Barack Obama's AFL-CIO nod gives him one more potent weapon
With just a few days left before June ends, there's a clear frontrunner for the month's least surprising political development -- the endorsement Barack Obama received today from the AFL-CIO.
The massive conglomeration of 56 national and international unions -- comprising about 10.5 million workers -- steered clear of making a pick during the primary season because there was no consensus choice among the group's various affiliates. Many of the unions backed Obama, many supported Hillary Clinton and (while he was in the race) some were for John Edwards.
Once Obama emerged triumphant, though, it was a foregone conclusion the federation would get in his corner. And it's the clout the group's increasingly sophisticated political operation will add to his side that makes the endorsement, though predictable, noteworthy.
The days are long gone when union members voted in virtual lockstep with their leaders. But over recent campaign cycles, the federation has gotten better and better at marshaling its manpower and money to aid its favored candidates. Its get-out-the-vote efforts, for instance, played an important role in fueling the strong Democratic showing in the 2006 midterm elections.
For details on the grassroots push the AFL-CIO plans on behalf of Obama, particularly post-Labor Day, we commend your attention to this posting on the Chicago Tribune's Swamp blog.
-- Don Frederick
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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Why is this a "potent weapon"? Should we be at all surprised that socialist, historically corrupt workers organizations are backing a candidate that for all intents and purposes should be labeled a socialist and not a democrat? Voters take heed... this is no "middle road" democrat; this is a candidate that wants the government to control more of your life and is willing to tax you to pay for it and he now has the backing corrupt organizations that are responsible for stifling our nation's ability to compete with other industrialized nations through unnecessary labor costs, devastating strikes, and corruption. Vote for change indeed.
Posted by: Tad Theno | June 26, 2008 at 04:18 PM
Obama will NOW tell us where Jimmy Hoffa is buried..!!!
Posted by: aw | June 26, 2008 at 04:21 PM
I for one wouldn't even think about backing any canidate that the AFL Cio is backing.My local in Illinois has lost it's touch with the members,A union postion consists of getting a union paid vehicle to lobby for who ever the flavor of the day is on the democratic side of the ballot.
Posted by: Spanky | June 26, 2008 at 05:07 PM
Tad, it's a "potent" weapon because AFL-CIO has committed to spending $50 million of their warchest on this campaign. To put that in perspective, during all of May, John McCain's best fundraising month, he raised $21.5 million.
I do agree that the endorsement itself (aside from the money and army of volunteers) will do little. People make up their own minds, which is a good thing.
Posted by: justme2727 | June 26, 2008 at 06:07 PM