Labor Endorsement 'Dogfight' Continues
John Edwards has been doing everything humanly possible to win the support of the country's labor movement for his presidential campaign, which is currently stuck in third place.
He's courted their leadership, walked picket lines and espoused rhetoric that would make a union steward proud.
And yet, on Monday, when the Service Employees International Union met to make an endorsement, the group couldn't quite make the call for Edwards.
He could still win the support of the union's 1.9 million members. The executive board deferred a decision on an endorsement until October, saying they needed more time to assess the records of the candidates.
"The executive board has decided to go back to the local members and ask their opinions before making a decision," spokeswoman Stephanie Mueller told reporters.
But the non-decision is a blow to Edwards, for whom labor support is critical in two important ways: First, because an endorsement by labor gives credence to the populist, I'm-for-the-worker message he has been spreading.
But second, and maybe more importantly, winning labor undercuts the electability argument made by his chief rival, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. Labor doubts about Clinton suggest a weakness that her aides do not want to acknowledge, particularly when it comes to Edwards' claim that she is too much a part of Washington to care about the little people.
Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama have been working hard to win labor, too. Many of SEIU's members are from New York or Illinois, and former president Clinton has reportedly been wooing union members. Newsday reported earlier this month that the former president called the president of the steelworkers "repeatedly" before that union announced its support for Edwards.
And all three of the top Democratic candidates are in Chicago today addressing the a convention of the Change to Win coalition, of which SEIU is a member.
Edwards aides privately say they are not surprised that labor unions are wavering under the three-way pressure. But they insist that Edwards will continue to make his case to the unions.
"John Edwards has the strongest labor support among any of the presidential candidates. The Carpenters, Steelworkers, Transport Workers, and Mine Workers together represent more than 2 million working Americans and their families," said spokesman Eric Schultz.
"Make no mistake about it, though, it's a dogfight to get endorsements and everyone is competing hard to secure labor's support."
--Michael D. Shear
Posted at 1:25 PM ET on Sep 25, 2007
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Comments
Posted by: asher13 | September 25, 2007 6:06 PM | Report abuse
What Michael Shear and the rest of the press seem to keep missing is that *they* are the reason that the SEIU and other unions have been hesitant to endorse John Edwards.
Senator Edwards has been first out of the gate with solid plans on the entire range of issues cared about by Americans, everything from ending the Iraq War to improving the education received by our children. And yet, the media has consistently failed to give his proposals the sort of coverage they deserve. Instead readers/views are subjected to a lot of effusive silliness about how Hillary is unbeatable.
The combination of unequal coverage and the media declaring who the nominee will be before we've ever held our primaries/caucuses will have the same impact as declaring a general election winner before the polls have closed and the votes have all been counted. Potential caucus goers won't turn out. Why should they when the media has already told them that any candidate other than Hillary has no shot at the nomination, that it's already decided. Is it any wonder that the unions are hesistant to endorse John Edwards?
The press says he has no chance, as a result the unions hesitate and then the press says he has no chance because the unions are hesitating. Gentlemen, you are no longer reporting the news, you're creating it. Keep it up and it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Hillary will get the nomination, not because she's the best person we Democrats could choose, but because you've created a situation in which other, better, more electable, candidates can't overcome your reporting. And then the unions and the rest of us lose.
To the SEIU and other unions I say, please, stop listening to the press. Support John Edwards the way he supports you. Endorse him.
Posted by: more | September 25, 2007 5:20 PM | Report abuse
UNLESS JOHN EDWARDS GETS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION. I WILL NOT WASTE MY TIME GOING TO THE POLLS. FOR TOO LONG, OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN TRAPPED GOING AFTER THE BIG MONEY BOYS. HILLARY WORKS WITHIN THE SYSTEM, OBAMA IS SUPPORTED BY WINFREY. IT IS THE UNION WORKER WHO IS BEST REPRESENTED BY JOHN EDWARDS. HE DID NOT WALK FOR ONE DAY IN UNION SHOES; EDWARDS STARTED OUT IN UNION SHOES AS A MILL WORKER, EDWARDS IS TRULY ONE OF US.
Posted by: ladyjustice333earthlinknet | September 25, 2007 5:15 PM | Report abuse
I've said this earlier, but it pays to read between the lines on the SEIU and other endorsements. SEIU New York leader, Andy Stern, has been reported to be pushing strongly for Clinton backing and, so far, doesn't have the votes. The SEIU doesn't want to back another "loser" and is probably waiting for the quarterly fund raising totals and poll numbers, unreliable as they can be.
If Edwards fund raising comes in very low and his poll numbers continue to show him a weak third, I think he can forget about the endoresements. Clinton has a lot of naysayers and Obama a lot of strength.
Funny thing is the SEIU claims to want the country to change course, break free of the Washington establishment and win next November. Clinton's negative numbers are high, she shows up as losing amongst a number of GOP possible candidates. So now what!
If the SEIU means what they say about change and getting free of the D.C. establishment, they have only Obama to endorse. Not only for the above SEIU desires, but he alone has worked as a community activist, walked a picket line etc. The Chicago SEIU knows this and apparently is backing him to the hilt.
Again, bottom line is if Edwards pulls a poll and fund raising surprise, he's got a chance of endorsement. If not, Clinton and Obama do or the SEIU may just punt again and postpone it. They wait too long, however, and they become irrelevent. Gonna be interesting.
Posted by: travelgallery | September 25, 2007 5:10 PM | Report abuse
Fred Thompson is doing well in the Republican polls, but this article highlights exactly why he doesn't stand a chance in the presidential election. He's not willing to work hard enough to keep up with Clinton, Obama, or Edwards. Anyone of them would have an easy time beating Thompson in a head-to-head contest. Check out www.forget-fred.blogspot.com to learn why a Fred Thompson Republican nomination would be a big mistake for Republicans and a huge boon to the Democrats.
Posted by: blogger50 | September 25, 2007 2:58 PM | Report abuse
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More, yeah that!
You are sooo spot on!!!
Please post your above entryon all the MSM outlets such as this one in addition to all the progressive blogs. We need to beat this drum, loudly and often!