Obama picking up union endorsements (1 Viewer)

[DavidM]

SEIU expected to endorse Obama

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, AP Labor Writer 1 hour, 17 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama is expected to be endorsed Friday by the Service Employees International Union, one of the nation's most powerful, union officials have told The Associated Press.

The sought-after endorsement would be Obama's largest from organized labor, and give him a powerful boost against rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the March 4 presidential primaries in Ohio and Texas.

The 1.8 million-member union is likely to endorse Obama on Friday, the union officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080215/ap_on_el_pr/obama_union_endorsement



Obama Scores Top Union Endorsement

February 14, 2008, 5:45 pm

Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.

The 1.3-million-member United Food and Commercial Workers union endorsed Sen. Barack Obama today over rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, in a nod that could hold implications for the upcoming high-stakes contests on March 4 in Ohio and Texas. The UFCW has 70,000 members in Ohio, 40% of which are under 30 years of age — a demographic that has trended toward the Illinois senator this election cycle. In a statement, president Joe Hansen noted the union has “a powerful presence and a strong organization” in Texas and Ohio, as well as Wisconsin and Hawaii, which will hold their contests on Feb. 19.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/02/14/obama-scores-top-union-endorsement/

 

[Severum]

Should help in Texas and Ohio.

Clinton's superdelegates have begun to abandon ship as well with John Lewis leading the way.

 

[FWtex]

I tried posting this once but my post was closed.

What is this guy really saying? does anyone hear any substance or just the repitition of hot buzz words?

The bashing of Katrina response is ridiculous. Sure some things could have been done differently but to blame it all on Bush?? The insinuation he is making is everything would have been great if he were in charge and that just shows how big his head is for the little he has done.

This was the largest natural disaster in the US and the training and planning was set up for local and state to be first responders. Does Obama even know what the laws are? Where was Obama at this time? What was he doing to make things run smoother? Was he being a good democrat advising Nagin and Blanco or was he sitting in his office looking clueless?

I see a guy who understands how to win elections but that does not mean he has what it takes to make decisions and set a course for a country.

 

[LSSpam]

What is this guy really saying? does anyone hear any substance or just the repitition of hot buzz words?.

What does any politician ever say that has any substance?

Really I think that's the most trite and over-used cliche in politics "he has no substance", 99% of what any politician says on the campaign trail are either vague generalities or pie-in-the-sky specifics which sound cute in the abstract but end up diluted, negotiated, and bargained into something entirely different when you get into office anyways.

Why would you even care what specifics he has offered? Do you really think any of it would survive intact?

Get an idea of what the guy's governing philosophy is, decide whether you believe in him as a leader, administrator, and human being, and go from there. I think you're a fool to expect some 15 point plan and then assume having one would mean anything anyways.

 

[FWtex]

Get an idea of what the guy's governing philosophy is, decide whether you believe in him as a leader, administrator, and human being, and go from there. I think you're a fool to expect some 15 point plan and then assume having one would mean anything anyways.

Thats the problem with Obama, he has no track record to follow a philosophy. The fools are the people who are wooed by some guy standing on a stage saying he is change when they have no clue what his change is all about.

"I am change", "I am hope","I will give you healthcare", "I will end poverty".

Well, since his stump speeches are his only record to go by, I have to say he does not sound any different than any of empty handed politician who thinks we are all uneducated followers.

 

[SaintsFan11]

The idea that Obama isn't saying anything specific is ridiculous. Anyone who has really been following the campaign would know his positions on the issues. His speeches may not be laden with specifics, but the average American has the attention span of a fruit fly. If he went around focusing his message on specific policy details he would have been forced out of the race long ago. Obama's positions are readily available to anyone who is really curious, just look at the links on the dozens of political threads on this board.

I'm glad he's getting these union endorsements, but I'm somewhat skeptical as to how much they will really affect the race. The SEIU endorsement in Nevada turned out to count for very little, although the Obama campaign has admitted it was out-played in Nevada.

 

[Taurus]

As if Chimpy ever did anything other than that exact thing. Every. Single. Appearance. Repeat the soundbites, sound sincere, lather-rinse-repeat.

It got to where you began to wonder if Chimpy was mentally defective, the way he'd answer a question with a completely random soundbite.

"Governor Bush, how would you improve healthcare in America."

"I will restore the dignity and moral standing of the highest office in our land."

"What the hell does that have to do with healthcare?"

"I will lower taxes so the great American people can keep more of their hard-earned money."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Our military must remain strong, our allies secure, but we will not engage in nation building."

"Chewy, chewy, cocoa-pop!"

"We must lead the free world in a culture of life, with respect to all people, born and unborn."

"Jimmajangle dingdong doo!"

"Lower taxes will spur our economy and allow the enterp..intra...ultrapenurial spirit of America to shine."

"Wackadoodle, Mr. Poodle!"

"Is our children learning?"

"Thank you, Mr. Bush. Hey, Jim? Next time, why don't we just get a recording to ask these questions, 'cause we've basically got a recording answering them."


The sad thing is that this tactic works. So isn't that your real problem, FW? That the Dems are finally starting to play the game to win, instead of being fight-the-good-fight patsies like before?

 

[Saintman2884]

Saintsfan11, most unions support Democratic candidates no matter who is running on the ticket. So does this surprise me? Not really. I think the partisan divide has always shown its ugly head for many years now. Does it bother me? Yes it can. I certainly remember seeing a lot of union support for the Democrat candidate here in Alabama during the recent gubernatorial elections against Riley. Many Democrats I know admitted to me privately that it was a long shot at best to beat Riley because of his solid track record as our governor. But still many supported the other guy or woman in this case because she was a Democrat and thats who they wanted to vote for. They did not give a damn whether or not Riley did a good job or not or did a remarkable job on Alabama's economy. it is always departmentalized or dimmed down on the man himself.

It ******** IMHO Saintsfan, pure BS. Riley could do everything right and some jerk could still find things wrong, no matter how minute. Riley is probably be of the best governors this state has ever had but people are still dim witted or don't give the man his due because he is from another party. Or the believe their own party's propaganda at face value.
It annoys me to end from both sides mind you people

 

[Severum]

Thats the problem with Obama, he has no track record to follow a philosophy. The fools are the people who are wooed by some guy standing on a stage saying he is change when they have no clue what his change is all about.

"I am change", "I am hope","I will give you healthcare", "I will end poverty".

Well, since his stump speeches are his only record to go by, I have to say he does not sound any different than any of empty handed politician who thinks we are all uneducated followers.

You're being willfully ignorant if those are your true beliefs. Read his web site, his books, and research his federal and state voting history.

Do you support anyone for president?

 

[Saintman2884]

Taurus, see my Riley post as a good counterpoint to your tirade. Riley is one of the best governors my state has ever had IMHO oh but no you had better not tell that to some yahoos in this state. in many ways Riley is a social moderate, does his job on making Alabama's economy work, but people still nit pick him and criticize and make fools of themselves. It is not just one side, it is both. Partisan politics is a cancer but ignoring does not make it go away.
I wish some people would think and vote for a guy that they think could do a good job and not have to rely on their party affiliation to do so. Its a form of control IMHO. and its downright annoying and yes I am a Republican saying that too T-man

 

[RABDOG]

I tried posting this once but my post was closed.

What is this guy really saying? does anyone hear any substance or just the repitition of hot buzz words?

The bashing of Katrina response is ridiculous. Sure some things could have been done differently but to blame it all on Bush?? The insinuation he is making is everything would have been great if he were in charge and that just shows how big his head is for the little he has done.

This was the largest natural disaster in the US and the training and planning was set up for local and state to be first responders. Does Obama even know what the laws are? Where was Obama at this time? What was he doing to make things run smoother? Was he being a good democrat advising Nagin and Blanco or was he sitting in his office looking clueless?

I see a guy who understands how to win elections but that does not mean he has what it takes to make decisions and set a course for a country.

i don't think obama would have waited 2 weeks before he lifted one ****** finger like bush did...what could the mayor have done about katrina?? what could blanco have done???? send in the national guard?....oh wait 90% of them where in afganistan or iraq...even if she did have some guardsmen they had no equipment bcause 90% of it was in afganistan or iraq...as the ****ing president you do what ever you have to do, send in the military, now , 1 or 2 days tops, not 2 ****** weeks later...then you don't send federal aide to mississippi right away and then stall or make louisiana jump through ***** hoops to get there's just because mississippi has a republican governor and louisiana has a demecrate as governor just because you think that make you and your party "look" better or just because you feel like it. dude the repulicans time is up, they are done, so stop making up ****, it's over for them...DEAL WITH IT!

 

[V Chip]

As if Chimpy ever did anything other than that exact thing. Every. Single. Appearance. Repeat the soundbites, sound sincere, lather-rinse-repeat.

lus-un2:

People who voted for Bush (W) and yet call out Obama for not having served long enough -- HELLO Bush only served as governor of Texas for 5 years. That's it, no other political office ever.

Look if you really think his speeches are lacking substance and need to know his positions, then look them up, don't ask everyone else to look them up for you and post a summary because you won't get the real content. The same for ALL political candidates. But I doubt you are TRULY interested in finding out and merely want to cast aspersions at someone there is no chance you would vote for anyway.

 

[JimEverett]

Union endorsements do help to some extent, primarily because of organization. But its not like the rank-and-file members go vote for the candidate the union endorsed - see Nevada this year.
Obama's apparent focus on Texas at the expense of Ohio should tell you how comfortable he is with union voters.

 

[jazzjack]

Want to dumb down America? Vote Democrat. The choice clearly is between satan and lucifer on the dems side. I don't see any improvement in any of the states they served in, oh wait, the states served them. "Femme nazi's vote clinton, minorities vote obama and intelligent people vote republican". Heard on a radio station, just curious for reactions. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the person saying it.

I did notice a lot of Obama bumper stickers in the DC area, yet strangley enough, not a fisk on any of those vehicles. Just an Christian observation.

 

[V Chip]

Want to dumb down America? Vote Democrat. The choice clearly is between satan and lucifer on the dems side. I don't see any improvement in any of the states they served in, oh wait, the states served them. "Femme nazi's vote clinton, minorities vote obama and intelligent people vote republican". Heard on a radio station, just curious for reactions. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the person saying it.

I did notice a lot of Obama bumper stickers in the DC area, yet strangley enough, not a fisk on any of those vehicles. Just an Christian observation.