Teamsters Formalize Gephardt Endorsement

[Nambe]

Presidential Elections - AP

DETROIT - Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt formally accepted the Teamsters union endorsement Saturday, a major prize in his pursuit of the nation's workers as the backbone of his campaign for next year's election.

The Missouri congressman, who unofficially won the 1.4 million-member union's nod Aug. 1, immediately went to work wooing labor to gain ground in the nine-way fight for the nomination.

"I will fight for jobs for the American people," Gephardt told a crowd at Teamsters Joint Council 43 headquarters in Detroit. "I won't step aside and let trade treaties go through that compromise our jobs." ---