Train Conductor (GOP congressional candidate) Suspended for Kerry Quip

[wyldwolf]

Agree with suspension? Why?


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - An Amtrak conductor has been suspended without pay for telling his train passengers that they should vote against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites).


Conductor Leslie Farr, who is also a Republican congressional candidate, was on a Kansas City-to-St. Louis train that was delayed to allow Kerry's campaign train to leave St. Louis and head to a Jefferson City rally.


Farr told The Associated Press that he used the train's public address system to tell passengers they would be delayed because of Kerry's train and then quipped that they should vote accordingly in November.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040811/ap_on_re_us/kerry_amtrak

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Because we must win back the country at all costs.

:)

[Padraig18]

2. Don't agree with it.

It's pretty obvious the man was just making a wise-ass joke...

:shrug:

[Warpy]

5. Yeah, a tacky, taseless one

that should have been answered with a three day suspension without pay to allow him adequate time to think it over.

[Arkana]

3. I don't know...

I get the feeling that if the shoe were on the other foot, we'd all be pretty pissed here at DU. The guy may have drunk the Kool-Aid, but that's his right.

[ibegurpard]

4. Yes

He had a captive audience and was abusing his position. It would be an entirely different story if he spoke up about his beliefs off the job and was consequently fired for it.

[ContinentalOp]

6. Ha ha. What a dope.

I see nothing wrong with Amtrak suspending him but I'm not sure if I would have been offended if I were on the train. It just sounds like a dumb joke but I guess it's hard to tell without hearing how it was delivered. The fact that he's running for office as a Republican makes the whole thing a little more sleazy. I don't blame Amtrak for thinking that he shouldn't be using his current job to campaign for his new job. But at least he wasn't fired outright which probably would have been the case if he were a Democrat.

[Proud liberal Kat]

7. I think the suspension was justified...

Depending on how long it is, I would think the same if it was a Democrat saying it about Bush...although they would get a little cheer from me as well! It is work, I don't wear my t-shirt comparing Bush faces to chimp faces to my job because it is unprofessional, he shouldn't be making political jabs using the intercom at his job either.
Kathy

[codegreen]

8. i agree with it. as a man so involved in politics, he should know better

and should follow the rules and be accountable to them, as a public servant on a train or in Congress.