Newt Gingrich’s claims that Mitt Romney was a heartless corporate raider during his time at Bain Capital were accelerated by Rick Perry, who said Romney’s brand of “vulture” capitalism was devastating to the small town of Gaffney, S.C.
One problem: The people of Gaffney (pop. 12,000) have no idea what all the fuss is about.
The New York Times sent a reporter to the town and found that, not only was the 1992 plant closing attributed to Bain not a disheartening blow, most people don’t even remember the closure.
Holson Burnes photo album plant closed, costing 150 local jobs, but the failures in the agriculture and textile industries are what has led to a 12 percent unemployment rate in Gaffney.
“I have been here all my life,” Ed Elliott, who sells insurance, told the Times. “I’m 59 years old, and I’ve never heard of the plant.”
The leader of the local chamber of commerce had to search through her records to find any evidence of such a plant closing. The town’s newspaper editor checked and the paper did not write a story about the event. He said the people of Gaffney are focused on the current economy – and the impending hire of a new school superintendent.
The Times concludes: “That Bain’s actions carry little resonance in a community whose woes have been seized on by presidential candidates testifies to the impact of the campaigns’ opposition research and their willingness to exploit a convenient storyline. Here in Gaffney, the focus is a little embarrassing for residents.”
