Big Labor Endorsement Delayed

[Alamom]

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/big-labor-endorsement-delayed/

September 19, 2007, 5:12 pm
Big Labor Endorsement Delayed
By Steven Greenhouse

The Service Employees International Union – the union whose endorsement the Democratic presidential candidates were vying hardest to win – decided, at least for today, not to endorse anyone.
One official who attended today’s board meeting in Washington said a majority of the union’s 64 board members favored John Edwards, but the board wanted a strong consensus.
“It’s fair to say he had the most support coming in and the most support after the speeches,” this official said, adding that some board members were concerned about the “viability” of the Edwards campaign because he lags so behind Senator Hillary Clinton in the national polls.

Over the past four days, the S.E.I.U., with 1.9-million members, held a political activists’ conference which many of the Democratic candidates addressed. In a straw vote held among the 1,500 delegates, one union official said, Mr. Edwards placed first, Senator Barack Obama placed second and Mrs. Clinton third.
Several officials who attended today’s meeting said no formal vote was taken on whether to make an endorsement.

In a telephone news briefing, Andrew Stern, the S.E.I.U.’s president, said the union’s board would meet again in Chicago on Monday and might decide to make an endorsement at that time. He said that after focusing in recent weeks on where the Democratic presidential candidates stand on the issues, the union wanted to hear from the campaigns about their strategies for victory in the primaries and in the general elections.

The S.E.I.U. has asked the managers of the Clinton, Obama and Edwards campaigns to meet with S.E.I.U. leaders on Monday in Chicago to answer questions about their campaign strategies.
“These three candidates have all demonstrated where they stand on the issues,” Mr. Stern said. “Now people want to dig down on who is in the best position to win.”

For a candidate to win an endorsement under the union’s rules, board members representing 60 percent of the union’s membership have to back a candidate.
One S.E.I.U. board member said, “It’s possible that Edwards will win the endorsement on Monday, but maybe not.”

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Jeez, people. Self-fulfilling prophecy!

The endorsement would improve the viability of the Edwards campaign. That should be obvious.

[DURHAM D]

2. I have a question - do these labor boards lobby in Washington?

[Cameron27]

4. Good question.

[DURHAM D]

5. They surely must not -

if they do John wouldn't want their endorsement. :sarcasm:

[Cameron27]

8. Trial lawyers must not be either,

I wonder how many other "most not" be's are on his list.

[Adelante]

7. Are you serious?

If so, yes.

[Cameron27]

9. I'm sure it was sarcasm WD.

[Adelante]

11. Must have been nt

[rpannier]

3. God forbid they endorse the person's policies that they like the best

I wish these people would stop this BS.

They should endorse the candidate they believe supports their positions best.

[Peregrine Took]

6. Edwards is the progressive, pro-union candidate. I hope SEIU selects him -it

would be very wise on their part to do so.

[DURHAM D]

10. Actually, this is probably not good news for Edwards.

If they were going to endorse him it would have happened already.

Giving the top three candidates another round of question and answer seems like a way to buy time until they either endorse Hillary (because she has such a big lead and they don't want to be left out of her political circle) or they don't endorse anyone in particular.

[AZ Criminal JD]

12. Absolutely correct n/t

[sandnsea]

13. Or Hillary's health care fiasco

has convinced them to reconsider because she can't win the Presidency with that mess - not unless the corporates start shoving it down our throats because they're the ones who are best at convincing the public something is good for them when it isn't.

[bigdarryl]

14. They want to base there support on some BS polls showing he's behind haven't they forgoten...

Howard Deans lead all the way until the voting started.