Two top labor unions said they would hold off on endorsing a candidate in the presidential race this week, a move insiders said signals lukewarmness for Hillary Clinton’s candidacy and the possibility of Vice President Joe Biden entering the race.
Politico reported the decision by AFSCME and SEIU, which represent a combined total of about 3.6 million public sector workers. The delay is a setback for the Clinton campaign, which has been actively courting union support in recent months.
“We are determined to take the time necessary to make sure every voice is heard,” an unnamed AFSCME official told Politico.
Biden has said he is weighing whether he has the “emotional energy” to mount a third presidential campaign after his son Beau Biden, a former Delaware attorney general, died of brain cancer in late May.
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) backers touted the union decisions as a victory for the campaign, which surged ahead of Clinton in early New Hampshire polling this month.
Clinton, once viewed as the Democrats’ inevitable nominee, has for months been dogged by questions about her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state.
When have these unions EVER endorsed anyone 14 months before the election? Not news. Certainly not bad news for Hillary.
They should withhold support until she gets her shit together and starts acting and talking…LOUDLY…like she supports them, understands their needs and will fight tooth and nail for them. THAT may delay support longer than Biden trying to make a decision…and maybe then she’ll get the message she’s running as a Dem on behalf of a largely liberal/progressive base.
And she got some other unions on board.
Rejecting TPP would be a good start in securing additional union support, although I’m skeptical she will do that.
It’s only the media that is dogging Hillary about the emails. Why even include that last paragraph in this article? The only purpose it serves is as a hit job against Hillary, it certainly has no relation to this story.