On Friday’s Hardball, host Michael Smerconish offered his perspective on the highly-charged nationwide debate about Team USA’s Olympic uniforms being made in China.
Several federal lawmakers have spoken out on the issue, calling it “just plain dumb” to have the uniforms made in China when there are 600,000 vacant jobs in manufacturing here in the US. On Thursday’s TRMS, Rachel Maddow cited this as one of the very rare issues where her views line up with those of John Boehner and the Fox and Friends panel. In the same vein, Senator Harry Reid said he believes we should “take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.”
During his “Let Me Finish” segment, Smerconish explained why he just can’t get on board with the argument:
“Look, I get the emotional pull of what leader Reid says. But I’d be a hypocrite to join in. See, all this talk caused me to look at my own labels today. Earlier today, I was wearing a Lacoste shirt designed in France and made in Peru. My pants right now, Romania. The shoes I’m wearing, made in Italy. My sport coat, Canada. Same as my t-shirt. And heaven forbid, my tie is from France. My boxers were made in the same place as the US uniforms – China. In fact, the only thing I’m wearing that was made in America is my shirt. That and my pocket square, which was made in Manhattan. So unless my sartorial selections are unusual, I suggest that if we want the team to truly represent America, we let them wear clothing like the rest of us – made all over the global economy. For those who disagree, they can toss their iPads into the fire Senator Reid wishes to set for the clothing.”
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