Hillary
Where’s the sixty quid you borrowed off me for the gas?
Hillary, The Fall

Never in the history of political machinations and sycophantic panderings to the will of the common man has the humble sheet metal worker / steel mill worker been as important as in 2008. It’s the new blue collar barometer.

It all started with the $400 haircut, John Edwards, and his incessant ramblings about his Dad having worked the steel mills all his life. The tone had been set, and once he dropped out both Barack and Hillary continued to carry that particular torch.

But it’s Hillary who is somehow the champion of the humble sheet metal worker. She’s been endorsed by SMART and has also been hailed as having ‘testicular fortitude’ by Paul Gibson, the President of the Sheet Metal Workers’ Union:

“If you’re thinking the next President of the United States should address and amend and convince people that here are the flaws with that law, and here’s what we’re supposed to do and it shouldn’t cause harm to either border,” said Gibson. “Well, you know what, then I truly believe that that is going to take an individual that has testicular fortitude, that’s exactly right, that’s what we got to have.”

Gibson told the crowd that he is fed up with people who exploit American workers. “I am sick and tired of these Gucci wearing, latte drinking, self-centered, egotistical people that have damaged our lifestyle,” he said to a standing ovation from the crowd.

But it didn’t stop with that nonsense. A couple of days later we had Hillary actually travelling to work with a ’sheet metal worker’ and fielding questions at a gas station as the sheet metal fella pumped the gas. Not that she fielded them awfully well as she confessed to having not filled up for a good few years as the secret service tends to take care of that kind of thing.

Oh, us working class folks can empathise with that, love.

But, being the true working girl she is, Hillary managed to stop off to pick up a brew while simultaneously pandering to the working class sheet metal type who’s spent the night previously getting smashed by struggling to work the coffee machine. Although, Jasper has never had the same problem after hitting the cooking sherry:

Trust me when I say not all sheet metal types are automatic Clinton shoe-ins. Unless you’re a sheet metal type that consistently runs to the right of George Bush that is.

Then again, what do I know? I’m nothing but an elitist blogger.

Hillary and Bill Clinton - looks like neither made a real smart choice.

The Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMWIA) today added their voices to those of their union brothers and sisters in the United Transportation Union (UTU) in making a SMART choice by announcing their joint support for Hillary Rodham Clinton as the next President of the United States.

You know full well that they don’t call me Topical Tommy on this blog, or any other blog for that matter, but I’m surprised I hadn’t heard about either the SMART union being formed never mind their support for Hillary Clinton as President. Then again, sheet metal unions and Hillary Clinton probably don’t gel too well to make some of your more newsworthy items.

SMART is a newly formed labor powerhouse, merging the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association and the United Transportation Union, resulting in a combined membership of more than 230,000. SMART represents rail workers, bus operators and mechanics, transit workers, airline pilots and employees, and sheet metal workers that perform work in the building and construction trades, in production manufacturing, and in the railroad and shipyard industries. The official merger will take place in January 2008 and will give members stronger representation at the work place as well as on Capitol Hill.

“Those of us in the labor movement have endured great hardship over the past seven years in representing the interests of our respective members, as well as carrying the torch for all working persons and their families. Hillary Clinton understands our issues. She knows the importance of sound policies and programs and will deal fairly and intelligently in addressing the energy crisis, fair trade, quality and affordable health care, funding college and technical education and training, as well as protecting retirement security,” continued Sullivan. “She is second to none in understanding the need for enlightened leadership in our relations with other countries around the world.”

Personally, I’m starting to warm a bit to Hillary, but that doesn’t mean one iota in Iowa or anywhere else considering I’m not eligible to vote - eligible to pay taxes, mind. Still, maybe one day.

So, anybody for Hillary 2008?