CHARLESTON, SC NEWS - LIVE 5 WCSC Breaking News, Weather, SportsBoeing's arrival a bright spot for politicians

Boeing's arrival a bright spot for politicians

By Hatzel Vela  bio | email | Twitter

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Boeing is not just good for business; the company is also good for Southern politics.

Politicians were basking in the glory of bringing Boeing to North Charleston Friday morning at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new assembly plant. 

Several leaders described Boeing's arrival as transformational.

"Boeing could have gone anywhere in the nation and the world, [but] they chose here. Now we've got to deliver," said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican.

Boeing will open up the flood gates, Graham said. He said it's one the biggest things to happen in the state since he's been in politics and compared their arrival to the construction of the BMW plant in the upstate.

"It's BMW on steroids," Graham said. "You don't just assemble planes, you manufacture planes. And it's going to open the door to more business in the aviation industry."

"This puts us in the game from the air," said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who said South Carolina is already competitive on other business fronts.

Clyburn admits Boeing's arrival is badly needed in a state that's suffering from 12 percent unemployment.

"We're going to really build on what we have here today. When you're in a slump, you have to get that first hit. Today we have gotten that first hit and I really believe we're out of this slump," Clyburn said.

Governor Mark Sanford said credit belongs to workers at the local Boeing plant. "If these folks were not doing the great job that they were doing in regards to producing a world class product currently, I don't think we'd be here," Sanford said.

"It's incredible to be part of that group," said State House Speaker Bobby Harrell. "To see this come to fruition and realize that this thing probably won't mean 3,800 jobs. It's probably more like an excess of 10,000 before all is said and done."

Harrell said the state now has to make sure construction and Boeing operations run smoothly because a smooth transition can show the rest of the world South Carolina is a great place for businesses to grow.

©2009 WCSC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.