, we don't make anything any more ... I had to make a talk on trade last week, and I looked it up and found out that at the end of World War II we had 40 percent of our workforce in manufacturing. And now we're down to 10 percent. We've got 10 percent of the country working and producing, and we've got the other 90 percent talking and eating. That's all they're doing."I got to meet him when he ran for president in 1984 and volunteered on his campaign for a short stint before the New Hampshire primary. Here is a reprint of his campaign flyer: [Hollings 1984]. Hollings only received 3.5 percent of the vote, almost 3,600 votes. However, looking at the flyer and issues he campaigned on, I would bet that the nation would be a better place if he had been elected back then.
Kerry in sweat flap
Drudge is reporting that one of Kerry's biggest supporters has some sweatshop problems: ["KERRY IN SWEAT FLAP ON EVE OF UNION CONVENTION"].
"...into the political wilderness ..."
Lieberman trashes opponents at the National Press Club: ["Lieberman: Dems Must Shun Gov't Programs"].
