Obama's Day at Labor

The "big three" Democratic presidential candidates--Clinton, Edwards, Obama--got a chance to court organized labor today at a forum sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest union in the AFL-CIO, with 1.4 million members.

Edwards, the candidate who most obviously identifies with the labor movement, and Clinton, the prohibitive front-runner, both held their own and entered and exited to respectable applause. But it was Obama, who at times has struggled before labor audiences like the fighfighters union, who stole the show. Even the National Review said he "blew the doors off the Marriott Wardman Park ballroom."

All three candidates more or less outlined similar priorities, stressing their determination to pass labor-friendly policies like the Employee Free Choice Act and universal healthcare, explain the importance of unions to the American people and end the war in Iraq.

But Obama pitched himself as the one who could reach across the aisle and capture the independent and disaffected Republican voters needed to create majority support for lasting progressive change, through a "a new kind of politics" that is "not timid, not small, not divisive, not simply based on trying to get power, but based on how do we build the America we all dream of." And "if people disagree, and we can't persuade ‘em," Obama said, "then we just have to beat 'em, and that's what we're gonna do in this election." Moderator Chris Matthews compared him to Bobby Kennedy, saying he sounded "like the Sixties at its absolute best."

Obama also had the strongest personal connection with the hundreds of activists in the crowd, noting his work with AFSCME as a community organizer in Illinois registering new voters, raising the minimum wage as a state legislator and helping to organize workers at Chicago hospitals. He called for a "Department of Labor that actually understands it's the Department of Labor and not the Department of Management."

With a large number of African-American members and strong presence in Illinois, AFSCME should be a natural constituency for Obama. But AFSCME President Gerald McEntee is incredibly close to the Clintons and viewed as Hillary's biggest booster inside labor. Perhaps Obama's performance today was a sign that AFSCME's endorsement is still in play.

Comments (5)

1. BERMAN: All three candidates more or less outlined similar priorities, stressing their determination to pass labor-friendly policies like the Employee Free Choice Act....

   Today's WSJ top-of-the-fold front page article: "For UAW chief, a Bid To Forestall Waterloo" deals with the upcoming UAW contract negotiations w/Big 3.

   Early posturing is UAW defiance....and a clear "Free Choice" for "death by a thousand cuts."

   Some key stats:

   - Gap in hourly costs between US & foreign-based makers at $30

   - Projected % of vehicles built this year in the US by UAW workers at 48%

   It seems the UAW will choose to give its dwindling members, the elite of US blue-collar `haves', as good of a life for as long as possible until they all eventually retire...along the way, sacrificing a few thousand jobs here and there as Big 3 plants shut down.

   Posted by Happy at 06/19/2007 @ 4:09pm

2. "Edwards, the candidate who most obviously identifies with the labor movement, .."

   Your kidding..right? When I mention EDWARDS...the average working American mind thinks..UNION WORKER? In whose woprld?

   "All three candidates more or less out.."

   Expanding the govt in our lives....Perfect.

   Posted by john maasch at 06/19/2007 @ 7:31pm

3. I don't think Obama is going to win the nomination. I DO think if Edwards wins it, he might pick Obama as running mate. I DON'T think that Hillary will, as it will be "too much diversity" on the ticket ("first woman AND first African-American").

   HSUB think Gore will join the fray and win it and pick Obama. First part dubious, but if it happened he's right about the second part.

   Posted by Mask at 06/19/2007 @ 9:14pm

4. Interestingly, looking at the Obama site, he does not even mention labor. It seems to me he's positioned himself to right of Hillary on many issues.

   Posted by proletariat at 06/20/2007 @ 07:33am

5. I'd like to hear his explanation for signing off on the credit card bill.

   Posted by mtspence05 at 06/22/2007 @ 11:14am