• MSNBC/AP, Thursday, June 12, 2008 11 AM

Politicians and activists are already lining up against Belgian brewer InBev's unsolicited all-cash bid of $46 billion, or $65 a share, for Anheuser-Busch. They say a takeover could cost jobs in the U.S. and send ownership of an iconic American company overseas.

Missouri's Republican Gov. Matt Blunt says he opposes the deal, and has directed the state's Department of Economic Development to see if there is a way to stop it. Web sites have sprung up opposing the deal on patriotic grounds. One, called SaveAB.com, was launched by Blunt's former chief of staff. "Like baseball, apple pie and ice-cold beer (wrapped in a red, white and blue label), Anheuser-Busch is an American original," it says.

InBev tried to allay fears Wednesday, saying it would not close any Anheuser-Busch breweries and would make St. Louis the headquarters for its North American division. While the deal looks sweet on paper, it's far from a sure thing. InBev plans to pay for the deal with $40 billion in debt, and raising so much capital could be tough as banks tighten their standards during a global credit crunch.

Read the whole story at MSNBC/AP »