A Big Union Feather In Dean's Cap

[Rose Siding]

The AFL-CIO's largest union is about to back the "bottom-up" candidate, whose newfound blue-collar support is a big blow to Dick Gephardt

Howard Dean's Presidential ambitions are poised to get a major lift on Nov. 6 when the AFL-CIO's largest union, the 1.3 million member Service Employees International Union, is set to endorse him, BusinessWeek has learned. The SEIU's action, coming shortly after Dean won pledges from two small unions, the International Union of Painters and the California Teachers Assn., goes a long way toward completing the transformation of the former Vermont governor from a niche candidate backed by limousine liberals, antiwar activists, and tech-savvy young people into a mainstream candidate who can also connect with blue-collar America. Says SEIU President Andy Stern: "It's clear that Dean has gained the most support amongst our members and local leaders."

The SEIU's move would effectively kill AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney's efforts to gather labor behind Dean rival Representative Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.). Until the painters and the teachers acted on Oct. 27, Gephardt, a staunch union ally during his quarter-century in Congress, had a virtual lock on labor leaders. But with the exception of the Teamsters and the United Food & Commercial Workers, most of the 20 unions that have come out for the St. Louis lawmaker so far are smaller or less politically powerful ones. They are also mostly industrial unions, which feel the strongest debt to Gephardt. Many larger service-sector unions have been holding back, willing to sacrifice loyalty to Gephardt to be on the winning team.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/oct2003/nf20031030_6991_db016.htm

[pruner]

1. WOW!

this is great news.

[alphafemale]

2. Very cool!

I've been speaking with local union people.

They liked Dean but couldn't commit yet.

[goforit]

3. YeeeeHaw!!!!!...............Thank you AFL-CIO!!!

Gepthart doesn't deserve you all!

He's been a phoney from day 1!!!

[La_Serpiente]

4. Well

I wouldn't say phony on issues about unions. But on the Iraq war, yeah.

[Cha]

5. Wonderful! How can Life be so Grreat?!!

I'm so thankful for our campaign's endorsements!

[pruner]

6. here's another source

"Howard Dean is about to take another huge step toward winning the Democratic nomination," Ryan Lizza writes in the New Republic (link to come tomorrow). "According to union officials and aides to several campaigns, it is nearly certain that the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will endorse Dean next week. This may sound like just another obscure piece of campaign inside baseball, but the endorsement could transform the race."

Editor's Note: I have now heard this same intelligence from several informed Political Wire readers in the last 24 hours. The endorsement is expected on November 6th. Rep. Dick Gephardt's campaign is working frantically to get the union to delay the decision.

http://www.politicalwire.com/

[Brucey]

7. Cool.

Go Dems!

[Vikingking66]

8. Well, I think I'm spent :)

Seriously, so much good Dean news in the past week,
I am dancing to my classes and getting funny looks.

This feels great. Gephardt has been slinging shit
at us for so damn long that I feared Dean's message
was getting drowned out by it, that it feels like redemption to see
the most progressive union in the country see the
light.

This is the best part:

"Editor's Note: I have now heard this same intelligence from several informed Political Wire readers in the last 24 hours. The endorsement is expected on November 6th. Rep. Dick Gephardt's campaign is working frantically to get the union to delay the decision."

[Vikingking66]

9. Big news here

"Now, AFSCME is seriously considering Dean, as are several other unions, including the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, insiders say."

Dean's pulled big for the CWA during their Verizon strike.
Seriously, if Dean can start pulling off unions one at a
time, Gephardt's screwed.

[pruner]

10. every union that endorses Dean (or Kerry)

is a blow to Gephardt.

[Cha]

11. I guess that rose garden stunt didn't help

after all. If that was geppy's intention, and I don't see why else he would have done it.

[Demobrat]

12. WOO-HOO. I just walked in from seeing him

in Oakland, to this. This man is going to be our next president, and a great one he will be. Thank god.

[pruner]

13. photos from today's Dean rally with SEIU healthcare workers in San Fran

http://sf4dean.com/gallery/album03

http://sf4dean.com/gallery/SF10-29-03

[JaneQPublic]

14. I heard this might happen, but never believed it would be true...

...and this on the heels of the Dean endorsement by IUPAT (Painters and assicated trades).

Good news for Dr. Deans and his many grassroots backers.

[northernsoul]

21. IUPAT is very active here in the Twin Cities

After we lost Paul Wellstone and we were all pretty well shell-shocked, the IUPATers came up HUGE for the Mondale campaign - putting up campaign signs on almost every flat surface in town and letting the campaign use their union halls as home base.

IUPATers are tough-ass tooth and nail political fighters. If I were Norm Coleman, I wouldn't want to be left alone in a room full of them. This is a huge gain for Dean. Hats off to IUPAT, and hats off to Dean for winning them over.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

15. This is the best news so far

in a week that has been full of good news for Dean.

This may indeed be newsguy's big news "that will transform the race." This is an incredibly powerful endorsement.

Yip yip yippeee!!! :bounce:

[Rose Siding]

17. That's what I was thinking

...about the secret, but I'm not sure. :freak:

[silverweb]

16. Beautiful..!!

:bounce:

Next weeks MeetUp is gonna be a great one... so much good news!

[bleedingheart]

18. that is a HUGE union! I mean HUGE!

and very organized.

[Upfront]

19. Yes!

I thought this would happen. Rank&File are with Dean.

[Bandit]

20. People who are listening seem to like what Dean has to say

I realize there are people on these boards and in Washington DC who think Dean is a loser and will spell major defeat for the Democrats in 2004. They could very well be correct but that doesn't stop a majority of people who listen to all candidates to chose the person that says what the people want to hear. Dean seems to be doing that. People like what he says. Has he ever lost a political race? I don't believe he is the loser everyone seems to think he is. There is still a lot of time for everyone to make an impression and I will be paying attention as I have yet to make any decision on who to vote for. I do like what Dean has to say though and I also like Kerry. It is a very interesting race and I'm sure a lot more will be said by all.

[RetroLounge]

22. What fantastic news! One union at a time goes to Dean!

Taking back our country!

What a great news week for Dean and the Campaign...

[jsw_81]

23. Excellent

[WillyT]

24. Wow !!! --- "Either Endorse Dean, Or No One"... Another Article Here:

<snip>

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 — Democratic presidential front-runner Howard Dean appeared on the brink of a major triumph Thursday, as the nation’s largest labor union said it would either endorse him or no Democratic contender when its board meets next week. Service Employees International Union president Andrew Stern said, “It is becoming clear that the passion of the members lies with Governor Dean, and that ultimately the decision before the board will be to either endorse him or endorse no one.”

<snip>

Link: http://www.msnbc.com/news/986956.asp?0cv=CB10

All I can say is, WOW!!!