Democratic Candidates Unload on Bush

I want the DLC to listen to the people!
AFSCME is a large & politically effective union within the AFL-CIO. Nearly 1.3 million members, their early endorsement of Clinton/Gore in the 92 primary, when most industrial unions were supporting Sen. Tom Harkin, was key to Clinton's win. It appears Dennis Kucinich was the favorite.

Unlike the heated recent debate in South Carolina, the seven Democrats -- two candidates were unable to attend -- almost entirely avoided challenging each other in their joint appearance before nearly 1,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, who gathered from around the country

....It was telling that when the candidates delivered their opening statements, the audience gave standing ovations only to two long-shot contenders with the most unabashedly liberal messages.
First the audience rose for Kucinich, who pledged to carry out government-funded universal health care -- and taunted Bush over the failure to find conclusive evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Moments later, the crowd also gave a standing ovation to the Rev. Al Sharpton when he echoed McEntee in chiding Bush for promising U.S. money to rebuild Iraq.

"What about the 50 states we already occupy?" Sharpton said to loud applause.

After the event, union officials said that Kucinich, Sharpton and then Gephardt received the highest ratings from a focus group of AFSCME Iowa members who watched the event while a pollster measured their reactions. Kerry appeared after testing was completed but also received an enthusiastic response. [more]

another article from Reuters
The labor crowd gave rousing ovations to Kucinich, who said he would repeal the North American Free Trade Agreement, former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, who touted equal pay for women, and civil rights activist Al Sharpton, who outlined his long-standing support for worker's rights.
"I loved what Kucinich feels in his gut and how he supports labor; I think he gained a lot of support today," Michael Arken of Portland, Oregon, said after the forum. posted by Cyndy | link | | |
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