Big Labor endorses Dean

[Guest Cerebus]

Democrat Howard Dean (news - web sites) is poised to capture a coveted endorsement from the largest union in the AFL-CIO — if the Service Employees International Union decides to back one of the nine presidential candidates next week.

 

"It's Dean or no one," SEIU spokeswoman Sara Howard said Thursday, days before the union's 63-member executive board will decide at its Nov. 6 meeting.

 

Dean's favored status is a huge blow to rival Dick Gephardt (news - web sites), the former House minority leader who has positioned himself as labor's candidate. Gephardt has 20 major union endorsements so far, but was unable to secure the support of the entire AFL-CIO because several large unions, including SEIU, questioned the viability of his second White House run. In his 27 years in the House, the Missouri congressman has carried labor's banner on trade legislation and other issues.

 

The endorsement of SEIU means 1.6 million foot soldiers working on a candidate's behalf, and possibly other union endorsements. Should Dean nab the prize next week, it would help him diversify his campaign, which largely has been Internet-driven and has attracted mostly younger, white, middle- and upper-class voters.

 

SEIU is among the most racially and ethnically diverse labor unions, representing janitors, health care workers and other service employees.

 

Dean campaign spokesman Jay Carson said SEIU's endorsement process "isn't over, but we feel very positive about it. It's a very strong reinforcement that Governor Dean's message of empowerment is resonating."

 

But there are top SEIU officials who think a Dean endorsement is premature and want to delay a decision — a real possibility when the board meets next week, according to Howard.

 

Other presidential candidates also are trying to force a delay.

 

SEIU President Andy Stern and other union executives were meeting Thursday afternoon with Wesley Clark (news - web sites). Stern also is considering allowing local unions to endorse while withholding national support. SEIU locals in New York and San Francisco have been very public about their affection for Dean.

 

"It is becoming clear that the passion of the members lies with Governor Dean, and that ultimately the decision before the board will be to either endorse him or endorse no one," Stern said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

 

"But until that meeting takes place, any speculation as to what the result of that vote will be is just that: speculation," Stern added.

 

Dean has received endorsements from the 140,000-member International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and the California Teachers Association, with 335,000 members. It is an affiliate of the National Education Association.

 

The other union endorsement the candidates are seeking is that of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, with 1.5 million members. The politically powerful union will consider endorsing when its top officials meet Dec. 4-5.

 

AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, who provided crucial, early support to Bill Clinton (news - web sites) in 1991, has been eyeing Clark, but the retired Army general upset the union by stating that he would bypass Iowa, where AFSCME is strong with 28,000 members. Still, Clark remains at the top of McEntee's list, officials say.

 

SEIU's litmus test for an endorsement has been a comprehensive health care plan that covers all Americans. Candidates also must detail how their plan would be funded.

 

Dean, an internist, made health care available to nearly all children when he served as governor of Vermont. He has pledged to repeal all of President Bush (news - web sites)'s tax cuts to expand health insurance to uninsured Americans.

 

Dean told a group of 200 union workers in Seattle on Thursday that improving the nation's health care system one of his top priorities.

 

"This doesn't have to be some big, complicated government system. We just have to expand what we already have," he said.

 

Link here.

[Guest MikeSC]

Democrat Howard Dean (news - web sites) is poised to capture a coveted endorsement from the largest union in the AFL-CIO — if the Service Employees International Union decides to back one of the nine presidential candidates next week.

 

"It's Dean or no one," SEIU spokeswoman Sara Howard said Thursday, days before the union's 63-member executive board will decide at its Nov. 6 meeting.

 

Dean's favored status is a huge blow to rival Dick Gephardt (news - web sites), the former House minority leader who has positioned himself as labor's candidate. Gephardt has 20 major union endorsements so far, but was unable to secure the support of the entire AFL-CIO because several large unions, including SEIU, questioned the viability of his second White House run. In his 27 years in the House, the Missouri congressman has carried labor's banner on trade legislation and other issues.

 

The endorsement of SEIU means 1.6 million foot soldiers working on a candidate's behalf, and possibly other union endorsements. Should Dean nab the prize next week, it would help him diversify his campaign, which largely has been Internet-driven and has attracted mostly younger, white, middle- and upper-class voters.

 

SEIU is among the most racially and ethnically diverse labor unions, representing janitors, health care workers and other service employees.

 

Dean campaign spokesman Jay Carson said SEIU's endorsement process "isn't over, but we feel very positive about it. It's a very strong reinforcement that Governor Dean's message of empowerment is resonating."

 

But there are top SEIU officials who think a Dean endorsement is premature and want to delay a decision — a real possibility when the board meets next week, according to Howard.

 

Other presidential candidates also are trying to force a delay.

 

SEIU President Andy Stern and other union executives were meeting Thursday afternoon with Wesley Clark (news - web sites). Stern also is considering allowing local unions to endorse while withholding national support. SEIU locals in New York and San Francisco have been very public about their affection for Dean.

 

"It is becoming clear that the passion of the members lies with Governor Dean, and that ultimately the decision before the board will be to either endorse him or endorse no one," Stern said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

 

"But until that meeting takes place, any speculation as to what the result of that vote will be is just that: speculation," Stern added.

 

Dean has received endorsements from the 140,000-member International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and the California Teachers Association, with 335,000 members. It is an affiliate of the National Education Association.

 

The other union endorsement the candidates are seeking is that of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, with 1.5 million members. The politically powerful union will consider endorsing when its top officials meet Dec. 4-5.

 

AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, who provided crucial, early support to Bill Clinton (news - web sites) in 1991, has been eyeing Clark, but the retired Army general upset the union by stating that he would bypass Iowa, where AFSCME is strong with 28,000 members. Still, Clark remains at the top of McEntee's list, officials say.

 

SEIU's litmus test for an endorsement has been a comprehensive health care plan that covers all Americans. Candidates also must detail how their plan would be funded.

 

Dean, an internist, made health care available to nearly all children when he served as governor of Vermont. He has pledged to repeal all of President Bush (news - web sites)'s tax cuts to expand health insurance to uninsured Americans.

 

Dean told a group of 200 union workers in Seattle on Thursday that improving the nation's health care system one of his top priorities.

 

"This doesn't have to be some big, complicated government system. We just have to expand what we already have," he said.

 

Link here.

This is big because God knows big labor is HUGE in America.

 

Well, if this was 1960.

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

That's why it's called BIG labor.

 

Either that or because union people are fat.

 

Say, do you know there's a certain pro-union media guy that's also fat? (come on Jobber, I lobbed you a softball here...)

[Guest MikeSC]

That's why it's called BIG labor.

 

Either that or because union people are fat.

 

Say, do you know there's a certain pro-union media guy that's also fat? (come on Jobber, I lobbed you a softball here...)

I can see Mikey as more of a pro-slave labor guy, to be perfectly honest.

 

I doubt he cares where his clothes come from.

-=Mike --- and outside of slave labor, who else makes clothes that size?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

But he's a pro-union guy -- he said so himself.

 

Oh Lord, last night (or was it Thursday?) when watching a Joe Sca-what's-his-name segment on MSNBC regarding Mikey telling a bunch of his mind-numbed supporters the private phone number of some talk-radio guy, I saw one of the most repulsive images in my life.

 

While watching footage from his last comedy, err documentary, I noticed a wedding band on Mikey's hand...

 

[Vyce 0]

There's someone for everybody, kkk.

 

Hell, somehow the very frog-like Larry King has even been married something like 8 times.

[Guest MikeSC]

But he's a pro-union guy -- he said so himself.

 

Oh Lord, last night (or was it Thursday?) when watching a Joe Sca-what's-his-name segment on MSNBC regarding Mikey telling a bunch of his mind-numbed supporters the private phone number of some talk-radio guy, I saw one of the most repulsive images in my life.

 

While watching footage from his last comedy, err documentary, I noticed a wedding band on Mikey's hand...

 

Great, now I have a visual of a sweaty, heaving, damp Mikey Moore in the heat of passion.

 

You scared my libido.

 

It is hiding under the couch.

 

I hope you're happy.

-=Mike

..."Oh, I'm gonna cum...up with some new anti-Bush material. BOO YAH!"

[Guest mst3krules]

Great, now I have a visual of a sweaty, heaving, damp Mikey Moore in the heat of passion.

 

That's not nearly as scary as the visual of a sweaty, heaving, damp Larry King in the heat of passion.

[Guest MikeSC]

Great, now I have a visual of a sweaty, heaving, damp Mikey Moore in the heat of passion.

 

That's not nearly as scary as the visual of a sweaty, heaving, damp Larry King in the heat of passion.

GOD!

 

Now I'm seeing a hot, sweaty, heaving Mikey Moore in the heat of passion ...

 

WITH LARRY KING!!

 

OH GOD!

 

I'M BLIND!

 

ARRRGGGHHH!

-=Mike