The meeting started with an appearance by Harris Miller who gave us his standard stump speech (30 year Democrat, Warner/Kaine/Herring, Change in Washington, yada yada yada) and he said he just got the endorsement of the Mayor of Alexandria (I think that is what he said, I didn't have a writing instrument handy).
Miller then took questions and when he was asked about outsourcing he tried to claim he has been "Sounding the alarm" about outsourcing for over 10 years (He could tell that none of us were buying it). Then he had to leave.
At the end of the meeting LCDC members were to given a chance to speak about the candidate that they favor, alternating between the candidates and starting with Webb since Miller had already spoken.
The first speaker, John P. Flannery(former Chair of the LCDC), started by saying that he has known and worked with Miller for over 20 years, he then proceeded to explain why he was backing Webb for Senate and passed out histories on both Webb and Miller for anyone who hasn't already read up on them.
Read this diary for his thoughts alolng with Dave Williams, former Secretary of the LCDC.
Then the chairman asked if anyone wanted to speak for Miller (Buhler? Anyone? Anyone?), after about 30 seconds or so one woman stood and said the she would speak for Miller and essentially read the Don Beyer email from yesterday.
There were two more speakers for Webb and none for Miller before time expired.
WAY more Webb stickers than Miller (I only saw 3 or 4 that weren't on Miller staff).
I would have to say that the night was a clear win for Webb.
Afterwards, three members of our committee asked me for signs and bumper stickers.
'nuff said.
He also said he would work to support whoever the Democratic candidate is (I can't believe I buried the lead like this!), which he would not say at last weeks debate.
Several weeks ago, Miller tried to claim that he had been raising the alarm over offshore outsourcing like "Paul Revere". JC had a alot of fun with that. (Imagine a highly paid lobbyist for the outsourcing lobby trying to help American workers by enabling corporations to export jobs without political intrusion from the Congress? Wow! A true worker's friend!)
The way that Miller recoils from any insinuation that he helped support offshore outsourcing politically makes me think he believes himself very vulnerable on this issue.
I'm glad that you challenged him on it directly. He shouldn't be allowed to hide behind the claim that he was "just doing his job" at the ITAA as an "honest advocate". That's BS.
Miller took the lead in advancing deliberate lies about worker replacements and phony labor shortages. Miller's arguments in favor of offshore outsourcing were indistinguishable from those made by Republicans like "W". He's long been a party in this conspiracy of lies...