P
Patriot Games
Guest
http://www.newsmax.com/politics/obama_endorsement/2008/02/21/74497.html
Change to Win Endorses Obama
Thursday, February 21, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The new Change to Win labor federation gave its first
presidential endorsement to Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday, saying
its 6 million members could help push him over the top and into the general
election as the Democratic nominee.
"We think we can make a difference," chair Anna Burger said. "We think it's
time to bring this nomination to a close."
The endorsement came after a teleconference between Change to Win's leaders
and the heads of the seven unions that make up the federation. The
federation's members will now head to the crucial election states of Texas,
Ohio and Rhode Island for the upcoming March 4 primaries, as well as in
Pennsylvania on April 22.
Change to Win has 175,000 members in Ohio, 60,000 in Texas and 25,000 in
Rhode Island, Burger said. Besides leafletting, knocking on doors and
advocating for Obama at workplaces, Burger said she expected more than
100,000 Change to Win voters to participate in the Ohio primary alone.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has now lost 11 presidential contests in a row
to Obama.
"There is certainly a movement building here," Burger said. "The winds of
change are blowing and they're blowing for Barack Obama."
The federation's endorsement was more about approving of Obama than
disapproving of Clinton, Burger said, but she did note that NAFTA was passed
while Clinton's husband, former President Clinton, was in office. Unions
have been highly critical of the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying
it disproportionally hurt working-class voters. Clinton has become a NAFTA
critic even though she has previously helped champion the measure as a
product of her husband's presidency.
"Barack Obama has a history of standing up for working-class families," said
Burger, who called him the strongest candidate for Democrats in the general
election.
Four of Change to Win's unions had already endorsed Obama, with the
Teamsters endorsing Obama on Wednesday. UNITE HERE, the Service Employees
International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers also have
endorsed Obama.
The federation's endorsement now means those unions will now coordinate
their efforts for Obama and have access to Change to Win resources. "We
think we can make a huge difference for him," Burger said.
The vote was unanimous although the United Farm Workers, the Laborers'
International Union and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners had
abstained. The farmworkers already had endorsed Clinton; the Carpenters
originally endorsed John Edwards, who has dropped out, and the Laborers have
yet to make an endorsement. The three unions released the federation to work
for Obama in the upcoming primaries and caucuses.
"Everybody agreed it was time for us to move forward," Burger said. She
noted that none of the abstaining unions objected to the endorsement and the
United Farm Workers is based mostly in California, which voted on Feb. 5.
The Laborers union will survey its members next week to see if either
candidate has support of 60 percent of the union, said Terence M.
O'Sullivan, the union's president.
The unions in the Change to Win federation broke from the AFL-CIO in 2005
over internal disagreements on how best to build organized labor's
membership and political clout.
The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor federation, has not endorsed any
candidate in the Democratic primary, although it has allowed its 56-member
unions to make individual endorsements. The AFL-CIO's executive council will
meet in San Diego March 3-5, and a decision could be announced about whether
the 10.5-million member federation will endorse.
Clinton has been endorsed by 12 AFL-CIO unions, as well as the United Farm
Workers. Obama has been endorsed by two AFL-CIO unions: the Transport
Workers Union and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters. He
also has the backing of the independent National Weather Service Employees
Organization.
Change to Win Endorses Obama
Thursday, February 21, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The new Change to Win labor federation gave its first
presidential endorsement to Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday, saying
its 6 million members could help push him over the top and into the general
election as the Democratic nominee.
"We think we can make a difference," chair Anna Burger said. "We think it's
time to bring this nomination to a close."
The endorsement came after a teleconference between Change to Win's leaders
and the heads of the seven unions that make up the federation. The
federation's members will now head to the crucial election states of Texas,
Ohio and Rhode Island for the upcoming March 4 primaries, as well as in
Pennsylvania on April 22.
Change to Win has 175,000 members in Ohio, 60,000 in Texas and 25,000 in
Rhode Island, Burger said. Besides leafletting, knocking on doors and
advocating for Obama at workplaces, Burger said she expected more than
100,000 Change to Win voters to participate in the Ohio primary alone.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has now lost 11 presidential contests in a row
to Obama.
"There is certainly a movement building here," Burger said. "The winds of
change are blowing and they're blowing for Barack Obama."
The federation's endorsement was more about approving of Obama than
disapproving of Clinton, Burger said, but she did note that NAFTA was passed
while Clinton's husband, former President Clinton, was in office. Unions
have been highly critical of the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying
it disproportionally hurt working-class voters. Clinton has become a NAFTA
critic even though she has previously helped champion the measure as a
product of her husband's presidency.
"Barack Obama has a history of standing up for working-class families," said
Burger, who called him the strongest candidate for Democrats in the general
election.
Four of Change to Win's unions had already endorsed Obama, with the
Teamsters endorsing Obama on Wednesday. UNITE HERE, the Service Employees
International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers also have
endorsed Obama.
The federation's endorsement now means those unions will now coordinate
their efforts for Obama and have access to Change to Win resources. "We
think we can make a huge difference for him," Burger said.
The vote was unanimous although the United Farm Workers, the Laborers'
International Union and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners had
abstained. The farmworkers already had endorsed Clinton; the Carpenters
originally endorsed John Edwards, who has dropped out, and the Laborers have
yet to make an endorsement. The three unions released the federation to work
for Obama in the upcoming primaries and caucuses.
"Everybody agreed it was time for us to move forward," Burger said. She
noted that none of the abstaining unions objected to the endorsement and the
United Farm Workers is based mostly in California, which voted on Feb. 5.
The Laborers union will survey its members next week to see if either
candidate has support of 60 percent of the union, said Terence M.
O'Sullivan, the union's president.
The unions in the Change to Win federation broke from the AFL-CIO in 2005
over internal disagreements on how best to build organized labor's
membership and political clout.
The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor federation, has not endorsed any
candidate in the Democratic primary, although it has allowed its 56-member
unions to make individual endorsements. The AFL-CIO's executive council will
meet in San Diego March 3-5, and a decision could be announced about whether
the 10.5-million member federation will endorse.
Clinton has been endorsed by 12 AFL-CIO unions, as well as the United Farm
Workers. Obama has been endorsed by two AFL-CIO unions: the Transport
Workers Union and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters. He
also has the backing of the independent National Weather Service Employees
Organization.
