All Eyes On Ohio

"60 Minutes" Reports On The Crucial Primary Race In The Buckeye State

(CBS)  Both Clinton and Obama want to renegotiate NAFTA, give tax breaks to the middle class, and take them away from companies that send jobs overseas. But John Blind, a vice president at the Glatfelter paper company, one of the last big employers in Chillicothe that pays $20 an hour with full benefits, says that’s not going to be enough to reverse the tide.

“What are your problems specifically with foreign competition in the paper business?” Kroft asked.

“They're paying their employees about 1/40 of what we pay our employees. They do not have environmental regulations to deal with,” Blind said.

Asked how the next president could change that, Blind told Kroft, “It's gonna take some courage to deal with this. I really believe so.”

What unpopular decisions does he think need to be made?

“I think there needs to be some form of tariff to level that playing field,” Blind said.

When Kroft caught a few minutes with each of the Democratic candidates earlier this week, he asked them about what John Blind had to say about tariffs, which are taxes placed on import to make American products more competitive.

“His complaint about you, and his complaint about Senator Obama, both of you, is that you're sort of nibbling around the edges trying to make improvements, when to do all the things you’re talking about there needs to be stronger action, bolder action, a more protectionist policy, tariffs,” Kroft told Sen. Clinton.

“We have to have a time out on trade, which is what I've said I would do as president,” she said. “We need to step back and say, ‘Look. During the 19th century we had tariffs when we were growing our economy. During the 20th century, open markets were to our advantage, because we were by far more productive.’ Well, now we got a new set of problems. I'm all for trade. But I don't want to be a patsy.”

“I don't think we can draw a moat around our economy,” Obama told Kroft. “But what we do have to say is, ‘We're gonna drive a tough bargain. If you want access to our markets, you're gonna have to open up yours.’ Now, is that gonna solve all our problems? No. But it's a good place to start.”

“Senator Clinton said people forget that there have certain times in our histories where we've had a much protectionist policy. And it may be time for us to sit down and reevaluate that situation again,” Kroft remarked.

“The problem with the time-out is, the rest (of) the world's not takin' a time out,” Obama said. “I don't think we should be afraid of competition with the world. I think what we have to do is to be smart about competition in the world.”

But trade and jobs are not going to be the only issues for some voters in Tuesday’s primaries and in November.

In Chillicothe, people told 60 Minutes that both race and gender would both be hidden factors in southern Ohio - that many blue collar workers here won’t vote for a woman and others would never vote for a black. And Sen. Obama has another problem: a malicious campaign against him that surfaced in a number of our interviews.

Schoenholtz told Kroft he is leaning towards Obama, but that there were a couple of issues he was “not too clear” on.

Asked what they were, Schoenholtz said, “Well, I'm hearin' he doesn't even know the National Anthem, you know. He wouldn't use the Holy Bible. He's got his own beliefs, got the Muslim beliefs. Couple issues that bothers me at heart.”

“You know that's not true,” Kroft remarked.

“No. I’m just…this is what I've been told,” he replied.

“One of the things that we found in southern Ohio - not widespread, but something that popped up on our radar screen all the time - people talking about it, this idea that you're a Muslim,” Kroft told Sen. Obama.

“Right. Did you correct them, Steve?” Obama asked.

“I did correct them,” Kroft replied.

“There you go,” Obama said.

Asked where this is coming from, Obama told Kroft, “You know, this has been a systematic e-mail smear campaign that's been goin' on since actually very early in this campaign. It clearly is a deliberate effort by some group or somebody to generate this rumor. I have never been a Muslim, am not a Muslim. These e-mails are obviously not just offensive to me, somebody who's a devout Christian who's been goin' to the same church for the last 20 years, but it's also offensive to Muslims. Because it plays into, obviously, a certain fear-mongering there”

[barhranch]

Steve Kroft, your gender bias was glaringly evident during this "interview".
Not only did you make certain Obama had ample opportunity
to refute the rumors circulating about him; you pointedly pushed
Sr. Clinton into confirming their absurdity.

Did you offer even a token of consideration to Sr. Clinton for the
vicious rumors being circulated about her?

We hold Sixty Minutes to higher standards. Shame on you for
lowering the bar!

Edith Harrop

[nicolexue]

I will vote for him! And i will persuade my friends at STDromance.com to do so

[craigh9]

Hillary registers very strong with uneducated voters.

Wow - aren''t these the folks that react most to negative - fear mongering tactics. Way to go Hillary, those that can''t think for themselves are on your side. What an accomplishment

[samthetvcat]

Somebody should ask Barack whether he thinks Bill is probably cheating on Hillary while Bubba''s on the road so much, and then Barack could answer:

%u201COf course not. I mean, that, you know, there is no basis for that. I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn''t any reason to doubt that.%u201D

%u201CNo. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know.%u201D

And then he ought to release every picture taken of Bill on the road standing next to a female . . . see whether Hillary still feels like she ''rejected'' and ''denounced'' the muslim rumors to the extent that was warranted . . .

[seektruth1]

News Flash...Barack Obama chooses to vilify American CEO''s for "making in 10 minutes what it takes for ordinary Americans to make in a year".

First...it''s a lie%u2026mathematically impossible...do the numbers yourself.

Second, Barack fails to mention that he makes 52 times the ordinary American. 52 TIMES!!!

Third...what''s his point? What? ...we should create a government agency to determine and enforce the acceptable level of wages for every occupation? Obama, what should basketball players make...rock bands...movie stars? People...it''s called supply and demand.

Rather than using the most educated and successful people in our society as an example of what American''s can achieve, he chooses to vilify them. Instead he chooses to utilize class warfare as his rally cry.

So you still think he%u2019s going to unite us? Of course you do.

[seektruth1]

Hope and change...when asked what that means few of you can even articulate what hope and change means. I think most of you are convinced that some politician is going to rescue you...you see the solutions as something beyond your control%u2026which is why you are so quick to blame our %u201Cproblems%u201D on someone else...you never stop to ask yourself what you are doing to help yourself...you may actually be part of the problem.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". This timeless quote lost in the minutiae of entitlement.

I was raised in a lower middle income blue collar family...I%u2019m now retired at a very young age...all because I took it upon myself to seize the abundant opportunities that we have in this country for those that want to dedicate themselves to realizing the American dream. Each and everyday American%u2019s make dumb choices and then expect the rest of us to pay for your mistakes. Which explains why you would vote for Obama. His policies essentially will protect you from yourself and ensure that the productive members of society bail out the victims.

[bobinpt]

Clinton''s negative campaign tactics seem to be taking some media coverage away from Obama''s campaign message of hope and change. This will pass with time as his answers to these smear tactics get out there. Clinton''s timing to "throw the kitchen sink" just before Ohio and Texas are a sign of her campaign''s level of desperation. I feel it will be "too little too late" for her. The Clintons are masters of manipulation but they won''t be able to turn back this tidal wave of hope and change.

[Marie Zarankevich]

realpatriot1 -- Thank you for that clarification. I was not aware that the "present" declaration was used in that way. I''m very new to all this political stuff.

[seektruth1]

croft777...a follow-up. In your answer, could you please define non-greedy profit and greedy profit? I get a chuckle out of you anti-capitalism geeks%u2026you always seem to think that we are victims of something%u2026everything.

Ah%u2026 but those evil companies with their evil executives making all that money%u2026they just can%u2019t wait to layoff the next American worker. (Obama makes 52 times the ordinary American%u2026he%u2019s one of them you know).

Take a basic global economics class%u2026this is just the beginning of a very bad stretch for American workers that choose to whine rather than adapt. The ones that have invested time and energy in educating themselves may be OK as long as they are willing to work with the energy and vigor of our overseas competitors. Those American%u2019s not up to the challenge will continue to drag this country down%u2026just like a chain that%u2019s only as strong as its weakest link.

Have you read the posts related to the 60 min healthcare story (RAM)? One American after another%u2026I want free healthcare%u2026we are the wealthiest country in the world, why aren%u2019t you successful people paying all of my bills? I can%u2019t pay my $500 deductable%u2026I%u2019d have to give up my cable TV and cell phone. Seventy years ago an American would have preferred to die rather than let someone else pay his bills. Not today%u2026not with the entitlement culture. We%u2019re screwed!

[desertdan3]

News Flash! Ohio is NOT "a big state in the middle of the country." It is a medium-sized state 850 miles east of the middle of the 48 contiguous states. Put someone on your staff that knows a little geography.

[seektruth1]

croft777...can you provide me with an intelligent definition of corporate greed? You seem to have all the answers.

[xzonz]

My family, friends and most of my neighbors are voting for Obama tomorrow. Things need to change in a new direction and Obama is the only one who can help do that for Ohio and the country.

Posted by miles1967 at 10:48 PM : Mar 03, 2008
-------------------------------------------------

thanks for your effort to bring change!!!please do mobalise more people, its the only way out of the clinton mess.

OBAMA 08!!!!

[xzonz]

This is the most watched and closely followed election in the world. Given the way that clinton has conducted her campaign, i don''t think in future i as a woman democrat will be able to hold my head high and be proud of clinton as my party''s junior senator from NY.

just imagine the whole world watching some erratic woman waving papers and going after her oponnet in the most uncivil way- i deserve better
OBAMA 08!!!!

[realpatriot1]

dumshun,

Present votes are usued by legislators to keep flawed legislation from passing until the flaws can be worked out of it.

If you support No Child Left Behind, for example, but you want to remove an amendment which gives $20 million to a Madrassas, you don''t vote the whole bill down and you don''t pass it as is. You votr present and make the sponsers come to you seeking your vote so you can ask them to amend the bill.

[miles1967-2009]

My family, friends and most of my neighbors are voting for Obama tomorrow. Things need to change in a new direction and Obama is the only one who can help do that for Ohio and the country.

[xzonz]

CLINTON VOTED FOR THE WAR THAT AMAN LIVES AND YOUR TAX MONEY IS PAYING FOR

BILL CLINTON LIED UNDER OATH OF THE SAME GOV THAT SHE IS REPRESENTING,YET HILLARY STOOD BY HIM CONSIDERING POWER FIRST BEFORE WHAT IS RIGHT

[chitown639]

If Obama has a problem with telling people about him maybe he should just go back to Kenya! OH and go fight with his brother roy in his war.
Posted by kstar42

Well, if you have a problem with Obama, maybe you should leave the country!!! The U.S. Senator from Illinois would be missed if he left, but no one would care if you left!!!

[chitown639]

Oba says he is the man for a change! Yeah? Like Surrendering Iraq to Al Qaida, BUT going to Afghanistan and Pakistan! Vow! What a "delightful CHANGE"!
Posted by dumbshun

Its simple, the guys that are responsible for 9/11 are in Afghanistan and Pakistan, not Iraq. Why do we continue to give billions to Pakistan and not get the kind of cooperation need to catch or kill Bin Laden and prevent AlQaeda from setting up safe havens there? The Bush Administration has been much too soft with the Pakistani government....

[kstar42]

If Obama has a problem with telling people about him maybe he should just go back to Kenya! OH and go fight with his brother roy in his war.

[kstar42]

You are disgusting to ask about religion. Now I know why I never watch CBS news. You are prejudice. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You disgust me.
Posted by ahjosephson at 10:07 PM : Mar 03, 2008

We have a man running for president and we american people have every right to no every thing about him!