About the $50+ million the AFL-CIO is planning to spend

[democrattotheend]

I have seen a few comments here and elsewhere wondering if this is inconsistent with Obama's pledge not to take PAC money, so I just wanted to clear that up. The AFL-CIO is not giving $50 million to Obama or using it to run 527 ads. They are spending $53 million to communicate with their members, sending out mail, going door to door, running phone banks, and doing member to member contact at the worksites. This is all considered member-to-member communication and in addition to getting Obama elected, it's also aimed at helping down-ballot candidates and educating members on the issues. I interned there in 2006 and they have a really great program...very sophisticated at targeting swing members, and when I looked at the data from polling they did after the election, I was amazed at how much the program really worked at convincing members to vote for endorsed candidates. So I just wanted to clear that up in case anyone was wondering or heard anyone say that accepting the AFL-CIO endorsement meant Obama was giving in to "special interests" or taking PAC money.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

1. Yeah, getting members to vote for their best interests.

[Kdillard]

2. Thanks for the information.

It sounds like a great organization that will be of great help as the GE gets closer.