Earth to Obama - Unions MADE this Party

Cross posted from dKos with the permission of the author, campskunk.

Senator Barack Obama’s advisors had a major brainfart and apparently forgot what party they're supposedly members of with their latest stunt. Not only are they highlighting his failure to gain the support of the labor unions (the backbone and workhorses of our party), but now he’s using that failure in his latest funding appeal to his supporters.

The "if you don't support Obama you're the enemy" meme started when Paul Krugman for daring to criticize his half-assed health care reform plan has expanded and metastasized. Opposition research, twisted and misquoted words... it's starting to look CREEPy in the Obama campaign (joke for you old-timers and Watergate aficionados).

And now this? Obama's campaign is attacking labor unions, teachers and EMILY’S LIST. They back the "wrong candidate" and are working to help get their chosen Democrat elected, and he goes on the attack with a backhanded slur against the core of the Democratic Party.

What is wrong with Obama? There's a serious disconnect between his view of the party and our longstanding "big tent" approach to a coalition.

Both Hillary & Edwards have managed to attract the support of labor unions representing millions of working Americans. When you add up the number of endorsements Hillary’s gotten over the last year, those unions represent some six million workers. That’s saying something regarding her record and her plans to further the cause of American workers.

I am AFSCME. We are the face and heart of the Democratic Party. During the Florida recount, AFSCME was a major supporter- and a major component- of the demonstrators. Here's what we look like:



But now, in the sour grapes that comes from being rejected by the major unions, Obama is saying that those unions are the bad guys – that they represent everything that’s wrong with our country.

Of course, I’m sure he wasn’t saying all this when he was courting their endorsement over the last 8 months or so. But Obama's known for changing his mind, it seems.

Mark Halprin posted the following memo from the Obama camp earlier today – take a look:

"Right now groups supporting Hillary Clinton and John Edwards are flooding Iowa and the other early states with millions of dollars in paid ads, phone calls, and mailings. Some of it is negative and even deceptive, and a lot of it is paid for by huge, unregulated contributions from special interests. Taking on these groups isn't just a matter of setting the record straight about me or my positions. It's about proving that a new kind of campaign - funded by ordinary people who want something better for all of us - can defeat the same tired, old political textbook that so many Americans just don't trust anymore."

...and Halperin includes the following data...

So who is Obama talking about? Here is the most up-to-date independent expenditure information in Iowa.

For Hillary Clinton

AFSCME: $907,177.24
AFT: $635,822.19
Emily's List: $297,806.69
Total: $1,840,426.12

For John Edwards

Working for Working Americans/Carpenter s: $516,216.51
Alliance for a New America (SEIU): $760,801.00

Total: $1,277,017.51
(emphasis mine)

He goes on to beg for donations, calling Emily’s List, teachers unions, carpenters, SEIU and AFSCME "Special Interests", like they’re something evil and dirty or working to undo what we’ve accomplished in the area of worker’s rights, social justice, and other areas over the years.

Obama wants to be the party's standard-bearer in next year’s general election, and he not only failed to garner the support of these stalwart Democratic allies, but he’s attacking them in an effort to generate campaign contributions.

This, on top of Obama's attacks on and distortions regarding Paul Krugman’s opinion of the healthcare reform plans out there, makes me begin to wonder how closely aligned Obama really is with the Democratic Party and progressive values. It's one thing to try to win a primary, but it shouldn't be at the cost of abandoning what the Democratic Party stands for.

I am AFSCME. I am not a "special interest". I stand with the party. Where does Obama stand?

Mark Penn, busts Unions when he's not running a campaign and she's got 'Walmart' tatooed on her forehead.


This OP is funny :D

First the Clintonites smeared Winfrey with 'anti-union'; now it's Obama's turn:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/21/13648/439/888/425245
Why The Latest Hit Diary Rings Hollow To Me
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/21/131432/10/864/425253

None so blind...

Literally or figuratively. HRC is NOT anti-union.

I have a father in textiles.

Hillary and the unions are on the same side

K&R

In comparison to Edwards, Clinton, Biden, and our other Presidential candidates?

don't see the Obama American Idolers trying to discount this post. Guess they know it is true. And the thing about this is, when Oprah was putting her all into busing those students and giving him all the free publicity he thought that was OK, cause it was supporting him. But now, when some organization does not support him he cries like the baby he is...

You are 100% correct. The Unions made the middle class, that is why bush and his republican corporations are trying to destroy them. That's why they sent all those jobs overseas. To break the Unions and if people like Obama and his supporters don't realize that, they are far from really being true, progressive Americans.

The Oprahpalooza was held at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH even after Obama learned that Unions are forbidden on the premises.

without ever reading the comments. It's very odd.

Some of us know the truth, even if the union leaders don't.

Let's not let facts get in the way of Hillary's Band of Liars...


http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/afl-cio_democratic_forum.html

Then there's these little tidbits to SKEWER THE ASSWIPE:

Senator Obama supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 93 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 100 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 75 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 40 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors 100 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 94 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Transportation Communications Union 75 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 85 percent in 2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 100 percent in 2005-2006.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 92 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Federation of Government Employees 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors 0 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 92 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Transportation Communications Union 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Illinois AFL-CIO 89 percent in 2003.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Illinois AFL-CIO 89 percent in 2001.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Illinois AFL-CIO 92 percent in 1999.

http://votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=9490

The Hillarybots are obviously scared that Obama's record on union-related votes will make her look bad.

Which it does.

Clinton and Edwards have then? And what does that have to do with his statements about unions = special interests?

all of the Unions. My Grandfather would have lived in poverty if not for the union.

Getting endorsements is as much about who you know as much as it is about your record and your positions on the issues.

And he wasn't talking about unions in his comments. That was just an assumption by Mark Halperin, hardly a reliable source.

His 97% rating is going to make her 93% rating look BAD?? Please tell me you're kidding. We should all be happy that ALL of our candidates support Unions, and that's why the OP is silly too.

:toast:

and Obama is trying to present himself as a new era candidate.

Just because the rethugs took things away doesn't mean they're not still worth fighting for.

edited for spelling

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/21/13648/439/888/425245

The original hit piece is off the list.

Glad to see that they value truth over there. Wish I could say the same about this place.

The Obeasties have a well organized attack machine on Daily Kos that comes out of the wood work when the call goes out.

You can't have it both ways.

Please find where I said what you say I said.

What? It's no there?

*crickets*

And George Mason is such a good school, too...

From an article....Lost the author's name..:o sorry.


Hillary Clinton, Hillary Foreign Policy, Hillary Iran, Hillary National Security, Iran NIE, Breaking Politics News



A quote I gave a journalist almost two years ago has been recycled, out of context, to suggest that Senator Clinton and I would contemplate going to war with Iran or

other nations. This is, of course, a complete misrepresentation of what I was saying and of Senator Clinton's longstanding views. What I said was clear: first, Hillary

Clinton has far more foreign policy experience than her husband did at a comparable point in his presidential campaign in 1991-92; and second, she knows how best

to advance America's foreign policy goals around the world at time when America faces unprecedented challenges after seven years of the Bush administration's

disastrous policies.


Senator Clinton has traveled to more than 80 countries, building relationships that will enable her to begin to restore America's global standing, beginning on Day 1 of

her Presidency. Senator Clinton is a passionate believer in diplomacy, negotiations, and the value of, well, American values. She would outlaw torture and close

Guantanamo. She would make us proud again of our leadership role in the world. I know from extensive personal observation that she would be a superb negotiator and

diplomat. Hillary would strengthen the U.N. and make it more effective, after the Bush Administration weakened it.

Of course, there are times like in Bosnia and Rwanda, when a president must be willing to act. President Clinton should have acted earlier in those cases, as he

himself has acknowledged. My point was that, having observed these tragedies closely in the 1990s and learned more as a Senator, Hillary Clinton knows how to mix

diplomacy and power. She has made clear repeatedly that she believes strongly in diplomacy and that the Bush administration's failure to emphasize it has been

terrible for our nation. She has called for direct talks with our adversaries, including Syria and Iran, and the sooner the better.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Clinton has traveled to both American war zones three times, spent a great deal of time meeting

privately with active-duty and retired military personnel at all levels, and immersed herself in the issues that are most critical to the presidential role of Commander-in-

Chief. The nation needs a new president who on taking office will withdraw our troops from Iraq responsibly and swiftly (Bush won't). Although her position has been

misrepresented by some during the heat of the campaign, this is precisely what she has pledged to do. She has said she will convene the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

of Staff and her national security team to draw up a safe and viable plan for the withdrawal of our solider from Iraq, with the first troops coming home within 60 days of

her taking office. She has also committed herself to a new strategy in Afghanistan, the country in which failure is unthinkable yet Bush has consistently sent too few

troops while proclaiming success in the face of undeniable deterioration. This is what I meant when I talked about her commanding knowledge and readiness to be our

next Commander-in-Chief.

On the second point, an attempt has been made to suggest that my words in 2006 are somehow a call for action against Iran. So let me be clear: I have consistently

opposed the use of force against Iran, as has Hillary. Well before the NIE, I stated publicly and repeatedly that nothing we knew supported a war against Iran. The NIE

only reinforced my position. Senator Clinton also opposes any military action against Iran and said so long before the NIE, and took to the Senate floor last

FebruHILLARYary to oppose the Bush administration's saber rattling.

The way it's going I won't have to do any decision making come election time.

Edwards said he would have no problem appointing a rethuglican to his cabinet

and now Obama says to hell with organized labor. Thye're making it easy for me.

obama says a lot of NOTHING!

tired meme.

So you know Iowa may be going to tell the nation, that Edwards with the Union Plan, and the Health Care Plan, not to mention the Min Wage Plan, is most certainly the nations MAN


Run John Run You know you are the man with the plan many, many PLANS

That's why Illinois AFSME has endorsed him. They have also denounced Hillaryworld's Clintonian-Rovian deceptive Iowa AFSME flier.

Swing and a miss.

I look forward to your next Hillaryworld BS attack...later tonight?

:kick:

:rofl: