At Detroit DNC forum, labor leader says many workers drank 'Trump's Kool-Aid'
United Steelworkers Local 1999 President Chuck Jones speaks during a news conference Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, in Indianapolis. The local union president slammed by Donald Trump on Twitter says he won't stop saying the president-elect is inflating the number of jobs being saved in a deal with Carrier Corp. to stop the closing of an Indianapolis factory. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings)
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An Indianapolis-based labor leader told attendees of a Detroit forum hosted by the Democratic National Committee Saturday that members of the working class need to be brought back in the fold of the party, arguing that President Donald Trump convinced many likely Democratic voters to switch sides in 2016.
United Steelworkers Local 1999 President Chuck Jones -- who was singled out for criticism by Trump on Twitter after he said Trump had "lied his ass off" when he claimed to have saved 1,100 jobs at Carrier's plant in Indianapolis -- said from his experience, he'd never seen more enthusiasm from workers for a presidential candidate than Bernie Sanders.
That enthusiasm dropped off for Democrats after Sanders lost his bid for the presidential ticket, Jones said.
"When Bernie got put out of the primary, a lot of our folks were starting to drink Trump's Kool-Aid," Jones said. "We couldn't bring them back in."
Jones said for many of the workers he'd interacted with during the election, Democrat Hillary Clinton was the wrong candidate on trade issues: "What the hell is Hillary going to argue? She couldn't. Her husband was the one that gave us NAFTA."
If Democrats want to be successful in the future, Jones said, the party has to pay more attention to the labor community.
"For the working-class people, jobs are what we are interested in - we're not asking for handouts, we're asking for an opportunity to work," he said. "I'm asking you, I'm telling you, we need to get labor back in that boat."
Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump spent considerable time in Michigan and other Midwestern states, telling audiences at rallies and speeches that he was a staunch opponent of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, would look to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and would bring jobs back to the manufacturing industry.
Jones was a guest speaker at a "future forum" event featuring candidates vying for national leadership positions within the Democratic Party.
The event began at 9 a.m. Saturday and will continue throughout the day, featuring guest speakers and candidate forums for party leadership positions.
United Steelworkers Local 1999 President Chuck Jones -- who was singled out for criticism by Trump on Twitter after he said Trump had "lied his ass off" when he claimed to have saved 1,100 jobs at Carrier's plant in Indianapolis -- said from his experience, he'd never seen more enthusiasm from workers for a presidential candidate than Bernie Sanders.
That enthusiasm dropped off for Democrats after Sanders lost his bid for the presidential ticket, Jones said.
Candidates for the Democratic National Committee chairmanship and other leadership positions within the party are headed to Detroit this weekend for a candidate forum open to the public.
"When Bernie got put out of the primary, a lot of our folks were starting to drink Trump's Kool-Aid," Jones said. "We couldn't bring them back in."
Jones said for many of the workers he'd interacted with during the election, Democrat Hillary Clinton was the wrong candidate on trade issues: "What the hell is Hillary going to argue? She couldn't. Her husband was the one that gave us NAFTA."
If Democrats want to be successful in the future, Jones said, the party has to pay more attention to the labor community.
"For the working-class people, jobs are what we are interested in - we're not asking for handouts, we're asking for an opportunity to work," he said. "I'm asking you, I'm telling you, we need to get labor back in that boat."
Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump spent considerable time in Michigan and other Midwestern states, telling audiences at rallies and speeches that he was a staunch opponent of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, would look to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and would bring jobs back to the manufacturing industry.
Jones was a guest speaker at a "future forum" event featuring candidates vying for national leadership positions within the Democratic Party.
The event began at 9 a.m. Saturday and will continue throughout the day, featuring guest speakers and candidate forums for party leadership positions.
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