Obama gets major labor endorsement (Los Angeles County Federation of Labor)

[babylonsister]

Obama gets major labor endorsement
Durazo, L.A. County federation head, cites hopeful's background as part of her motivation.

By Robin Abcarian, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 16, 2008


The head of the politically powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor said Tuesday that she is endorsing Barack Obama for president.

The endorsement by Maria Elena Durazo is a coup for Obama that could help the Illinois senator in his uphill struggle against Hillary Rodham Clinton to win substantial support among Latino voters in Southern California. Obama has won the backing of other Los Angeles-area Latino leaders, but this is probably his biggest such endorsement yet, given the broad reach of the county labor federation.

As executive secretary-treasurer of the federation, Durazo heads an organization of more than 800,000 union members, the biggest regional labor group in California. It includes janitors, teachers, construction and hotel workers as well as supermarket and government employees.

Durazo said her endorsement, to be formally announced today, was a personal one. She is taking a leave of absence from her job to campaign for Obama through Feb. 5, when more than 20 states, including California, will conduct primaries or caucuses.

"My passion is the labor movement, and I believe very strongly that Sen. Obama is very clear about his support for workers who want to organize, workers who want to lift themselves out of poverty, and also protect good middle-class jobs," Durazo said in a phone interview before taking an evening flight to Nevada, where she will work for Obama through the state's Saturday caucuses.

"On a personal level, he really embodies the slogan we use a lot, Cesar Chavez's 'Sí, se puede.' (Yes, we can.") He has proved it by the way he inspires voters, the way he mobilizes."

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-labor16jan16,0,656548.story

[jsamuel]

1. good for Obama, but it is not a "labor endorsement" as much as it is a personal endorsement

[Barack_America]

2. Wow! Great endorsement, check this quote out...

"There is no person in all of California who could get more people out to the street to go do something, either to march or get the vote out."

Great endorsement!

(although it does sound like Edwards got screwed on this one too and I'm sorry for that)

[babylonsister]

3. I think this is big, especially because it's in SoCal where

the Clintons are supposedly so popular. And it's commendable to see that this woman will be taking a leave of absence to campaign for Obama.

[Capn Sunshine]

4. I think Hill has more support in the North

At least among the party members. I'm a member of the state central committee, and my personal tally shows Obama 's support stronger here in So Cal.
eh.

Great endorsement

[Barack_America]

5. But Obama did get the endorsement of Lofgren...

...out of silicon valley. So that should help too!

[babylonsister]

6. Thanks for that clarification. It's a big state.

;-)

[Cha]

7. I thought Obama was

plagerizing Si Se Puede?! This is fantastico news! A Latina whose passion is the Labor Movement!

Thank you, Maria Elena Durazo..Muchas Gracias, Senora!