Unions To Blanche Lincoln: We're Still COMING AFTER YOU!

[Segami]

<http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/labor-lashes-back-at-lincoln.php?ref=fpc>


" Labor unions are doubling down in Arkansas as Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Lt. Gov. Bill Halter are set to duel for another three weeks in a Democratic primary runoff election. The AFL-CIO announced this morning they will keep up an aggressive push on Halter's behalf, and a top labor official lashed out over Lincoln's Tuesday night speech after polls closed.


Ackerman also said AFL-CIO will do television ads, mailers and in-person outreach to union workers and other voters in what she described as "rigorous" and "very aggressive" fight to the finish. "We're in it to win it," she said. Other groups such as the SEIU and AFSCME are expected to follow suit. SEIU officials told me they have ads and a field game ready for rollout and there was no way they would back Lincoln in a general election if she wins June 8.


"She came to this position in the midst of a fast and furious primary fight. Union voters are smart like other voters, and they are looking at her record over time," Ackerman said. She cited Lincoln's opposition to a public option in the health care reform legislation and the Employee Free Choice Act, and said Lincoln sided "with the right wing" in blocking Craig Becker's nomination to the National Labor Relations Board.


"If you look at her record over the last year there's no question why union voters would reject her," Ackerman said.


If it weren't for the primary "Lincoln would probably be on the floor filibustering," the source added. The White House view is that labor is asserting its independence, and that's a message you've heard repeatedly from officials in recent days.




Watch Lincoln's warning to 'outside groups': Facing Runoff, Sen. Lincoln Tells Outside Groups: 'Go Home'


<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaVT0pRYNuQ&feature=player_embedded>

[joeybee12]

1. Go Home? Hey Blanche, Stay Home

Most worthless senator.

[madokie]

3. Worthless to us, 'us' being the average American citizen

valuable to them, 'them' being the have mores.

[joeybee12]

6. There's not a corporate interest she won't sell out to...n/t

[stray cat]

2. Then they better work their butts off to make sure Halter wins and not the GOP

in the general - otherwise they have made the situation much worse and abandoned in legislative ability in favor on unemployed purity. Arkansas is a pretty conservative voting group.

[zipplewrath]

4. Probably not from their view

The have a short list of issues and on those issues, Blanche wasn't a whole lot different than the GOP. A tad narrow minded, but it's kinda their job.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Ohhhh, democracy, how scary!!!!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Those who desire to hold on to the status quo out of fear of loss are those who never get anywhere but the place they started. Fear of change is a bad character trait, because change is a constant.

[socialist_n_TN]

10. Doesn't Halter poll better against the Republican?

I'm still thinking that AR is likely to vote in a Republican anyway, but from what I've seen Halter gives us a better shot than Lincoln. AND of course, he IS more progressive than Lincoln.

[SocialistLez]

5. While I like unions...a lot of people in AR don't.

I kind of wish they weren't so aggressive in mentioning the Employee Free Choice Act.
So many people read the right-wing state paper which brings up all these stupid reasons and baseless reasons to NOT pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

I think they should focus on her push to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans and her vote AGAINST health care reform.

[FarCenter]

7. There are unions in Arkansas! Who knew?

[smaug]

8. Yes, there are unions in Arkansas

But they've a small base. Lincoln is not a bad person (except for being corrupt). Ironically, she won her first seat in Congress by running a campaign of "throw out the bums" against her former mentor, Bill Alexander. She's never lost an election, but her corruption and $2 million dollar home in Washington DC does not play well in Arkansas.

The game with the derivatives 'reform' she and Dodd played on primary day won't help.

Another thing. Halter pushed the Arkansas amendment that provided a lottery in Arkansas. This has been an issue in a large number of elections for the past couple of decades, but he did it in one try. I would not underestimate him, which I believe Lincoln did.