MyDD :: More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards

More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards

by desmoinesdem, Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 06:43:47 PM EST

Sorry for the quick hit diary, but I didn't see this posted here yet. Over at Century of the Common Iowan, noneed4thneed linked to a blog post by Marc Ambinder yesterday. Although Barack Obama won the United Auto Workers' straw poll of locals in Region 4 (which includes Iowa),

(1) 48% of the voting members of UAW's Region 4 came from Illinois. Barack Obama comes from Illinois.

(2) 22% of the voting members come from Iowa. It turns out that, in today's straw balloting, John Edwards won twice as many Iowa locals as Obama did.

The UAW has a fair number of members in Iowa, many of them in delegate-rich counties for Democrats such as Black Hawk (Waterloo) and Dubuque.

Noneed4thneed adds,

It is looking like the Iowa delegates from the UAW will be split between Edwards and Obama, even if Obama officially wins the endorsement.

You have to remember that Gephardt won the UAW's endorsement in 2004 and that didn't help him much. On the flip side, many think it was the UAW's endorsement that carried Chet Culver to victory in 2006.

I have heard people speculate that the UAW made the difference for Culver in the 2006 gubernatorial primary. Others think it was his successful mobilization of pro-choice women (Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa's Freedom Fund PAC endorsed Culver and went all out to get him the primary victory).

Anyway, I obviously would rather have Edwards getting the UAW endorsement than Obama. But it is heartening for me to know that Edwards would have won the straw poll if only locals in Iowa had been voting.

Tags: 2008 elections, president, primaries, Iowa, labor unions, UAW, John Edwards, Barack Obama (all tags)

Permalink :: 7 Comments :: Post a Comment

Question for anyone (2.00 / 2)

if this is just a straw poll and the national decides not to endorse anyone, can the national decide to let states endorse individually if they like (like SEIU)? Or is it regionally only?

Its kind of unfornatute that while the choice in Iowa is clearly Edwards, the Illinois members are able to move it towards Obama.

by okamichan13 on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 07:03:46 PM EST

I don't know, but Ambinder says (2.00 / 1)

(3) What happened today in Dubuque was not an official endorsement -- it was a recommendation to endorse -- the UAW technically hasn't given its regional council permission to endorse.

(4) Obama probably will get the UAW endorsement in Iowa... and it's certainly a helpful endorsement.... but it should not be treated as a surprise... nor should it technically be treated as an endorsement just yet.

John McCain: 100 years in Iraq "would be fine with me."

by desmoinesdem on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 07:05:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards (2.00 / 1)

This is an interesting battle for the union endorsements.
It seems the Illinois unions are very supportive of the home state candidate.
I'm not sure how to view that.

I would prefer that they support someone for their policies
and if that is Obama then good for him.
But I suppose I am too idealistic in this process.
I am glad that local members really do like Edwards.

I am an Edwards Democrat. Visit EENR blog for Progressives

by pioneer111 on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 07:33:37 PM EST

Re: More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards (none / 0)

Obama and Edwards are about the same on Union issue and ay Edwards trying to say otherwise is just not being straight.

You could make a case Obama is better then him because Edwards was not that big of a working people guy when he was in the senate and only became that once he started running...Obama , on the other hand , has worked with them when he was a nobody , so his credential is much thicker then Edwards.

On the UWA endorsement...There's no doubt Edwards probably has more supporters but my guess is that the leaders figured that Obama record was not bad at all to just consider Edwards and sinceObama has the most money and better ground organization , they went with him.

If Obama could just raise his support among the older folks by about 4-5% , he'll be fine and maybe this endorsement will allow some retiree to give him another look.

Edwards will still get more UAW members to caucus for him so this endorsment is not expected to convert hard core Edwardians to Obamamians , but if Obama can get a maybe a few thousands of 30k in Iowa to support him , he'll probably win the Iowa caucus.

by Prodigy on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 08:48:17 PM EST

Re: More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards (none / 0)

Edwards has a 97% lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO. You can say he was "not that big of a working people guy" based on a couple controversial votes, but you wouldn't be quite accurate.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 08:54:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards (none / 0)

What i tryig to say is that he was ot this crusader type of guy for working people and only turned himself into it while runnig for president.

Edwards senate record and Obama senate record are pretty much the same , so i dont see why Unions feels like they can only pick Edwards.

Obama is as good if not better on Union issue then Edwards...Its just that Edwards has the better rheorics and he knows what button to press and when to pander etc etc...Obama , on the other hand , has only started meeting those people.

by Prodigy on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 09:02:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More UAW locals in Iowa backed Edwards (2.00 / 2)

Obama supports the Peru deal, Edwards opposes it. That's a real difference in the here and now.

Take out the trash. Down with Saxby Chambliss!

by CLLGADEM on Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 09:50:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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