Hoffa: Obama’s drive appeals to Teamsters

[JI7]

WILKES-BARRE – Two weeks before the critical Pennsylvania presidential primary, Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr. campaigned for the one he says can make a difference: Barack Obama.

“I think were seeing something very unusual here,” Hoffa said of Obama, who’s been gaining ground on rival U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York.

“He’s basically rekindling the idea of new ideas, young people getting involved, idealism, and I think that he has hit a very unusual chord, and he’s an unusual politician.”

Obama, more so than Clinton, has credibility with the union’s rank-and-file and Hoffa on labor issues. Hanging over Clinton are the shadows of the North American Free Trade Agreement and China trade that have been devastating for manufacturing, trade and the economy, Hoffa said.

Addressing criticisms that Obama lacks experience and is more style than substance, Hoffa said he sees in the senator a man who’s sincere. Instead of heading to work on Wall Street with his Ivy League law degree, Obama chose to do community service with the poor people in Illinois.

“That says something about what his values are,” Hoffa said. “It’s going to take somebody like that to think differently. I think the biggest thing in Washington is we need thinking outside the box.”

http://www.timesleader.com/news/20080409_09_HOFFA_JL_ART.html

[thevoiceofreason]

1. Good on you, Mr. Hoffa.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Yep....that's what we need, an "out of box thinker".......

[BumRushDaShow]

3. I hope his convoy makes it across the state in time!

They need to let the unions know about the farce of another Clinton administration!!!

[Coexist]

4. knr - some good reading:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/8/93953/36607

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/9/133558/9204

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/10/113258/739

[Cha]

8. THis is great..thank you, FLDem!

"Hoffa's message is consistent. "We're here to keep jobs in Pennsylvania."

"Teamsters for Obama..Nafta Kills"

"In the meantime, take a look at yesterday's post. We went to the Reading Peppermint Pattie plant that is moving to Mexico and talked to the Teamsters who will be losing their jobs. See what they have to say about NAFTA."

[ORDem]

5. Kewl!

:kick:

[Barack_America]

6. I like it!

I also like that he's going around to Hillary's so-called strongholds, campaigning for Obama!

:woohoo:

[Cha]

7. So many people see that in Obama..

from Jimmy Hoffa Jr to Marianne Williamson and many interesting people in between.