Senator Murray slams Alabama workforce

MOBILE, Ala. - Sparks continue to fly after U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) slams Alabama's workforce. Murray's remarks on National Public Radio quickly made waves along the coast amid the rebidding competition between Northrop Grumman and Boeing to win a $35 billion tanker contract.

Take a look around Alabama and it's not hard to see industrial production at its finest. From cars to combat ships to rockets. You name it, Alabamians are building it.

So, when U.S. Senator Patty Murray from Washington said,  "I challenge anybody to tell me that they've stood on a line in Alabama and seen anybody building anything."

Mobile Mayor Sam Jones thought, she's obviously  "off her medications."

"Anyone who feels like nothing is built in Alabama is not dealing with reality. One thing I will point out is that Alabama has the largest industrial base and has in fact been manufacturing for many many years. Including Hyundia, Mercedes and TK - the largest manufacturer in the United States last year," said Mayor Jones.

All of this stems from the battle to land the $40 billion tanker contract. A contract Northrop Grumman originally won for Mobile until Boeing protested. Murray is from Washington state where Boeing makes planes.

Murray's negative picture of Alabama's workforce also got the attention of fellow Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby. Sessions said perhaps Murray didn't intend to say what she said.

"I pointed out the fabulous workers we have, the high quality automobile manufacturing, the fact that we produced a Saturn Rocket that went to the moon and the fact that we have a workforce that is second to none anywhere in the world. There is no doubt about that," said Sessions.

Mayor Jones said Boeing was in fact the first aerospace company to locate at Brookley Field, where the tankers would be built. Senator Shelby finds it ironic Mobile was good enough for Boeing.

"Alabama was not considered a precarious location in 2003 when the state was named as a finalist in Boeing's search for the 787 Dreamliner assembly plant," said Shelby.

Mayor Jones said he's not going to trash talk Washington workforce. Instead, he invites Senator Murray to Alabama so she can see first hand the people standing on the manufacturing lines.

Anyone who would like to contact Senator Murray can do so by e-mail at her site, www.murray.senate.gov.