Detroit News: MEA leader endorses Kerry for President

[CitizenDick]

http://www.detnews.com/2003/editorial/0307/17/a15-219725.htm

The Detroit News

Thursday, July 17, 2003

MEA leader endorses Kerry for president

By George Weeks / The Detroit News

Lu Battaglieri, president of the Michigan Education Association, is not one to hesitate to make an early Democratic primary endorsement of a qualified candidate he views as the most electable.

Last year, he engineered the teacher union's early support of Jennifer Granholm for governor, even though he liked ex-Gov. Jim Blanchard and U.S. Rep. David Bonior, who had the support of much of organized labor.

Now Battaglieri has made a personal endorsement of U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts for president. It's a nice coup for Kerry, who has other prominent state supporters but according to early polling faces tough competition in Michigan's Feb. 7 presidential caucus -- the first of 2004 in a major industrial state.

"It's all about electability and the capacity to raise money," said Battaglieri, who adds that the MEA and the National Education Association had not and might not endorse. He finds Kerry, who has a sister teaching in the Boston schools, strong on education -- "very knowledgeable about everything going on" regarding school issues...

[phillybri]

1. Great stuff....

Go Kerry!!!

[chimpymustgo]

2. Good news for Kerry.

nt

[blm]

3. Kerry also campaigned for Granholm...

I think he'll do well in Michigan. There are a number of veterans organizations in Mi., too.

[tpub]

4. woo-hoo

The word is getting out--Kerry can do it!