Gephardt secures 21st labor endorsement

[jenk]

Gephardt secures 21st labor endorsement

(11-20) 11:02 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

Democratic presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt won the backing of his 21st international labor union Thursday, bolstering his grass-roots support in two states that hold early primaries.

The Transport Workers Union of America, which represents about 125,000 workers, said it is supporting the Missouri congressman because of the loyalty he has shown to the labor movement during nearly three decades in Congress.

The union, which represents workers in the mass transit, airline, railroad and utility industries, has about 9,000 members in Oklahoma -- more than any other union -- and 5,000 members in Arizona. Both states are among those holding primaries Feb. 3.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/20/national1347EST0623.DTL

fear the turtle

[IndianaGreen]

1. Fuck the turtle, he is a war criminal like Bush!

President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution



President George W. Bush along with bipartisan leaders from the House and Senate announced the Joint Resolution to authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces against Iraq. "The statement of support from the Congress will show to friend and enemy alike the resolve of the United States," President Bush said during the announcement in the Rose Garden, Wednesday, October 2, 2002. White House photo by Paul Morse.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-7.html

[JailBush]

4. Amen!

And who trusts unions any more?

[jenk]

6. Iowa- Gephardt 27, Dean 20

[IndianaGreen]

8. Iowa is not America

Those idiots live on the ethanol program, one of the most wasteful government programs ever devised.

During the 2000 Republican debates, candidate John McCain tore the ethanol program to bits, while Bush reply was, and I quote, "I am an ethanol man." Bush won, but the American taxpayer lost once again.

[jenk]

10. but the south and midwest is

and dean can't win there

[IndianaGreen]

17. As long as the prowar candidates lose

I don't care which of the antiwar candidates wins.

[La_Serpiente]

7. I must say

a lot of people will be pissed if Gephardt wins the nomination. His foreign policy views are practically the same as Bush's (in my opinion at least)

[jenk]

9. anybody but bush

[IndianaGreen]

18. A Bush clone is still a Bush

and those that voted for IWR and PATRIOT Act, and are still unrepentant about their votes, are nothing but Bush clones.

[JohnKleeb]

11. I agree, I dont like his foriegn policy views

Then again the only foriegn policy views I really only have a lot of use for are Kucinich's, yeah I admit it, I wanna make war archaic NOW so shoot me and call me an idealistic hippy pacifist because I am sick of war. What I do like about Gephardt is his economics.

[Leovigild]

12. Gephardt is the most likely to win

Of course the kamikaze left won't support Gephardt. Nothing would please them more than a 45 state Republican landslide so they can remain righteously indignant.

Gephardt with his strong position on trade can carry the Carolinas whereas Dean never will.

I suspect that Gephardt will be far more successful at securing black support than "gay marriage" Dean. Southern black voters tend to be fundamentalist Christian so they won't care much for West Hollywood cultural baggage.

[loyalsister]

23. Too bad he'll have trouble winning his own state, though

Anyone for whom that is even a question is an absolutely ridiculous possibility for a candidate. He has been a huge gun control proponent, and it has been a hot button issue here. The gun nuts are mobilized, and a lot of them are people who would vote for someone like Clark or Dean.

As for the left. He didn't just vote in favor of IWR. He coauthored the house version. He is truly a partner in cirm to our worst worldly circumstances right now.

[Leovigild]

24. Gun Nuts ?

Do you think there is any conceivable way an NRA type would ever vote for Dean ? Do you think the NRA is seething with pro-choice gay rights supporters ? Do you think the NRA is seething with antiwar activists ?

Dean's possition on guns will not win him any votes because gun voters are conservative, pure and simple. Dean is the incarnation of everything they despise.

And as for Iraq I would point out that most Americans at one point did support it.

Let's look at the Vietnam analogy. The antiwar movement had three components.

1. Joan Baez. Pacifists who had always opposed the war from the beginning.

2. William Kunstler. People who were not doves but hawks for the other side. The ones waving North Vietnamese flags.

3. Clark Clifford. People who supported the war at the beginning but turned against it because it went on too long and cost too much.

Most opponents of the Vietnam War fell into category 3. They were disillusioned hawks after Tet. They never had any use for categories 1 and 2 and felt uneasy about being associated with them. That is why the antiwar left collapsed so quickly after 1973. That is why it was not the dominant political force of the 70's and 80's and was unable to put McGovern into the White House or keep Reagan out.

Now, most people opposed to Iraq are category 3. They are uneasy about San Francisco peace types. That is why running on Iraq will be as unsuccesful for Dean as running on Vietnam was for McGovern.

[Carolina]

26. I can see the GOP ad now

Grim voice:

Gephardt could not keep his leadership position among House Democrats (captioned photo of Nancy Pelosi)

Yet now he thinks he can lead America!

Drum roll:

Gephardt has stood with President Bush (infamous Rose Garden photo).

Yet now he wants to replace him.

Gephardt: he can't lead his fellow liberal(said sneeringly) Democrats; but he does follow our leader (presidential photo of Bush with a flag in the background)

For Leadership, Vote Bush-Cheney 2004 (Pan to beautiful, patriotic scene with smiling faces)
___________________________________________________________________
With Gephardt at the helm, we're toast!

[SadEagle]

13. aiee, my eyes!

Is this some ugly tie competition?

[goforit]

15. Here-here!!!!...............World Criminal Court for him too!!!

What a waste of support!!!

This is why unions are weak in 2003!

[JohnKleeb]

2. another union endorsement

Although hes not my candiate I like him for his union views, good for Gephardt. BTW who have the miners endorsed? I wanna see what my personal unions are thinkin that is the ones my family has connections to, the steelworkers national union endorsed Gephardt but I know my candiate is pretty popular with them too. Cool for Gephardt although I dont even know what number he is on my list.

[Rowdyboy]

3. fear the turtle

Indeed! I think Gephart may be the most overlooked candidate in this entire race. So little attention is paid here, but in real life, union members have real clout in Democratic circles. We shall see, but I can easily see a scenario where Gephart wins the nomination.

[IndianaGreen]

5. The Democrats will lose if they nominate Gephardt

and this union member won't vote for him on account of Gephardt's role in the IWR.

[Rowdyboy]

14. Please understand, IGephart is WAY down my list

6th in fact. I just think it would be a mistake to underestimate him, considering his union backing. I think he would be an utter disaster of a nominee.

[The Zanti Regent]

16. Toss the Pink Tutu, Limp Dick!

Bartcop nails this fool right on the button when he dances around Bush in his pink tutu.

Anyone who gave Bush a blank check to turn my nephew into a quadraplegic will NOT get my vote, and that includes Limp Dick, Wimpy Kerry, Edwards and Looneyman!

[IndianaGreen]

19. Hear, hear!

I will never support the four Bush enablers, Dickless Gephardt among them.

I support the antiwar candidates: Clark, Dean, Kucinich, Mosley-Braun.

Sharpton struck out long ago during the Tawana Brawley case, but at least he didn't support the invasion of Iraq.

[Leovigild]

22. Of course the kamikaze left won't support Gephardt

Democratic voters aren't interested in noble failure. They aren't interested in a candidate who can only carry Manhattan, West Hollywood, college towns, and inner cities. They want one who can actually win.

Vote green if you like. But blacks have no use for romantic failure. Blacks understand that 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

The key thing is to rebuild as much as possible of the New Deal coalition. This can be done on economic issues using the anger against free trade that is surging across people who normally vote Republican (peek over at the 100+ angry responses on any free trade, or free traitor as they would put it, thread on FR). A strong Gephardt economic message, avoiding the pitfal of cultural issues, can bring back southern voters. Never forget that the religious right voter is the grandchild of a New Deal Democrat and the great great grandchild of a William Jennings Bryan Populist. It can be done on health care. It cannot be done on gay rights or Iraq because culture war issues favor conservatives.

[Crowdance]

20. He also did nothing to stop the abortion ban

He couldn't be bothered showing up for the house vote on the abortion ban, and is officially recorded as not present. I refuse to support any candidate who won't support my daughers' right to bodily sovereignty.

[Born Free]

21. Part of the good ol boy network

This guy has been around a while and many old time union leaders don't like any change, they sure don't want to risk anything on someone outside their perception of the "mainstream" democrat. Unfortunately, Gephart is a loser, he had his chance many times over to stand up for America but chose to follow. Democrats need a leader, someone that is willing to speak out, someone that is not afraid to say things that might offend a few people that prefer the status quo. Republicans would love to see gephardt win the democratic nomination. The three names I watch for are Clark, Dean and Gore. If Gore responds to the "draft" he could shake things up a bit. If either two of the three combine, democrats have a strong team. Unfortunately, Will Rogers best described democrats many years ago when he send something like " I don't belong to any organised political party - I'm a demcrat"

[LiberalFighter]

25. Check history

There has not been a Democratic congressman that has been elected President since at least 1850.

They have either been a Vice-President, a Senator, a Governor, or a war hero.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

27. Gephardt and Lieberman are at the bottom of my list for...

the Democratic Nomminee!

:puke: