Hillary wins endorsement of public employees union
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Kim Chipman
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton gained the endorsement of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees today, giving her campaign the support of the biggest labor group in Iowa.
``This is the Democrat who can win the White House in 2008,'' Gerald McEntee, president of the 1.4 million-member union, said at a news conference in Washington.
The union represents 30,000 workers in Iowa who will go ``block by block'' to drum up support for Clinton, he said. The union also plans an advertising campaign for Clinton in the state.
``This is a tremendous boost for Clinton,'' said Donna Brazile, who ran former Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000. Union members know their communities and ``will be there when it matters,'' she said.
Clinton, a New York Democrat, accepted the endorsement at a press conference today and promised AFSCME members that she will work to make U.S. labor laws more union friendly and to create a ``more prosperous middle class.''
``When it comes to fighting for America's working families, I'll go 10 rounds with anybody,'' Clinton said.
Clinton and other Democratic candidates have been wooing organized labor in spite of declining union membership because of the ability of unions to turn out voters.
A University of Iowa poll released Oct. 29 found that Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama are in a statistical tie in Iowa among the party's likely caucus-goers. Former Senator John Edwards garnered 20 percent.
Edwards, who has made courting unions a priority, has won the endorsement of the 1.9 million-member Service Employees International Union in 10 states, including Iowa, California and Michigan. Earlier today, he won the backing of SEIU's New Hampshire chapter. The union has declined to make a national endorsement, saying its membership is too divided between Clinton, Obama and Edwards.
Edwards drew little support among AFSCME members and failed to win the support of any of the union's state chapters, according to McEntee. Obama won Illinois, Georgia and Hawaii, McEntee said.
Clinton earlier this month won the backing of the American Federation of Teachers, a 1.4 million-member national union, and in August got the endorsement of the United Transportation Union, which represents 125,000 retirees and railroad, bus and mass transit workers.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, made up of more than 281,000 firefighters and paramedics, has endorsed Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd.
AFSCME endorsed Clinton after the union's executive council met today. Clinton received support of more than 70 percent, according to McEntee.
The main difference between Clinton and her competitors is her chance of being elected, said Larry Weinberg, AFSCME's general counsel.
``I'm not sure she's that much different on the issues,'' Weinberg, 62, said today. ``But she has a much better chance of winning than the others.''
Bloomberg
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton gained the endorsement of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees today, giving her campaign the support of the biggest labor group in Iowa.
``This is the Democrat who can win the White House in 2008,'' Gerald McEntee, president of the 1.4 million-member union, said at a news conference in Washington.
The union represents 30,000 workers in Iowa who will go ``block by block'' to drum up support for Clinton, he said. The union also plans an advertising campaign for Clinton in the state.
``This is a tremendous boost for Clinton,'' said Donna Brazile, who ran former Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000. Union members know their communities and ``will be there when it matters,'' she said.
Clinton, a New York Democrat, accepted the endorsement at a press conference today and promised AFSCME members that she will work to make U.S. labor laws more union friendly and to create a ``more prosperous middle class.''
``When it comes to fighting for America's working families, I'll go 10 rounds with anybody,'' Clinton said.
Clinton and other Democratic candidates have been wooing organized labor in spite of declining union membership because of the ability of unions to turn out voters.
A University of Iowa poll released Oct. 29 found that Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama are in a statistical tie in Iowa among the party's likely caucus-goers. Former Senator John Edwards garnered 20 percent.
Edwards, who has made courting unions a priority, has won the endorsement of the 1.9 million-member Service Employees International Union in 10 states, including Iowa, California and Michigan. Earlier today, he won the backing of SEIU's New Hampshire chapter. The union has declined to make a national endorsement, saying its membership is too divided between Clinton, Obama and Edwards.
Edwards drew little support among AFSCME members and failed to win the support of any of the union's state chapters, according to McEntee. Obama won Illinois, Georgia and Hawaii, McEntee said.
Clinton earlier this month won the backing of the American Federation of Teachers, a 1.4 million-member national union, and in August got the endorsement of the United Transportation Union, which represents 125,000 retirees and railroad, bus and mass transit workers.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, made up of more than 281,000 firefighters and paramedics, has endorsed Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd.
AFSCME endorsed Clinton after the union's executive council met today. Clinton received support of more than 70 percent, according to McEntee.
The main difference between Clinton and her competitors is her chance of being elected, said Larry Weinberg, AFSCME's general counsel.
``I'm not sure she's that much different on the issues,'' Weinberg, 62, said today. ``But she has a much better chance of winning than the others.''
Bloomberg