Tom Salmon: Keepin' it Classy (Updated)

Elizabeth Ready? (0.00 / 0)

Do you think she would have a chance at winning back the office if she would run?

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by: Anne @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 21:16:24 PM CST

Sounds like he himself needs to find a new line of work! (0.00 / 0)

The man must be completely delusional!

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by: Sue Prent @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 21:23:01 PM CST

My recollection of what happened (4.00 / 1)

The UI Task Force, chaired by Sen. Ann Cummings (D-Washington County), has been meeting regularly since the Legislature adjourned.  Tonight, the group held a public hearing.  State House Room 11 was packed with working Vermonters and labor reps, as well as a handful of business owners and lobbyists.  Auditor Salmon was also in attendance.

He sat in the back row and kept quiet for the first half of the hearing.  His bizarre behavior began when a business owner went over the five-minute time allotment for testimony.  Salmon shouted out, "Your time is up!"  The poor guy stopped dead in his tracks and shuffled back to his seat.  A gentleman sitting next to Salmon actually looked at him and said, "I thought that was rude," to which Salmon replied, "I'm sorry."

As the meeting neared its conclusion, Chairwoman Cummings asked if anyone else wanted to testify.  Salmon jumped out of his seat, dashed to the head of the room and declared he had something to say.  Sen. Cummings told him this was not a forum for public officials, but rather for citizens.  Salmon rudely cut her off and continued to speak.  He wasn't exactly yelling, but his voice was definitely elevated.  He paced the room - almost as if giving a lecture or political speech - instead of sitting at the stand in front of the Task Force.  In total, his diatribe probably lasted 1-2 minutes.  Task Force members, as well as the audience, were visibly disturbed.  

Salmon glared directly at a group of labor representatives and workers from the granite and construction industries, and essentially told them if they can't find steady employment, they should get a new line of work.  Some of these folks left the room in disgust, while those who remained watched in awe as this all unfolded.  Apparently agreeing with his statements, three business owners in the audience clapped (no one else did, though).  He then made his way towards the door while continuing his rant.  It sure came off as a big "screw you" to workers.

I was frankly quite shocked this was happening, so my details may be foggy and I'm sure I left some stuff out.  I wish I could have recorded his tirade in order to provide an exact transcript.  I'm hoping other GMD readers who were there will chime in with their recollections.  There were journalists in the house, but amidst the hubbub I didn't notice if they bolted before the end of the hearing.

Auditor Salmon certainly deserves respect for his service to Vermont and our country.  However, his rogue behavior over the last few months has been pretty disturbing.  For whatever reason, he's set his sights on working people - particularly those who are unemployed.  

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by: ml @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 21:34:14 PM CST

salmon (0.00 / 0)

ML:

I was there as well.  At first, I did not know that Salmon was the one that shouted "your time is up."  Your description of what happened is right on about what went on this afternoon in room 11.  I was sitting right in view of the entire episode and you pretty much got it down.  

There was, however, a little shouting match at both ends of the room as Salmon and several construction guys, walking out on him, left the room.  In the hallway of this sacred house, the groups hurled insults at each other, salmon probably getting out of there before those guys taught him a lesson.  

The journalists did not bolt.  They will have some fun with this in the papers and on the web.  In fact, they stayed.  I talked with a few legislators afterwards, including Ann Cummings.  She was shaken. She and her comrades up there kind of lost control of the situation.  But they were pissed off at what he did.  He just had to get his say in, knowing the rules, knowing that he violated the protocol, and that this would earn him numerous enemies.  I chatted with one legislator for a while afterward who said, "what happened to him, he used to be such a nice guy."

I wonder if Salmon was out to impress his new GOP friends in the grand old tea party style.  The guys that clapped for him no doubt are donors to the party and, like Palin is on the national stage, he is their rising star and hell-raiser in Vt.  

I do not care if Salmon wore a uniform and went overseas.  I do not and will never respect that man and will do all that I can do in whatever way to disrespect him. He clearly hates the working class, just like his new handlers do, the same administration that lays off dozens of workers and hires a $300,000 consultant from Ct. at taxpayer expense for a job that any of those laid-off state workers probably could have done.  

When you wake up each morning look around you.  It might be the last time you get to do it.  

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by: Watercloset @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 02:42:31 AM CST

Well, if we're looking... (4.00 / 1)

I'll be 18 by election day, took a high school accounting class, and am not crazy, so I think I just might have an edge on our old boy Tom.

keepereusc@gmail.com

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by: Matthew Breuer @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 05:45:56 AM CST

Can You Say "Bi-Polar" (0.00 / 0)

So Salmon decided to take on Vermont's blue-collar workers, eh? What a jackass. Have a nice life out of politics Tom. The chicken little act is wearing thin.

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by: HSTGonzo @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 08:26:24 AM CST

Socialist workers (4.00 / 1)

Yeah, there's the theme from the Corporate Tea Party:  Workers are socialists, Gays are socialists, Poor people are socialists, Working mothers...Health Care advocates...Ethnic minorities...Anti-War activists...etc., you name it..we're all socialists...and our kids and our pets.  My God, it's a SOCIALIST TAKEOVER of the USA!  Worse than the French Revolution!  Who will protect the RICH and POWERFUL when the mobs come bearing torches and the guillotine?  Why, this may justify a CORPORATE/MILITARY intervention by 2010 to protect Democracy--the Freedom To Be Rich, as defined by our Founding Fathers and the Bible.  Sonofabitch!

These assholes breaking up forums for concerned citizens are part of something bigger and more insidious.  The average people now are being provoked.  Perhaps the Bastards Who Rule are actually AFRAID of something--that the People may CHANGE things.  (Perish the thought)

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by: PeteySweety @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 09:12:53 AM CST

Salmon's Theme Song (4.00 / 1)

Glad he's a Republican now! Here's his song

They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa.
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa.
To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy
to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're coming
to take me away, ha-haaa!!!
To the happy home, with trees and flowers and chirping birds and basket
weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes and they're
coming to take me away, ha-haa!!!
To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time...

BTW: I saw zero press accounts of the Salmon show last night. Someone said the press was in the room right?

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by: bozo @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 12:48:24 PM CST

"his party switch (thank god)" (0.00 / 0)

Oh, a-MEN, brother.

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by: Tim Wolfe @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 13:09:32 PM CST

Did the media fall asleep during the outburst? (0.00 / 0)

I'm starting to wonder.  Like bozo, I haven't seen any mainstream media mentions about Salmon's outburst.  At least one print journalist and two television crews were in the room.  There's no need to allow someone to overshadow the issue at hand - how to make the UI fund solvent - however, Salmon acted in a destructive manner last evening and it's beyond me why the press neglected to mention it.  He disrupted a public hearing and called out the large contingent of blue collar folks on hand.

The press coverage of the hearing has been spotty.  WPTZ-TV had one of the better stories:

http://www.wptz.com/money/2152...

A blurb appeared on the WCAX-TV website:

http://www.wcax.com/Global/sto...

The Times Argus/Vermont Press Bureau published the only print piece I've found:

http://www.timesargus.com/arti...

Unfortunately, it seems slanted more towards the employer perspective, which is odd because working people far outnumbered the employers who attended the hearing.  Both the lead and closing quotes are from business owners.  

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by: ml @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 15:21:48 PM CST

Times-Argus: That's Hirschfeld (0.00 / 0)

He puts a right-wing slant on everything. Sometimes jaw-droppingly so.

undercaffeinated

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by: odum @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 16:29:48 PM CST

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