I think people feel like politics was played here, not truthfulness, and it hurt a lot. Harris union is so livid that after backing Clinton in 1992 and 1996, it has endorsed Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan, who has made Weirton workers the poster children for his war on free trade. Independent Steelworkers Union president Mark Glyptis, who represents Weirton s 3,600 hourly workers,took Clinton s picture off the wall in his office and ripped it to shreds. If he were to come to Weirton, I would personally throw him out of town. We cannot support political candidates who come to our town and make promises they do not keep.
Corporate officials are less bombastic, but clearly disappointed.
In July, meeting in Cleveland with United Steelworkers leaders from around the Midwest, Gore conceded the administration had reacted too slowly to warnings from both companies and unions that they were being overwhelmed. With imports this year again headed for near-record levels, he pledged to do better. That may placate some here. They vote strictly on trade. Certainly John Bodonski, who has logged 29 years in Weirton s 7 million square foot plant, puts little stock in Gore s assurances.