AFL-CIO holds off endorsing '08 Democrat: "all the candidates are impressive"

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN/AP: Wed August 8, 2007
AFL-CIO holds off endorsing '08 Democrat


The Democratic frontrunners, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, speak before the AFL-CIO forum Tuesday.

CHICAGO (AP) -- The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest federation of labor unions, has postponed making an unanimous endorsement in the Democratic presidential primary, freeing its 55 unions to choose for themselves from the eight contenders.

"There is not a consensus candidate," Karen Ackerman, political director of the AFL-CIO, said Wednesday, one day after the candidates tried to impress union leaders at a presidential forum.

The Democratic hopefuls now will increase their lobbying efforts on the AFL-CIO's unions -- representing some 10 million workers -- in hopes of picking up key endorsements. Several unions already have made plans to endorse one of the eight after Labor Day.

"It is clear that a number of the Democratic candidates have the experience and the credentials to lead our nation," a statement from the federation's executive council said. "And it is equally clear that our members support a number of the candidates -- union members have told us all the candidates are impressive and they are eager to support many of them. For this reason, the AFL-CIO has decided not to proceed with a decision process that would lead to support for a single candidate at this time."

Many expected the AFL-CIO to delay a decision following Tuesday night's presidential forum at Chicago's Soldier Field. Seven of the eight Democratic candidates participated, including leading candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, and all seemed to have some support among the crowd of some 17,000 that included union members and their families....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/08/afl.cio.endorsement.ap/index.html

[saltpoint]

1. Powerful corporate interests have not liked unions for a long time.

And have done all they can to weaken them.

Still, a Democratic candidate anywhere on our ballots should be proud to have this endorsement.

[MadHound]

2. In other words,

Labor, especially the rank and file union members, would love to endorse Kucinich because it was apparent from the debate that Dennis is the only candidate who is truly in labor's corner. But the leadership is afraid of endorsing somebody that is labeled as "unelectable". However I think that Dennis just picked up a lot of support nonetheless. He is the only one out there willing to end that atrocity known as NAFTA. Contrast that to Hillary's position, not only does she continue to support it, but her husband enabled it becoming law.

Again, it comes down to issues. And frankly, despite the best efforts of the DLC, Dem leadership and the MSM, it is becoming incresingly clear that Kucinich is the only candidate out there who is on the right side of almost all of the issues, and he's been right about them from the beginning.

What's really got the leadership scared is that more and more people are starting to figure this out and throw their weight behind Kucinich. Gee, with corporate candidates like Hillary, peaking this early could easily be a recipie for losing it all.

[saltpoint]

3. I think you're way off with the Dennis-only emphasis.

Labor is pleased with the field this year.

That's a good thing.

Kucinich is just one in that field. He's not the whole field.

He's great. But I'm not picking up an apparatus in the Kucinich campaign that could carry Ohio, nevermind the entire electoral map.

He was challenged in his district last time in the primary. He won. But his opponent had some noticeable support. I expect his seat is safe. But I don't believe Ohioans would elect him their governor or send him to the U.S. Senate. I don't believe he'd do better than 30-35% at best in SE Ohio, the stronghold of John Boehner and Mean Jean Schmidt. Bottom line: he's one of my favorite Democrats but he likely could not win a statewide ballot in his home state.

Labor rank and file may turn out in some percentage for Kucinich but I don't think they are under any illusion that he's going to be the nominee. It's plain that the other candidates also enjoy very significant support.

[MadHound]

4. Yes, is simply one in the field

But he is the one whose positions resonate the most with rank and file labor. Wants to repeal NAFTA, against the WTO, and wants to rebuild our manufacturing base. This differentiates Dennis from the rest of the pack, and at least in the eyes of rank and file labor, makes him the most attractive candidate.

And the unelectability meme is simply a smoke screen. If you like Dennis, vote for him, it's that simple. Vote for the candidate whom you most agree with. This is the primaries, there is no need to triangulate or vote for the pragmatic candidate. If you like the man, vote for him and pass that advice along, it would help counter-act that "unelectable" label.

People, including labor, are starting to look beyond the candidates and at the issues themselves. The more people continue to do this, the more electable Kucinich becomes. All he has to worry about is the Democratic leadership wanting to derail his campaign and getting the MSM to pay attention to him.

[saltpoint]

5. Dennis is a great force in my political interest field. That's not

in question at my house.

But there is no electability apparatus to his candidacy. It's not a meme the media cook up to torment him. It's not there. Put him once again on a statewide ballot for governor or senator in Ohio and watch the Republicans win.

He's certainly going to attract Union votes, and properly so. But not exclusively so, and other Dems this year are also quite good on labor, including the man I'll be supporting in the primaries.

Kucinich's true heart is what's missing in a lot of U.S politics, but it's also the force that makes him unattractive to many voters. He spooks the herd. It's what's attractive about him to us, but it frightens the meak and they just don't know what to do with the guy.