South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley had some new, choice words for President Obama Thursday in a conference call with reporters about the National Labor Relations Board lawsuit with Boeing. The governor slammed the president for his broad economic policies, accused him of interfering with job creation by allowing the lawsuit to move forward, and warned that the lawsuit will seriously hamper his chances of doing well in the South in 2012.
“As a governor what you try and do…is to create jobs, whether you’re Republican or Democrat,” said Haley. “And it is absolutely amazing when a governor tries to bring jobs to her state and she has a president she’s having to fight every step of the way.”
Haley went on to highlight the economic impact Boeing’s new plant in North Charleston will have on the Palmetto State.
“Boeing made a huge splash in a way we haven’t seen in decades,” she said, adding that the company has created thousands of new jobs for South Carolinians.
“The president is the one who’s made this political,” Haley continued. “When they stop suing companies that are creating jobs, we’ll be quiet.”
Former Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin was also present on the call.
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“If you look at the facts on the ground…it doesn’t make any sense,” Holtz-Eakin said of the lawsuit. “It looks like political support for unions is trumping economic policy.”
Haley was also asked about the role the lawsuit will play in the 2012 election cycle, in which South Carolina will play a key role.
“If he continues to fight creation of jobs the way he is now,” said Haley, “no, his chances are done.”
“He [Obama] is trying trying very hard to show his power, but in the process of doing that he’s killing jobs and killing the economy, and the people are smart and they see that.”
On Friday, the House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform will hold a hearing in the Charleston County Council Chambers to discuss the NLRB’s complaint against Boeing. Haley will be a key witness in the hearing.