200 Business Leaders Endorse Kerry-Edwards
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Democrats Endorsed by 200 Business Leaders who Believe America Can Do Better; Kerry Brings Wall Street Together with Main Street at Economic Summit in Davenport
johnkerry.com
Davenport, IA - Campaigning separately on day six of their “Believe in America” tour, John Kerry and John Edwards highlighted their plan to strengthen America by building an economy that lifts up families, creates jobs and helps businesses succeed.
Bringing Wall Street to Main Street, Kerry held an economic summit in Davenport, IA, where he discussed with prominent national business leaders and leaders of the Iowa labor and small business communities the Kerry-Edwards plan to build an economy that works for all Americans. While Kerry held the summit in Iowa, Edwards shared the Kerry-Edwards plan to strengthen the economy at Main Street rallies in Little Rock, AR and Memphis, TN.
In a sign of the support their vision for a stronger America is receiving, Kerry and Edwards were endorsed Wednesday by 200 business leaders. The individuals join the growing ranks of prominent business leaders like Warren Buffett, Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs, Jim Sinegal, John Thompson and Barry Diller supporting the Kerry-Edwards vision for a stronger America.
Those endorsers attending the summit with Kerry in Davenport were: Owsley Brown, Chairman and Chief Executive Brown-Forman; Peter Chernin, President and Chief Operating Officer News Corporation; Charles Gifford, Chairman of Bank of America Corporation; Charles Phillips, President of Oracle Corporation; and Penny Pritzker, President of Pritzker Realty Group.
Representing the Iowa labor and business communities at the summit were: Tom Gillespie, President of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council; Jerry Messer, President of Quad City Federation of Labor; Betsy Brandsgard, Executive Vice President of Davenport Chamber of Commerce.; Linda Bloodsworth, President of QC Metallurgical Laboratories; and Shirleen Martin, Assistant Director, Eastern Iowa Job Training Center.
“John Edwards and I are campaigning across the country talking about how we can build an America that is stronger at home and respected in the world, and that means creating a business climate that helps companies succeed and create good paying jobs right here in America,” Kerry said at the summit.
George Bush has been bad for American business. He has offered no real solution to help businesses deal with the crippling effect of skyrocketing health care costs. While his administration calls this the best economy of our lifetime, his irresponsible mismanagement of the economy has led to record deficits, job loss and decreased confidence in the economy. By failing to maintain America’s leadership in science and innovation, Bush has allowed the United States to fall from 4th to 10th in adoption of broadband.
Around the world, Bush has weakened the image of America, greatly damaging the American brand name, and he has failed to level the playing field for American businesses and workers by enforcing our trade agreements.
“As we talk to business leaders across the full range of industries we are hearing the same thing time and time again: the policies of the Bush administration are bad for business,” said Steven Rattner, Managing Principal of Quadrangle Group and who, along with Vice-Chairman of UBS Investment Bank Blair Effron, leads Kerry-Edwards outreach to the business community. “We are hearing growing frustration from business leaders who have seen this administration abandon the fiscal discipline that led to the growth and surpluses of the 1990s. Their job is being made more difficult by America’s tarnished reputation in the world.”
“In stark contrast, we are hearing from the business community a growing chorus of support for the Kerry-Edwards approach: restoring fiscal discipline, lowering the cost of health care and rebuilding America’s reputation in the world,” emphasized Effron.
As they discussed today, Kerry and Edwards understand that America’s businesses are the engine of job creation, economic growth and the key to rising prosperity for all Americans. Their plan will help restore confidence in the American economy at home and around the world, improve the competitiveness of American business and foster long-term growth.
“We know, like you do, that America can do better,” Kerry said. “We know that if we bring down skyrocketing health care costs, enforce our trade agreements and cut taxes for companies that keep jobs here, we can strengthen our economy, help businesses succeed and create millions of new, better paying jobs.”
***read this fact sheet which includes a list of business leaders for Kerry and some selected quotes:
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