AFL-CIO Delays Presidential Endorsement

[HFishbine]

(From the Guardian)

Thursday September 11, 2003 2:19 PM


By LEIGH STROPE

AP Labor Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt retain their top tier status, but an endorsement for the Democratic presidential nomination from the largest union in the AFL-CIO will have to wait, union leaders have decided.

Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern said Wednesday that members weren't ready to commit to any of the nine vying to challenge President Bush next year.

A survey of 1,500 SEIU conference participants this week found Dean and Gephardt the top contenders along with John Edwards, who pushed John Kerry off the list. Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, was an early favorite among several powerful union leaders.

Rankings and vote totals in the latest survey were not disclosed.

The endorsement delay reflects the growing popularity of Dean, who is intriguing union leaders with his ability to raise money from the Internet and the size of crowds he is attracting.

(more)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3134392,00.html

[CMT]

1. Good news for the Dean campaign

and all the other campaigns except Gep's--he was banking on this.

[onehandle]

2. This is like the sixth time this has been posted.

There is a search function.