Obama Wins Indiana And Illinois SEIU

[Ethelk2044]

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/10/obama_wins_indiana_and_illinois_seiu.php

At pretty much exactly the same time that the Edwards campaign wrapped up its conference call touting his Iowa SEIU endorsement, the Obama camp sent out a release trying to steal Edwards' labor thunder with a couple SEIU endorsements of its own.

He's picked up the support of the SEIU in Indiana and in his home state of Illinois -- that latter local being one of the ones that stopped the national SEIU from making an endorsement. The campaign's release is after the jump.

The Illinois State Council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Indiana SEIU representing more than 170,000 workers has voted unanimously to endorse Barack Obama for President. The union of healthcare workers, security guards, janitors, public workers, home healthcare and childcare workers has a long-standing relationship with Senator Obama and is proud to support his candidacy.

Tom Balanoff, President of the SEIU Illinois State Council, cited Obama’s commitment to expanding access to affordable healthcare and to protecting workers’ rights as among the biggest reasons for his union’s early endorsement.


In announcing the SEIU’s endorsement, President Balanoff called Obama, “a real fighter for working families with a proven track record of getting things done.” Balanoff also cited Obama’s early opposition to the Iraq War as proof positive that he has the judgment and vision necessary to serve in the nation’s highest office.


Illinois SEIU is widely recognized as one of the most effective political organizations in the state and is committed to helping organize thousands of its members to volunteer on the Senator’s presidential campaign. Already, hundreds of members are volunteering to phone bank, door knock and to travel to neighboring states to support Obama’s presidential bid.

[AtomicKitten]

1. This is a great endorsement.

Gobama.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Excellent! Indiana, too!

[illinoisprogressive]

3. Illinois has Obama's back. and thank you, Indiana

[Debi]

4. Was it only the Illinois and Indiana votes that kept Edwards from getting the national

SEIU endorsement? Or will Obama be seeing endorsements from other states too?

[maximusveritas]

5. The Iowa one would have been better politically, but these are still good n/t

[flyarm]

6. just got this email from Edwards..camp..he gets Iowa and 9 other states endorsements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2007

CONTACT:
Colleen Murray
919-636-3203


EDWARDS WINS ENDORSEMENT OF IOWA SEIU AND NINE OTHER MAJOR STATE SEIU COUNCILS

Close to one million SEIU members choose Edwards because he has the strength and vision to win both the primary and the general election

Des Moines, Iowa – Today, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) state councils from Iowa, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, West Virginia, Ohio and Oregon announced they have endorsed Senator John Edwards for president, totaling close to one million SEIU members.

Representatives from several of the ten state councils joined Edwards for a press conference at the Eckstein Medical Research Building in Iowa City. The endorsements will allow these SEIU state councils, which collectively represent over 930,000 members, to organize efforts to turn out caucus goers on Edwards’ behalf within Iowa, and in any other state where the SEIU state councils have also endorsed Edwards. SEIU state councils across the country will be determining their endorsement decisions in the coming weeks.

“John Edwards is the only Democratic candidate with the vision, leadership and strength needed to win, not just the primary but also the general election,” said Dave Regan, representing the state councils of Ohio and West Virginia. “In the battleground states that I represent, Edwards’ broad appeal and strength at the top of the ticket will help Democrats in races at every level. He will help us build a true mandate that will bring real change to Washington, end the war in Iraq, bring truly universal health care, labor law and immigration reform – and these are the things that will improve the lives of working families across America.”

“As a Registered Nurse who knows first hand the need for health care reform, it's a great honor to announce that the members of SEIU Iowa have chosen to endorse John Edwards for president of the United States,” said Iowa SEIU Local 199 president Cathy Glasson. “In Iowa, we are uniquely positioned to see and hear the candidates, and members are well informed on the issues important to working families. John Edwards earned our support by taking a strong stand on health care and because he offers our members the greatest hope for restoring the American Dream.”

“California SEIU members know that John Edwards will be the best labor president in the history of the United States,” said Sal Rosselli, president of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. “His proposals are far and away the best among the candidates on the issues that matter most to working Americans. Edwards has taken principled stands on workers’ behalf, when others took more cautious positions on issues that demand bold action.”

Added Tyrone Freeman, president of United Long Term Care Workers West, “We embrace his vision for opportunity for working people, and are proud to join his campaign of optimism, conviction and action that will bridge the divide between the two Americas. We will do everything in our power, in Iowa, California and across America to ensure that he ends up in the White House.”



“John Edwards understands the everyday struggles faced by working families across the country,” said TJ Janssen, a homecare worker from Wenatchee, Washington. “His commitment to ensuring quality affordable health care for every American is why I’m so excited to be supporting his campaign.”

The 2,000 members of the Iowa SEIU voted to endorse Edwards for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday evening. On Friday, the membership of the California state council of the SEIU, which represents more than 656,000 working families, also voted to endorse Edwards. SEIU state councils from Washington (103,000 members), Michigan (70,000 members), Idaho (450 members), Montana (500 members), Minnesota (28,000 members), Ohio (22,000 members),West Virginia (4,000 members), and Oregon (46,000 members), also announced their endorsements on Monday.

“SEIU is at the forefront of the fight to make work pay and provide economic security to hardworking families. I have proudly stood with them on the frontlines of the fight for working Americans for years, and I am honored to earn their members’ support in each of these states today,” said Edwards. “Together, I believe we can fix the broken system in Washington that has been rigged by corporate interests, and we can make this country work for regular Americans again.”

The state SEIU endorsements bring Edwards close to the three million mark in union support. In September, Edwards earned the endorsement of the Transport Workers Union of America (200,000 active and retired members), the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (520,000 active members), the United Steelworkers (1.2 million active members and retirees), and the United Mine Workers of America (105,000 active members and retirees).

[Ninga]

7. Congrats to Obama ! This is starting to get interesting.

[Capn Sunshine]

8. Interesting..

puts a chink in the armor of invincibility doesn't it?

[Colobo]

9. Thanks, Indiana, for backing Our Next President.