Dean set to get SEIU endorsement next week

[pruner]

A Big Union Feather In Dean's Cap

The AFL-CIO's largest union is about to back the "bottom-up" candidate, whose newfound blue-collar support is a big blow to Dick Gephardt

Howard Dean's Presidential ambitions are poised to get a major lift on Nov. 6 when the AFL-CIO's largest union, the 1.3 million member Service Employees International Union, is set to endorse him, BusinessWeek has learned. The SEIU's action, coming shortly after Dean won pledges from two small unions, the International Union of Painters and the California Teachers Assn., goes a long way toward completing the transformation of the former Vermont governor from a niche candidate backed by limousine liberals, antiwar activists, and tech-savvy young people into a mainstream candidate who can also connect with blue-collar America. Says SEIU President Andy Stern: "It's clear that Dean has gained the most support amongst our members and local leaders."

The SEIU's move would effectively kill AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney's efforts to gather labor behind Dean rival Representative Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.). Until the painters and the teachers acted on Oct. 27, Gephardt, a staunch union ally during his quarter-century in Congress, had a virtual lock on labor leaders. But with the exception of the Teamsters and the United Food & Commercial Workers, most of the 20 unions that have come out for the St. Louis lawmaker so far are smaller or less politically powerful ones. They are also mostly industrial unions, which feel the strongest debt to Gephardt. Many larger service-sector unions have been holding back, willing to sacrifice loyalty to Gephardt to be on the winning team.

<snip>

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/oct2003/nf20031030_6991_db016.htm

[La_Serpiente]

1. Gephardt

is not going to like this at all.

[Cha]

2. Thank you, Thank you , Thank you! SEIU!

I'm so grateful those People see in Dean what I and others here see in our Candidate! :D

[killbotfactory]

3. Nice...

Dean 04

[dajabr]

4. I will not post my congratulations...

Until this is a done deal.

But, If I were to do so, it would look like this:

WHOOOOOOOO - HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-)

:bounce: :party: :bounce:

Hope it's cold tomorrow so I can wear my purple SEIU wool cap (handed out at the Feb NYC anti-war march) with pride!

[Vis Numar]

5. Bwaa Bwaa Haaa

All these lame retreads in this forum bashing Dean at all times of the hours, and so what, they are wasting their time. SEIU' yea baby!

[Padraig18]

6. I'm not opening the champagne just yet, but...

... when it happens, it will be an ENORMOUS boost for our campaign! :bounce:

[PAMod]

7. This is when an endorsement really means something...

when an endorsement goes to someone other than the presumptive recipient.

I would have though that Gephardt would get all of the unions.

If this comes to pass, Gep & Kerry will be scratching their heads again.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. My AFL-CIO source says they want electibility

it's almost the sole factor.

[CMT]

9. 1.3 million members and a politically active union

This will be a very major endorsement.

[Wellong]

10. The Implosion Continues!

"Howard Dean is imploding." -John Kerry

[LuminousX]

11. Another 'Peak' in the campaign

Eighty some days away from Iowa and Dean peaks, yet again.

[Vis Numar]

12. That's it

Dean's gonna lose, can't get any better...

[polpilot]

15. Maybe Kerry meant 'exploding'.

Dean '04...

[LuminousX]

13. I just did some reading on this

I understood the SEIU was large, but I really didn't understand the ramifications of their endorsement. Contrary to what was posted in this thread, their big issue isn't electability, it is health care.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/924508.asp

The New Republic’s Lizza reports that “according to union officials and aides to several campaigns,” the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is likely to endorse Dean next week — a big deal if it happens. “With 1.6 million members, SEIU is the biggest and fastest-growing union in the AFL-CIO. Its 63-member executive board will meet in Washington on November 6..., and no other candidates are being considered for the endorsement. “It’s come down to the one candidate who has demonstrated enough support among our members,” says Andy Stern, SEIU’s president, “which is Howard Dean...”
Not only would such an endorsement be politically big for Dean in terms of labor support, but the SEIU has focused more publicly on health care than any other Democrat-affiliated interest group, and a stamp of approval for Dean could transform the ongoing debate on the issue within the Democratic field.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. IOW they polled their members to see who they liked

one fact does not lead to the other. Dean is popular with them... now.

[CMT]

14. I just read on MSNBC it is Dean or no one

meaning that while Dean is the front runner for the endorsment that they might still not endorse any candidate. So lets wait and see what happens next week for sure.