Obama Team Restates Strong Support For Union Bill

[Pirate Smile]

An aide to Barack Obama reaffirmed the President-elect's support for the labor movement's chief legislative priority in a one-word statement issued to the Huffington Post on late Tuesday.
Asked if Obama's support for the Employee Free Choice Act remained as strong as his public proclamations suggested on the campaign trail, transition spokesman Dan Pfeiffer responded, succinctly, "Yes."

The reaffirmation may not seem like a political breakthrough on its surface. But in the current political climate, in which the Obama team has steadfastly refused to comment on various legislative priorities, it does signal that the President-elect is not shying away from progressive pledges made during his campaign.

Moreover, it clears the air of some confusion that was prompted by a statement from Rahm Emanuel in late November. Appearing at a Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference, the incoming White House chief of staff spoke opaquely about the so-called "card check" bill, leaving the impression to some that it would not be a priority.
"Let me take your question and go somewhere else," he said of the measure, which would allow workers to form unions more easily by simply signing cards rather than engaging in a ballot process.

Some were concerned by Emanuel's remarks, taking them as a signal that Obama would push back aspects of the pro-labor agenda in order to tackle other pressing economic matters. Press reports enforced the theory that Emanuel had "declined to say whether the White House would support the legislation."

In private, however, Obama allies insisted that the Emanuel's statement was not a dodge but rather a joke, meant to lighten the mood and change the subject in front of an audience of business leaders hostile to the legislation. Pfeiffer's remark -- even in its brevity -- should go a bit further in assuaging concerns over Obama's pro-labor commitments.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/03/obama-team-restates-stron_n_147939.html

[cali]

1. this is very good news.

news that those throwing shit fits over Obama, will ignore, as they ignore every scrap of evidence that Obama is NOT some evil DLCer.

[bunnies]

2. k&r.

[Unsane]

3. Very good, hope it gets passed quickly.

[cali]

4. says tons about DU that this gets ignored

[ellacott]

5. Yes it does

This is good news but it doesn't fit into the narrative many have of Obama.

[4lbs]

12. That's because there's almost nothing to criticize in this article. Therefore, the dozen or so

hypercritical "OMG!!!! Why isn't he doing more to address <insert position/issue here> ?!?!?!?!?" DUers ignore it, waiting until they can go negative once again.

[rockymountaindem]

6. Good to hear n/t

[eridani]

7. If the business leaders don't like it, Obama can just tell them--

--that he is trying to give them customers with money to spend.

[ellacott]

8. K&R

[Omaha Steve]

9. Another K&R!

For the workers of America.

[AzDar]

10. Good.

:thumbsup:

[mzmolly]

11. Much needed CHANGE

is coming our way. :D

[Sunnyshine]

13. K & R - Great news and it keeps getting better everyday! n/t

[Coexist]

14. K & R!

[Occam Bandage]

15. This is good news indeed. Yet DU would rather point to statements made

out of context years ago by mid-level appointees as evidence "progressives are left out in the cold."

[Uzybone]

16. Not good enough! Why hasn't he signed it into law yet???

Hmmm. Hmmmm????

[mikiturner]

17. Considering he hasn't turned the economy around

Just another disappointment from the Obama administration. :sarcasm:

[Beacool]

18. A question:

Will this do away from secret ballot elections when you vote for your union officials?

[amborin]

19. good news; we need to hear O say it not just privately, but publicly and LOUDLY

[Occam Bandage]

20. Nothing is ever good enough.

[cali]

21. bwahahahaha.

how cartoonish of you. how petulantly, predictably cartoonish.

And sorry, he doesn't need to do anything of the sort. It's just fine if a spokesperson makes clear what his views are on given issues. That's why they have press secretaries and spokespeople.

[ellacott]

23. Loudly?

Why must he say THIS loudly? Some of you are sounding like children.

smdh

[ClarkUSA]

22. Wait a minute... this can't be right. DLC DUers insist Obama's a centrist!

I love it how the same assholes who insisted Obama was unelectable because he was "the most liberal senator" are now
desperately trying to put the Clintonian centrist DLC label on him in order to claim Barack (and his electoral success) as
one of their own.

[amborin]

24. doesn't take a leftist to give a modicum of support to unions, for ----sakes

[ClarkUSA]

25. It takes a progressive to unequivocally support this union bill without Clintonian hemming & hawing

I would bet pro-corporate DLC Democrats would be hard-pressed to support this union bill.

[amborin]

26. guess i'm not sure

what you're talking about

i'll have to read the bill

but, yeah, many dlc dems are aligned with the right and very anti-union; pathetic!