Major union flips support from Sanders to Biden...This is Great...Wow.....Go Joe..😎🎨

[Iamaartist]

Joe Biden scored the endorsement Saturday of a major transit union that officially backed Bernie Sanders in 2016.

“Joe has been very supportive of the labor movement for the last 40 years. He stands for working families. We recognize he’s a great candidate,” John Costa, international president of the 200,000-member Amalgamated Transit Union, told POLITICO. “We think Joe can beat Donald Trump.”



The issue of Biden’s electability was the driving force behind the decision and a key concern of the union’s membership, which was randomly surveyed by phone in an “extensive poll” conducted by a professional pollster ATU hired, Costa said.



The issue of Biden’s electability was the driving force behind the decision and a key concern of the union’s membership, which was randomly surveyed by phone in an “extensive poll” conducted by a professional pollster ATU hired, Costa said.

“The numbers came back very strong for Joe,” Costa said, declining to discuss details of the “internal” survey. “Not only did people support him, but we asked who would be best to beat Trump, and he was overwhelmingly seen as the best to do it.“

The endorsement comes at a critical time for the two candidates ahead of Monday’s caucus in Iowa, where Sanders has a marginal lead in polling averages.

Both men have also slugged it out with union endorsements, with Sanders scoring the support of the American Postal Workers Union Thursday. Sanders worked hard for the ATU endorsement as well, and on Jan. 23 tweeted heralded its successful 84-day strike in Virginia that ended Jan. 16. Four days after Sanders’ tweet, Biden also congratulated the union via Twitter.

Costa said the union — the largest labor union representing transit and allied workers in the U.S. and Canada — can provide immediate support to Biden in Iowa, where ATU has chapters in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo and Des Moines.


A bus driver talks to a lot of voters in a day, often more than a police officer or a fighter or a teacher,” Costa said.

In March 2016, the ATU issued a relatively late but important endorsement for Sanders, citing “his long standing fidelity to the issues that are so important to working people are what convinced us that standing with Bernie is standing with the 99% of America that has been left out of the mainstream public debate, cheated out of our jobs and denied the true meaning of the American dream.”

The prospect of a second Trump term in the White House proved too troubling to the union for them to wager on Sanders.

“We appreciate Sen. Sanders,” Costa said. “We don’t want to say anything bad about him. But this is about beating Trump and our members believe Joe is the best one to do it.”





https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/01/biden-amalgamated-transit-union-endorsement-110153

[DownriverDem]

1. Question

Why do folks support a candidate who can't win? Biden can win enough states to beat trump. Go Joe!

[Iamaartist]

2. I guess they believe in promises that wont happen...Go Joe.....

Keep rolling Joe

[MH1]

9. Because nothing is guaranteed and who is "electable" is arguable.

Oh, I agree that electability IS important. But there are a lot of factors to be considered.

I think some people genuinely believe that ANY one running for the other major party (us) against Trump, can beat Trump because he is so awful. I think that is tragically incorrect but if someone genuinely believes it, of course they will look at policy first.

Some other people assume that all people with a "D" on their registration can be turned out to vote for the D candidate, whoever it is. I think that is also tragically incorrect. (Recent history tends to support my assessment.)

Then there are other strategic factors that I take into account - mainly how do we build the party? "Build it and they will vote", sort of.

So it isn't obvious that Joe is the only or even the most "electable" candidate. I think the simplistic analysis says he is. Looking a little deeper, it's more complicated.

(And for the record, I don't think Sanders is electable. Any more than I thought Clinton was electable in 2016. I didn't want to be right in 2016 and God help us if I am proved right again. I much prefer the question to be irrelevant in November 2020.)

[RandySF]

27. A lot of people think anyone can knock Trump out.

[NurseJackie]

40. That's a big "GET" for Biden and a very humiliating REJECTION of Burny.

People are catching on, at last, thankfully.

[OliverQ]

43. Because Biden can't beat Trump.

The young generation had the largest voter turnout in 2018. They will not turnout for Biden. Biden is banking on the hope than some Trump supporters and Never Trump Republicans will pick him and that will be enough, while losing most of the young and new voters.

[Cha]

3. . "We think Joe can beat Donald Trump." ATU!

Thank you!

[Iamaartist]

4. K&R

Joe is the best.....

[onetexan]

17. Make that 2!!

Aloha Cha!

[Cha]

23. Aloha, onetexan!

[still_one]

5. Great graphics Iamaartist and great endorsement!!!

[Iamaartist]

6. K&R still-one

[still_one]

7. +++

[Iamaartist]

8. +++

[paleotn]

10. That is interesting.

[Iamaartist]

11. Yes interesting...😎

[ashredux]

12. The Ship is listing...we need a steady hand on wheel

That is Joe Biden

[Sloumeau]

13. I get the feeling that upper management decided to endorse Bernie Sanders...

without actually checking with the rank and file. Then, they heard from the rank and file, and the average Joe's wanted a change.

[marlakay]

14. Actually other way around

We belong to that union. They always send out stuff telling you who they are for and we just do who we want.

But management especially at Bart makes good money so more likely to vote for a more moderate candidate. The whole time my hubby worked there they always chose the moderate one.

[emmaverybo]

30. But not in 2016. Yes? Maybe I am missing something. Or maybe you mean just BART management

goes for moderate and was over-ridden by the union as a whole entity.

[Iamaartist]

50. i agree ...

[flamingdem]

15. We all need to believe in Joe!

Joe for the win against tyranny 2020!

[Iamaartist]

18. Agree..Go Joe

[Scurrilous]

16. K&R

[Iamaartist]

19. K&R

[peggysue2]

20. Way to go, Joe!

[Iamaartist]

34. Way To Go Joe.....

[HarlanPepper]

21. Great news for Joe!

[Iamaartist]

35. Great Go Joe !!!

[Gothmog]

22. This is a BFD

Link to tweet

?s=20

[R B Garr]

24. Yes! This is yuuuge!

[Iamaartist]

36. Dance

[lapucelle]

32. The twitter mob is angry.

[Iamaartist]

38. This is a BD...Thanks for The information ....

[showblue22]

25. This is awesome news for Joe.

[Iamaartist]

39. K&R

[LakeArenal]

26. Unions like to keep the benefits they worked hard to get.

That includes health insurance.

[Iamaartist]

47. Agree....

[NYMinute]

28. Great news!

That union's koolaid delivery was late .....

Go Joe

[Iamaartist]

48. LOL

[Joinfortmill]

29. Love Joe

The more Trump tries to smear Joe, the more popular he becomes.

[Iamaartist]

45. Agree..That Trump con gotta go....and GOP...

[emmaverybo]

31. Iamhappy! Thanks! Beautiful graphics. Bold and big and joyous!

[Iamaartist]

37. Go Joe....dance

[emmaverybo]

42. Amazing. Gives me joy. Be-bopping delightful flamingo. With the glasses!

[Iamaartist]

44. My favorite bird....🦩

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. K&R

[Iamaartist]

46. K&R

[Hortensis]

41. Electability's huge, but I wish the reason cited had been good character.

Bad character has taken over on the right and become dangerously destructive. And in spite of that it's given very little attention, even among a left that's watching in horror, many seemingly obvious to signs of danger from the left.

And I believe this lack of attention is in large part due to that "giant right wing (including Russia) conspiracy" to destroy us through corruption, demoralization, and degradation of the electorate.

[Iamaartist]

49. Alot of the voters dont understand how important this election is to get rid of the con....