AFL-CIO Presidential Candidate Endorsement Process Will Be "Bottom-Up"

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/5429

AFL-CIO Presidential Candidate Endorsement Process Will Be "Bottom-Up" - 03/08/07

By Doug Cunningham

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says the labor federation will involve union members and their families in a six month program to choose a presidential candidate to support. Sweeney says labor will “finish what we started”. AFSCME’s Gerald McEntee says this bottom-up endorsement process will mobilize the grassroots of the labor movement as never before.

: “Our members are more than just voters, they're activists. They're the roots and grassroots, so they're the drivers in this process."

The AFL-CIO will organize a series of candidate forums worker-to worker discussions and online idea exchanges to give working people more opportunities to engage the candidates for president on the issues.

: “What we're going to do is look at every candidate's record, their position on the issues, the viability of their campaign. We want to win. And their success at motivating and inspiring our members throughout this process."

The AFL-CIO says it expects it have an even greater impact on the 2008 elections than it did in the congressional elections, where labor was key in taking control of the Congress from Republicans.


AUDIO story here: http://www.laborradio.org/files/lo/winsheadlines.ram

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Sounds like the Teamsters and SEIU gave them a few 'lessons learned' n/t