Labor Supporter: Dean ignored pleas to quit

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON -- One of Howard Dean's most powerful labor supporters, Gerald W. McEntee, said on Thursday that he had decided that Dean was "nuts" shortly before he withdrew his support for Dean's candidacy and begged him to quit the race to avoid a humiliating defeat.

McEntee, the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, defended his decision to abandon Dean's campaign, saying he told Dean that he did not want to spend another $1 million of his union's money "in order to get him a couple of extra points in Wisconsin."

"I have to vent," McEntee, the often blunt leader of the nation's largest public service union, said in a leisurely interview in his office here. "I think he's nuts."

McEntee said he reached his assessment of Dean after watching him in what he described as a series of halting campaign appearances in Iowa, leading up to his shouted concession speech. He said he did not believe Dean understood how substantial his decline was after that and that he was stunned when Dean did not bow to pressure from labor unions to pull out earlier this month.

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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2411882

[madfloridian]

1. That was at Drudge tonight, right?

Well, guess they need to make very sure he is down for the count, I guess.

[Democat]

2. These are unnecessary comments at this point, but...

This is labor saying this, for those who think Dean was perfect and only the media didn't like him. This is someone who was close with Dean and who is close with labor, not some right wing media group controlled by Skull and Bones.

[madfloridian]

5. No,this is a very good time for them.

It is a good time. It is good to be sure that all the stuff is said now.

[kskiska]

6. You can bet we'll be hearing about it

Didn't see it on Drudge, but it most likely will be there.

[madfloridian]

9. It has been on Drudge all day.

Yes, since Dean is obviously still a problem, we will be hearing a lot.

I think it should all come out now. For ALL our candidates. Not just Dean.

[madfloridian]

3. You should post this in GD2004 as well.

It needs a lot of attention.

[eileen from OH]

4. I would think that any future Dem

candidate would be very wary of taking an endorsement from Mr. McEntee. Not only does he think his endorsement gives him the right to run a campaign, but his save-his-own-butt afterward crap is really distasteful. And if I were a member of his union, I'd wonder what kind of dimbulb is running things if he doesn't completely understand where a candidacy is going or vet a candidate before committing to him or her.

He has every right to pull his endorsement but all the guy has to say is that there were differences, etc. Washing dirty laundry in public says a lot more about the deficiency of his own character and leadership than it does about the "sanity" of Dr. Dean.

This is disgusting.

eileen from OH

[slinkerwink]

7. I think McEntee was nuts also for withdrawing his support

and SEIU didn't----SEIU showed true loyalty and more balls by sticking up for Dean right up to Wisconsin than AFSCME did.

[madfloridian]

8. McEntee was on C-Span one night, saying things he shouldn't have.

He was "supposedly" rallying his members, and he said while looking at the camera pointedly.....that they were telling people the wrong day for the primary.

He looked at the camera, and said it clearly. My husband, former union, yelled that bastard is trying to sabotage Dean.

Yes, it is time for all this stuff to come out. On all sides.

[Sean Reynolds]

10. Kickin' Dean when he's down.

Are they trying to make sure this guy doesn't have a future in politics again? I mean, c'mon the guy basically dropped out of the race and they CONTINUE to harp on him? Sounds as if they still fear what Dean brings to the table.

Well the people will continue to fight for the just cause - even if the media doesn't support us.

[madfloridian]

11. I posted this in GD2004, as I think it is important to know .

It is important to know why they feel it is now necessary. I think it should make supporters of other candidates think long and hard. I really do.

[Oreegone]

12. Maybe since he hasn't actually left the race

he is just not actively campaigning maybe they are afraid if their guy fumbles the ball, Dean may come into play some way......Wow all I have to say is it makes me even respect Dean more if they are so afraid of him. They must think he really will take the power back to the people...those bastards...

[Borgnine]

13. And so the destruction of Dean continues...

I find it so fitting that Gore endorsed Dean, as the media tried to destroy both, and continues to try and destroy them after the fact.

Oooh, Gore's a liar, Dean's nuts... I'm so tired of it all.

[uhhuh]

14. What an ass!

"I go to Burlington, and I meet with him," McEntee said. "I'm telling you, I threw more ice water on his head in about 25 minutes than probably he has ever had. And I said: `Don't do Wisconsin, OK? Don't go in.' I told him to get out. I said you can't win."

"He said he's still going into Wisconsin," McEntee continued. "I said, `We're not. We're off the train. If you think I'm going to spend $1 million to get you another point after this election is over, you're crazy. We're saving the money to do it against George Bush.' "

So Dean is supposed to do whatever this guy says? Dean had a responsibility to his REAL supporters to give it all he had. If this jerk thinks that he can dictate to a candidate because his union is a big donor, he sure picked the wrong guy. I wonder if he ever listened to a Dean speech in his life? Dean always made a point of not being beholden to special interests. Did he think he was "more" special and Dean had to do what he says?
I think we know who the nut is here...

[Piperay]

15. Hmmmmmmm, well that is really

hitting below the belt. :argh:

[saoirse]

16. And yet - you endorsed him!

If Dean is "nuts," what, pray tell, does that make YOU?

Stick to organizing, pal.

[TheWhitneyBrown]

17. I understand where the guy was coming from.

Sure he should have kept it quiet, and in fact, he probably shouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon in the first place, but I can imagine the meeting with Dean was a little frustrating. The most baffling thing in all of this to me is why Gore, who I know is experienced and sane, would ever have endorsed someone who he must have known, as did anyone with eyes, couldn't beat Bush. Does he hate the party now? Is as big an idiot as we all suspected? Maybe he knew it would help the party in the long run....If anyone can answer that in a sensible way, I'd be grateful to hear it.

[Piperay]

18. I don't know but I wonder

if it was some kind of internal political struggle, Gore vs. DLC (who back Kerry)and that Gore was hoping to best them by endorsing Dean who they wanted stopped. JMO :shrug:

[farmbo]

19. This front-running lout would have been for the Nazis in 1939.

Dean is not "nuts" for failing to cowtow to an arrogant, front-running, AFCSME deadhead.

SEIU, on the other hand, was a class organization which continued to support Dean through Wisconsin.

I guess unions are like people...some with a lot of class and others loudmouthed a**holes.

[hippiechick]

20. Sounds Like Mr. McEntee is trying to cover his own ass ...

"See, I told him so but he's a crazy man, oh nooooo - he wouldn't listen to me ... so now that Dean's toast, whose best friend can I be ??"

Backstabber.


:hippie:

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. One of the most diehard supporters I have met is an AFSCME member

A regular guy...who still supports Dean. :shrug:

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. McEntee's always been an ass

That's a big part of the problem that his own union members have with him. They were promised a vote on who to endorse but he went ahead and made the decision then told them who. It backfired. Even though some supported Dean anyway, McEntees arrogance and actions pissed them off and they voted otherwise (or didn't turn out to vote).

[janx]

23. Somebody give that man a whisky--

and tell him to settle down.

[bullimiami]

24. Who is nuts?

This says a lot more about McEntee and his character than anything about Dean.

It is pretty obvious that he signed on to Dean as a power move to get an early "IN" with the presumptive winner. He had no concept of issues or positions.
As soon as it looked like Kerry was the winning horse he jumped right on with no regard for Kerrys very pro Nafta position.

I suppose if the polls go proBush again before nov he'll take his support there and fawn all over Dumbya.

[candy331]

26. I suppose he didn't go the asylum after all.

McEntee, who flirted with endorsing John Kerry and retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark before settling on Dean, said his union was probably going to sit it out for a while.

"At this point, there's no way we're going to endorse anybody," he said. "I think we need a rest. Maybe in an asylum."



It seems he should have gone to the asylum to get some help for lying. Did I not hear he endorsed JK on yesterday? Now who is really the nut, what will he do at the next turn of the bin because it will turn.

[newyawker99]

27. Hi bullimiami!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[seaglass]

25. The guy didn't want to spend $1 million on a losing cause,

I don't blame him. The Dean campaign gave their best effort in Iowa and NH and McEntee saw the dismal results of that effort.

That said, McEntee didn't have to air the dirty laundry.