Unions won't endorse until they know who the winner is going to be.

[madfloridian]

You know what? I am all 100% for unions. But I just read this article, and it really irritated me. Sounds to me like the union spokepersons are being insulting to a lot of Democrats while they are flipping and twisting waiting to see who the real nominee is going to be.

This year I find that pretty upsetting. To put out an article saying they are not going to endorse because Dean and Gephardt lost in Iowa.

That is a little cowardly. Some of the candidates are standing up strongly for unions, more so than others.

Unions waiting for a winner

"Union leaders say they are so happy with the Democratic presidential aspirants, though unsure of whom to support, that they are unlikely to endorse any of them before the primaries next year.

..."The A.F.L.-C.I.O. is unlikely to endorse Mr. Edwards or anyone else before the primaries, several labor leaders said last week, because unions are so divided over the candidates.Several unions that like Mr. Edwards are wary of endorsing him because he lags well behind Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in the polls.

“There’s a pretty strong sentiment across the labor movement for Edwards,” Steve Rosenthal, a former political director of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., said. “But I think some unions are a little leery of endorsing him without more evidence that he can win.”

And Sweeney even takes time to "regret" their decisions in the last primary.

"The president of the federation, John J. Sweeney, said the earliest it would endorse anyone would be late October. Mr. Sweeney said he doubted that any candidate could muster the requisite two-thirds support. He cautioned against any rush, saying many unions acted too hastily in endorsing Howard Dean and Richard A. Gephardt in 2004, only to see those candidacies flounder early in the primaries.

And Gerry McEntee has to get a few words in.

"Gerry McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, acknowledges having learned a lesson in endorsing Mr. Dean.

“We made a big error,” Mr. McEntee said. “The error was that to a large extent it was a leadership decision made without a deep enough effort to see how our members really felt.”

This election year is making me sick to my stomach McEntee went along last time with the DLC meme calling Dean crazy after Iowa. He was backing off so fast he was running backwards.

I am very turned off by this insulting going back to last year by two of the union leaders which whom Howard Dean and the DNC have worked closely since he became chairman. And Gephardt was always a winner for unions, even though he lost. He does not deserve to be talked about like that by Sweeney.

Thanks a lot for coming right and saying it...you guys are waiting to endorse the inevitable winner. Just be honest. You are not after the person who stands up the most for unions....you are after not picking someone who might not win.

That is rather cowardly. Dean and Gephardt and Edwards have stood up for unions all along. And now they get insulted by them right out in the open. Thus the endorsement is now meaningless.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Kucinich is a card carrying union member. And he could use the money.

[madfloridian]

5. Then they insulted him also because they did not even mention him...

in an insulting way.

[Oldenuff]

13. They lack backbone

The problem that I see with endorsing a candidate by any group,is that it is usually for only one issue.I'm not saying that the one issue is not important,just that groups ought to be looking at the big picture.Why not step up,and endorse a candidate who really cares about this country,as well as labor issues?

I endorse (on behalf of labor orgs everywhere) Dennis Kucinich.

There...now that we have endorsed Dennis,let's all get behind him and get him elected.

[Bread and Circus]

2. most endorsements are really just guesses as to who's gonna win....

usually an endorsement is less of a complement and more of a request for a future political favor.

[madfloridian]

3. Three guesses who the inevitable is.

They don't have to openly insult good people because they can't make up their minds.

Of course we all know what they are doing, but we are all afraid to say it.

Well, they pissed me off tonight. Hubby and I are both union still, even though retired. We will have a few words.

[sandnsea]

4. When no one attacks the leader

Then nobody should be surprised that the leader stays in the lead.

[madfloridian]

6. All aboard....for the leader.

Unions really are pointing out all the sad mistakes they made in the past, aren't they? Do you find that odd? I do.

Gephardt was one of their best friends for years, Dean has been pushing their agendas with the DNC. Edwards is constantly working with them.

But guess who will get the endorsements...

[madfloridian]

7. And Andy Stern...shame on you.

"Andrew L. Stern, the service employees’ president, also suggested that his group was in no hurry to endorse.

“This time, Edwards has done the most to win our support, but Senators Clinton and Obama, they’re not going to let Edwards sneak by them,” Mr. Stern said. “It’s like Roller Derby. We’re waiting for someone to break from the pack. We’re getting closer, but there’s no particular clarity.”

Edwards has done the most, but it means nothing to them at all. Pack it up folks, the rest of us can go home.

[maximusveritas]

8. No need to be upset

It's obvious their endorsement doesn't matter too much since the guys they endorsed lost. You should be hoping they don't endorse Edwards.

[madfloridian]

9. To make your endorsement matter, you wait for the nominee.

Then you endorse them.

I don't care who they endorse, I care who they insult with their careless comments.

[Omaha Steve]

10. Maybe not

http://www.examiner.com/a-832412~AFL_CIO_to_decide_on_when_to_endorse_in_presidential_race.html

Jul 17, 2007 12:50 PM (13 days ago)

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The AFL-CIO will decide in early August whether it will start its endorsement process during the Democratic presidential primary or wait until later, union officials said Tuesday.

The final decision on when or if to endorse a candidate for the primaries will come after a Democratic presidential debate in Chicago Aug. 7, the nation's largest labor federation announced.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

11. That arguably makes sense.

If you believe that Edwards is better than both Clinton and Obama, but one of them is still better than the other then you have a dilemma - it's not clear whether the best strategy is to use your endorsement to increase the (small) chance of your first preference coming up, or to increase the (larger) chance of your second rather than your third.

Politics is far too important to be anything other than cynical and calculating about it.

[madfloridian]

12. Maybe that's why I am disgusted.

If they don't want to endorse, fine. Don't. But putting down Dean and Gephardt because they lost is not very wise.

This does make them look cynical and calculating.

We know who they will pick in the long run. I have known it ever since Marshall Wittmann was a blogger for SEIU's white bread. That group moved to make up to unions last year for all the years they spent trying to negate them for big business.

They succeeded, didn't they? One of the leaders of that group will get their endorsement so they can look like winners.

[madfloridian]

14. Ed Schultz was right today...

He called a lady who said anyone would do for the union endorsement. He said why not choose one who really is for you guys instead of someone who is for the big business?

He is right. What they are doing is hedging their bets so as not to make a mistake. They will end up endorsing Hillary because of course she will be the nominee. They are showing they don't realy care who stands with them.

They are not noticing who really is for the unions.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/08/08/ap3999873.html

"CHICAGO - The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest federation of labor unions, will not immediately endorse any of the Democratic presidential candidates in next year's primary.

"There is not a consensus candidate," said Karen Ackerman, political director of the AFL-CIO.

The decision means that the AFL-CIO's 55 unions - representing some 10 million workers - are free to endorse whoever they want. Several unions already have made plans to endorse one of the eight Democratic candidates after Labor Day.

"It is clear that a number of the Democratic candidates have the experience and the credentials to lead our nation," a statement from the federation's executive council said. "And it is equally clear that our members support a number of the candidates - union members have told us all the candidates are impressive and they are eager to support many of them. For this reason, the AFL-CIO has decided not to proceed with a decision process that would lead to support for a single candidate at this time."

[MalloyLiberal]

15. Endorse who is RIGHT, not politics.

Clinton will NOT have your back.