Pennsylvania has the fourth highest total of union workers in the nation, and they will have a strong say in how more than 4.1 million Pennsylvania Democrats, a record registration, vote to allocate 158 delegates to the Democratic national convention. …
Labor has a rich history in Pennsylvania, where the AFL has roots in Pittsburgh dating to 1881 and the CIO since 1928. The Steelworkers remain strong in western Pennsylvania, the United Mine Workers in the mountains and the Teamsters, SEIU and the teachers dominate the urban centers. The power rests with Pennsylvania’s AFL-CIO, which claims 900,000 workers and retirees and at least one AFL-CIO member in each of the state’s 67 counties. Union endorsements are powerful in Pennsylvania, where January’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, the highest since December 2005.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20080401-1217-pennsylvania-unions.html
Tags: afl-cio, aft, hillary, seiu, teamsters, ufcw, umw, usw
April 2, 2008 at 6:32 am |
Clinton holds a double-digit lead in polls and they point to Ohio, where Clinton won by 10 percentage points, as a harbinger of what could happen in Pennsylvania. Both states are home to many older voters and white, blue-collar workers with little or no college, the heart of Clinton’s support. Clinton already has won five of the eight states with the largest union populations: California (2,474,000), her home state of New York (2,055,000), the disputed primary in Michigan (819,000), New Jersey (748,000) and Ohio (730,000). ….
AFSCME president Gerald McEntee plans to go all-out for Clinton with appearances, ads, leafleting and phone banks. AFSCME has spent more than $5 million on Clinton’s behalf since December, including in the Ohio primary and plans the same effort for Pennsylvania. “Listen, brother, we’re on the move,” McEntee said.
But the United Steelworkers and the United Mine Workers unions could affect the outcome. Both are strong in Pennsylvania’s western and Appalachian regions; both have been neutral since Edwards dropped out.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20080401-1217-pennsylvania-unions.html
April 2, 2008 at 6:32 am |
Harry Reid’s son goes with Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign
ASSOCIATED PRESS
6:23 p.m. February 18, 2007
WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has not endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate, but his son has. Rory Reid is signing on as Nevada chairman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential bid. He will be senior adviser on Western issues including public lands, transportation, resources and conservation, growth and affordable housing, the New York senator’s campaign said in a statement Sunday. Reid, 44, is chairman of the Clark County, Nev., Commission and a former chairman of the Nevada State Democratic Party. The announcement prompted his father to release a statement noting he is still neutral.
“Rory is a 44-year-old man who makes his own decisions and I respect him for that, but let me be very clear: Rory’s work with Sen. Clinton should in no way be taken as an endorsement by me,” the senator said in a statement.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20070218-1823-onthe2008trail.html
April 2, 2008 at 6:36 am |
http://www.diversityj.com/Statistics2008Primary.html
Murdock’s (nypost.com) ringing endorsement of BO
For all his charisma and his eloquence, the rookie senator sorely lacks seasoning: Regarding national security, his worldview is beyond naive; America must defend itself against those sworn to destroy the nation. His all-things-to-all-people approach to complicated domestic issues also arouses scant confidence. “Change!” for the sake of change does not a credible campaign platform make. But he remains a highly intelligent man, with a strong record as a conciliator. …
At least Obama has the ability to inspire. Again, we don’t agree much with Obama on substantive issues. But many Democrats will.
http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/01302008/postopinion/editorials/post_endorses_barack_obama_813218.htm
Clinton 9 Atop Obama, 5 Weeks to Indiana Democratic Primary:
In a Democratic Primary in Indiana today, 04/01/08, 5 weeks until votes are counted,
Hillary Clinton defeats Barack Obama 52% to 43%, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for WHAS-TV Louisville and WCPO-TV Cincinnati.
Clinton leads 2:1 among the oldest voters.
Clinton leads by 21 points among whites.
Obama leads by 58 points among blacks.
Obama leads in greater Indianapolis. Clinton leads in Northern, Central and Southern Indiana.
Clinton leads by 2 among men and by 17 among women.
Among voters focused on Iraq, the candidates tie.
Among voters focused on the Economy, Clinton leads by 14.
Among voters focused on health care, Clinton leads by 10.
Clinton leads by 12 among those who describe themselves as Democrats.
Obama leads by 26 points among Independents.
Clinton leads by 21 among Republicans.
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=35417ff6-4985-47ce-8e1b-3fbe566d108d
April 2, 2008 at 6:41 am |
Senator Hillary Clinton
Pennsylvania A.F.L.-C.I.O.
April 1, 2008
No one knows better than our unions what it means to fight for the underdog. Every day, you are standing up for workers who need someone to stand with them. And I’m in this race for the very same reason – to fight for everyone who needs a champion in their corner.
* * *
After seven disastrous years of George Bush and Dick Cheney, the stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. And the need to change course couldn’t be more urgent. But John McCain is only offering more of the same.
John McCain admits he doesn’t understand the economy – and unfortunately he’s proving it in this campaign. He looked at the housing crisis, and he blamed consumers. And his plan for the economy is to extend George Bush’s tax cuts for billionaires and give a new $100 billion corporate tax cut. The Bush/McCain philosophy could not be clearer – the “ownership society” really means “you’re on your own.”
But don’t take my word for it. Even Republican Senator Mel Martinez gave Senator McCain’s economic plan an “incomplete” when he said: “where I think he fell short…is the fact that we need to do some things that can help families, that can help people.”
You know, sometimes when that phone rings at 3am in the White House it’s an economic crisis. It seems like John McCain would just let it ring and ring and ring.
Well that’s not good enough for the families I meet every day who are struggling in this economy. Like the little girl who stood up at a town hall meeting and asked me what I was going to do “about people and children that don’t have any food or houses?” I started to commend her on her concern for those less fortunate, when she interrupted me and said, “I’m losing my house.”
I think we’ve had enough of a President who didn’t know enough about economics, and didn’t do enough for the American middle class. We’re ready for a President who will meet the challenges of our time.
Now I know taking on Senator McCain in November won’t be easy. The Republicans aren’t going to give up without a fight. And no matter how beautiful your rhetoric, the Republicans aren’t going to turn off their attack machine – it doesn’t have an off switch.
But one thing you know about me is that when I say I’ll fight for you, I’ll fight for you. I know that there will be hurdles and setbacks between now and November. But I also know that I’m ready. I know what it’s like to stumble. I know what it means to get knocked down. But I’ve never stayed down, and I never will.
Now, this is one of the most important elections we’ve ever had. There is so much at stake. But just as it’s getting time to vote here in Pennsylvania, Senator Obama says he’s getting tired of it. His supporters say they want it to end.
Well, could you imagine if Rocky Balboa had gotten half way up those Art Museum steps and said, “Well, I guess that’s about far enough?”
Let me tell you something, when it comes to finishing the fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit. I never give up. And neither do the American people.
We have a lot of work to do together, and we won’t get it done by quitting or walking away. We’ll do it by staying and fighting and standing up for what we believe in.
But I don’t need to tell that to all of you. No one knows better than organized labor how important it is to have a fighter on your side. When you send someone to that bargaining table, you need the strongest, toughest, most determined person you’ve got. Not someone who is just going to talk about problems. But someone who will roll up her sleeves and get the job done.
And that’s what you need in your President. A President who will work as hard for you as you do for America. And if you give me the chance, I will be that President. You know that’s what I’ll do because that’s what I’ve always done.
Alongside labor, I fought for and passed an extension of unemployment insurance in the wake of September 11.
Alongside labor, I’m fighting on behalf of the brave and patriotic workers who came to Ground Zero after September 11 and then got sick because the air wasn’t safe to breathe.
Alongside labor, I’ve fought for the collective bargaining rights of DHS employees, DOD employees, TSA screeners, and public servants like our firefighters and police officers.
Alongside labor, I’ve supported the Helmets to Hardhats program, to help veterans get good jobs after their service. And I’m working with my good friend, Congressman Murtha to expand this great program.
And I’ve fought alongside labor in my home state of New York – home to one out of every seven union members in America. I’ve urged CEOs to return to the bargaining table, encouraged employer neutrality in organizing campaigns, urged construction companies to hire local union workers, and joined workers on the picket line.
And I’ll keep standing with you, fighting with you, and speaking out for you every single day as President of the United States.
* * *
I’ll fight for every single job in America – and create millions of new, high paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. President Bush has stood by and watched as we’ve lost 3 million manufacturing jobs. And he’s done nothing about the loopholes in our tax code that actually encourage companies to ship jobs overseas. Meanwhile, Senator McCain believes business as usual on trade is just fine. He says that some lost jobs “are not coming back,” and that seems fine with him too.
Well I think it’s time for a different approach. Today, I am announcing that my aggressive infrastructure agenda will create 3 million jobs over the next decade. After the failed levees in New Orleans and the tragic bridge collapse in Minnesota, we don’t need any more devastating wake up calls. And you don’t need to look any further than I-95 to know how widespread this problem is.
We’re trying to run today’s economy on yesterday’s infrastructure – and we’re jeopardizing tomorrow’s prosperity. So I will rebuild America – by rebuilding, repairing and modernizing our infrastructure.
And I want to salute the work of Governor Rendell on this issue. He has not only made great strides here in Pennsylvania but has been a national leader on infrastructure. I look forward to working hand-in-hand with him as President.
My Rebuild America plan will create a $10 billion Emergency Repair Fund to identify and repair critical infrastructure problems in our bridges, tunnels and roads. We’ll modernize transportation systems in our cities and protect the environment by investing in public transit and inter-city rail. We’ll connect America with a national broadband infrastructure. And we’ll create a National Infrastructure Bank and use bonding authority to make the long-term investments in every dimension of public infrastructure – from seaports to highway systems to canals and levees.
In World War II we had War Bonds. Maybe it’s time we ask Americans again to play a part in rebuilding America.
These projects will strengthen our economy – and create room for our economy to grow. And we can put at least 3 million Americans to work – in good jobs, with good benefits, at prevailing wages.
http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/04/01/hillary-rocky-clinton-in-philadelphis/