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Birther Thrifty Car: Buffalo Rental Cars Sport 'Vote For The American' Bumper Stickers
Thrifty Car: Buffalo Rental Cars Sport 'Vote For The American' Bumper Stickers
Updated: 10/26/2012 7:20 pm EDT
Two women are saying that cars they rented from a Thrifty car rental franchise at the Buffalo, N.Y., airport had birther movement bumper stickers placed on them.
The two women, Barbara Wingate of San Diego and Stephanie DiBiase of Chicago, said bumper stickers that read "Vote for the American" were placed on the bumpers of cars they rented from the franchise. Wingate and DiBiase -- both of whom provided photos of the bumper stickers -- said they were told by employees that the stickers were placed there by the franchise owner.
The franchise is owned by Westover Car Rental, a subsidiary of Ellicott Development, a Buffalo holding company controlled by Carl Paladino, the Tea Party-affiliated businessman who lost the 2010 gubernatorial race to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
Wingate said she was "embarrassed" to drive the car and that she complained to an employee when she returned the car. She said the employee said the franchise owner wanted the stickers kept in place and that he had asked the staff to vote for Romney. Wingate also said she noticed other cars with the stickers at the Thrifty franchise.
Paladino, who refused to talk to the Huffington Post, said it got the story “upside-down.”
“I’m not a birther, I’m an American,” he declared. He said he was “fed up” with Obama after the attack and murder of four Americans at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11. He said the president is not telling the truth about what happened and that Obama defies basic American precepts and has weakened the country.
“For that reason, I don’t believe he is an American. I don’t think he fosters the American ideals,” Paladino said. “I could care less where Obama was born. I don’t feel he is an American with American values doing the best for America.”
Paladino ran on the Republican line against Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for governor in 2010 with the support of tea party enthusiasts.
He said there are close to 5,000 cars in the area with the same bumper sticker on them. He declined to reveal how many are on rental cars, saying he would not divulge details about his business.
I have 500 employees, and I have encouraged them to vote for Romney,” he said. “They’re free to vote for whoever they want. I don’t threaten them. I tell them who I’m endorsing.”
Obama was voted in because he's Black.Put WHITE back in the WHITE House.
He said there are close to 5,000 cars in the area with the same bumper sticker on them. He declined to reveal how many are on rental cars, saying he would not divulge details about his business.
