Dean Works To Be Labor's Man

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The article can be found here at:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7100-2003Nov22.html


DETROIT, Nov. 22 -- With a Bruce Springsteen anthem as his introductory music, Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean bounded to a podium in Concord, N.H., the other night and told a cheering crowd of labor union members, "We now have the means to take this country back."

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As Dean made clear in rallies in New Hampshire, Michigan and Iowa over the past two days, the SEIU and AFSCME's combined 3 million members could be critical in helping him lock up the nomination. In addition to the money, votes and organizing muscle of the unions' members, Dean explicitly recognized that the endorsements will help counter perceptions that he appeals mainly to liberal Northeastern whites. Women make up about half of the two organizations' membership, and minorities make up about a third.

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Stephanie Zaiser, an organizer who drove up from Boston with two colleagues, said Dean impressed her most when he and other Democratic candidates pitched a union-sponsored political conference she attended in Washington in September. "He was the most powerful speaker," she said. "The others were just politicians. Honestly, it was the same old story. I could have given speeches for them. The others are wimps. They don't want to get too left of center. Dean says what's on his mind."

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1. :kick:

Gotta kick this before I go to the library ;-)

[tsipple]

2. Kudos to SEIU and AFSCME

Now someone like me knows more about them -- and why they're such great people. SEIU members, for example, clean our hotel rooms, empty our bed pans, and sweep our schools' floors, among other things. Heroes, in my book.

Speaking of which, don't forget to tip. If you stay at a hotel, leave a couple bucks (to pick one example).

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3. I'll remember the next time I stay at a hotel...

;-)

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4. besides, this is why other unions haven't endorsed Gephardt yet

because they recognize Dean as a serious contender.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

5. Gephardt has been endorsed by a whole lot of unions

AFSCME and SEIU are more diverse and socially liberal than the industrial unions. They are also less harmed by free trade agreements, and more harmed by cutting government spending. They are often more progressive and active, but strategically and tacticly less sophisticated than the old line unions.

If Dean wins and beats Bush, it will be very good for the union movement, and probably move unions to a more active and progressive stand.

If Dean wins but loses to Bush, it's going to be very very bad for the union movement in general. Gephardt was very much "owed" the endorsement of the unions, and if Dean loses, the Democrats will be less likely to help the unions, if they can't expect to be supported for it.