Posted on 06/24/2004 10:56:20 AM PDT by areafiftyone
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Four years after former Chrysler Corp. chairman Lee Iacocca cut ads supporting George W. Bush's election, he's switching alliances to presidential challenger John Kerry.
Iacocca decided to announce his endorsement in person at a Kerry speech Thursday on creating high-tech industry jobs in Silicon Valley.
Iacocca, 79, gained a reputation as a champion of innovation within the automotive industry. He oversaw the development of the Ford Mustang in the 1960s and later the minivan and electric vehicles while at Chrysler Corp. He is the chairman and founder of EV Global Motors Co., a Los Angeles-based firm that designs electronic bicycles.
In a television ad that aired in Michigan during the 2000 campaign, Iacocca criticized Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore on automotive issues, contending that Gore's environmentally "extreme ideas" could cost autoworkers their jobs.
Iacocca retired as chairman of Chrysler Corp. in 1992. He was president of Ford Motor Co. before joining financially ailing Chrysler in 1978.
In prepared remarks, Kerry said Thursday that the United States is losing its technological edge under President Bush's leadership, with the disappearance of 800,000 high-tech jobs and falling from 4th to 10th in the use of broadband. He said countries such as South Korea and Japan are deploying networks that are 20-50 times faster than what is available in the United States.
He vowed to create jobs in the high-tech industry through an investment of $30 billion raised by auctioning off broadcast airwaves.
Wow... Gephardt was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this headline, too.
Not exactly a news flash. Iacocca is a lib Dem who supported W. in 2000 because of Algore's enviro extremist positions.
Just have this wierd feeling that it might be him. I think Kerry is just playing with Edwards for the media right now.
Personally, I think Edwards turned down the offer.
Lee was such the innovator. Had to have the federal government bail him out of bankruptcy while at Chrysler.
O great. Clinton gets credit for the techno boom and now GW gets the blame for those same companies trying to save money by outsourcing.
For some reason I think Edwards has his heart and mind set on the presidency and will run again in 2008.
Iacocca was a Bush vote and has been chased off the plantation by outsourcing. Iacocca WAS a Bush vote. Any of this sink in or do you stand alone at the end and say, oh well the whole world is against us anyway, they're all extremists.. Or do you get the point and actually realize the problem isn't extremisim but practicality.
You notice that Kerry is trying to say that he will create his own techno boom. Kerry has no originality - he is taking pages from the Clinton presidency. That is why Clinton said Kerry has a 50-50 chance of winning and he's not really helping him as much as he should. He knows Kerry is nothing much to talk about.
Outsourcing! NeoCons! They're all out to get us! Go Pat Go!
??
I think you're right and I also agree that he may have turned down the invitation to join the Kerry sinking sh...er, I mean TICKET! :)
Whiplash Johnny is a snake in the grass, but he isn't an idiot. He HAS to see that Kerry is about the WORST choice for President we have seen is.... about 4 years!
did Lee ever figure out that Americans are taller than most other countries and make it possible for someone over 6 ft tall to drive a dodge? Nope that is a Toyota and Honda feature. I'm not much of a fan. I drove his cab forward cars and could not sit up straight in the car(s)four rentals and see out the window.
Can you say-Cabinet post--maybe-Secretary, Department of Labor--Kerry administration
Lee Iaccoca
(Undersecretary no doubt--Michael Mooore)
poor Lee-
Where's the Gorelick wall when you need it.
Does it really matter what Iaccoca thinks and says. The guy has been out of the public spotlight for 10 - 15 years.
Well, too bad.
To this day my 2 favorite cars (were) are my '66 Mustang GT - WITH, 3 on the floor, pony embossed seats, racing stripes, dual chrome tail pipes, double red-pinstriped tires, 289 etc;, AND, my Chrysler Mini Vans.
Thanks Lee, now, go get your head examined. Just what do you think the dems, and the enviro weenies are going to do for you and the auto industry?
Being more than a casual observer of the records of Bush and Kerry, I can have no respect for L.I. if he would choose to place our country under Kerry. He should be ashamed of himself.
Hey, Lee, just so you know...I love my Saturn.
"Lee was such the innovator. Had to have the federal government bail him out of bankruptcy while at Chrysler".
Exactly, what a business leader.
It's true under the democrats there was a tech boom, Bush obviously has tightened the noose particularly when it comes to enforcing sound business strategies and accurate accounting principles.
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