What Obama's trying (Applause) to tell union folks these days (Applause)

[Omaha Steve]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/09/barack-obama-afl-cio-speech-text.html

September 15, 2009 | 6:04 pm

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0120a5c91d81970c-600wi

After narrowly escaping a roundtable discussion with workers in Ohio today, President Obama flew into Pittsburgh to address the AFL-CIO convention.

And he turned it into something of a pep rally. Or a coach's halftime locker room talk without the garbage can kicking. Obama needed 10 thank you's just to quiet the crowd before he said a word. He claimed to be blushing. Think they like him?

We said Tuesday morning the president was returning to the campaign trail and, boy, did he ever in Pittsburgh. You'd have thought the election was tomorrow and Obama was delivering the gospel.

The president recalled the bad economic times of last winter, as if they're over. He mentioned a huge federal deficit he inherited. He hailed the economic stimulus package that his administration wanted and obedient Democrats pushed through Congress and assured everyone it "didn't include any of the usual Washington earmarks or pork-barrel spending." A remarkable claim.

The president said he's stopped the country's "economic freefall." He said he would not allow the United States to return "to the culture of irresponsibility and greed" of recent years. He made his now familiar healthcare argument with the requisite sad worker story. He said the fundamental issue facing the country was whether it would become a nation of rich haves and middle class have-nots.

That he would not only save millions of jobs but create millions of new ones. And better educate all the children for the future. And free the nation from dependence on foreign oil. And create a new green industrial base.

FULL story at link.

[Cha]

1. I love it that PO is being there for the Unions

and vice versa~

[rockymountaindem]

2. As a union member, do you buy it?

Also, I'm reading part of a book about union formation right now :)

[clear eye]

3. "He mentioned a huge federal deficit he inherited."

...as though he hadn't voted for the bank bailout and war funding that caused it. That's right. After his opposition in the Illinois State Legislature, the now-Prez voted to fund the war almost every time it came up in the U.S. Senate. Wish we had a Democratic President.