From the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) comes the video of Tuesday’s news conference on the National Labor Relations Board’s complaint against Boeing. Hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the event featured Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) as the first official to speak.

Her central point: President Obama must speak up on the issue.

We are demanding that the President respond to what the NLRB has done, because this goes against everything we know our American economy to be. When a company comes to South Carolina and wants to create jobs, they should be able to do that. For the President not to weigh in on this, and not to say that this is going to be harmful, is a problem.

Job creation is key in the next few years in this country. What we are doing is we are telling people, not only can you not go and work in any other state, we want you to go overseas.

That’s what the president is saying through his silence. He has got to speak up. We need to see leadership. He has to respond to what has happened from the NLRB to Boeing, and tell us, if we can’t create jobs this way, then how exactly are we supposed to create jobs.

The White House press corps has certainly had the time to pose the question to Jay Carney. Maybe today.

UPDATE [11:05 p.m.]: President Obama tapes a townhall discussion on the economy today at the Newseum, an appearance for CBS News. What a perfect opportunity to address the NLRB and Boeing issues. Now, back to news conference …

Joe Trauger of the National Association of Manufacturers speaks shortly after the 21 minute mark.

In other developments and commentary … (continue reading…)

Stipulated: President Obama’s address to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a good thing, showing the President’s recognition that you can have employees with employers. Good luck to President Obama and the Chamber both on a successful event.

We one wonders which storyline will predominate in media reports about President Obama’s address this morning to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. We speculate:

• President continues to woo big business.
• Business, President reach wary accord.
• In Chamber speech, President promotes exports, “new energy” economy to create jobs. Briefly mentions free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama.
• President renews call for lower, simpler corporate taxation.
• De facto drilling moratorium continues to hamper job growth, Chamber president tells Obama.
• Presidential motorcade travels two blocks to U.S. Chamber to avoid protesters.
• Green Bay Packer analogies spoil speech’s impact, irk Steelers’ fans.
• President defends economy-crushing greenhouse gas regulations, which EPA will impose on job creators despite having no statutory basis to do so and vehement opposition from policymaking branch of government, Congress, but the rules will spur new technologies, the President argues to restive audience of business owners who contemplate layoffs in response.
• Greenhouse gas regulations left unmentioned in President’s address to business.

AP’s preview indicates the odds-on favorite theme: “WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama continues his efforts to make peace with big business Monday with a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”

Big business, big business, big business. That’s a tired and inaccurate throw-away description. Sure, the Chamber isn’t the NFIB, but still: “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations. More than 96% of U.S. Chamber members are small businesses with 100 employees or fewer.”

One can watch the President’s address at the Chamber website.

The Hill today surveys business trade associations and finds, “Businesses lackluster in support of jobs bill.” Excerpt:

NAM spokeswoman Laura Narvaiz said the group supports the additional infrastructure spending in the jobs package as a way to create jobs and growth. But she said the jobs bill needed to be more “comprehensive.”

“We remain concerned … that the House jobs bill doesn’t go far enough to ensure long-term growth and create lasting high-paying jobs,” Narvaiz said.

The U.S. Chamber opposes the reallocation of remaining TARP funds, while the NFIB objects to the lack of a payroll tax holiday.

Below we note criticism of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth from two prominent Republicans, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).

Gingrich and Boehner raise a criticism we’ve seen elsewhere, that the President excluded important employer groups like the Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, and the National Association of Manufacturing.

Eh. We’re not inclined to complain. As these posts demonstrate, there were plenty of manufacturers among the 130 attendees and they provided good input. The White House has said in the past it wants to hear from the actual company leaders, the employers in the trenches, and fair enough.

But …

If that’s the theory, then shouldn’t organized labor’s representatives have been the heads of local unions, the men and women dealing with job loss and creation in their home communities? It’s not as if Andy Stern doesn’t have enough opportunity already to talk to White House officials.

Instead …

• Mark Ayers, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
• Larry Cohen, Communications Workers of America
• Edward Wytkind, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO
• Ed Hill, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• William Hite, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters
• Leo Gerard, United Steel Workers
• Terry O’Sullivan, Laborers International Union of North America
• James Hoffa, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
• Anna Burger, Change To Win
• Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO
• John Wilhelm, Unite Here
• Joe Hansen, United Food and Commercial Workers
• Andy Stern, Service Employees International Union
• Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers