Dems, union protesters to appear at McCain-Palin rally today

VIENNA — While John McCain and Sarah Palin won’t see them, there will be a number of people protesting their appearance today.

McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, and Palin, his vice presidential running mate, will have a rally today at Winner Aviation at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport here.

The Ohio Democratic Party, the Ohio AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union and local Democratic officials will carry signs in opposition to McCain and Palin as well as speak out against the pair’s policies.

“Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are painting themselves as reformers when they’re going to continue what [President] George Bush has done for the past eight years,” said Mike Gillis, political director for the Ohio AFL-CIO. “Middle-class working people can’t take it anymore. The middle class has suffered during the past eight years” under Bush.

If McCain is elected, the middle class, already struggling and barely getting by because of Bush’s policies, could disappear, Gillis said.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams and labor leaders will “discuss the devastating impact that four more years of Bush-McCain-Palin policies would have on the Mahoning Valley” outside of Winner Aviation today, according to an e-mail sent by the Ohio Democratic Party.

Also, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Avon, and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, will hold a conference call with the media at 12:30 p.m. today. The pair “will discuss McCain’s pledge to continue the failed policies of the Bush administration, including billions in more tax giveaways to big oil companies and tax breaks for companies that [send] jobs overseas while offering no relief for 100 million Americans,” according to an e-mail from the Barack Obama campaign.

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, and Palin, Alaska’s governor, will have a “Victory 2008 Rally” today. The doors open at 1 p.m. with McCain and Palin expected to start speaking about 4:10 p.m.

Politics Writer David Skolnick will provided continued coverage of the event today on Vindy.com. Check back for updates.