LEXIS-NEXIS® Academic Universe

Search Terms: Permanent, Normal, Trade

Document 20 of 96.

August 14, 2000

SECTION: DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION DAILY;LABOR

LENGTH: 670 words

HEADLINE: Laboring to Love Joe Lieberman

BYLINE: Kirk Victor

BODY:

At a boisterous gathering of labor delegates in a large
ballroom at the Wilshire Grand Hotel yesterday, one ovation after
another greeted Democratic congressional leaders as they extolled
the virtues of their party's ticket. As the lights dimmed, AFL-
CIO President John J. Sweeney introduced Al Gore, who appeared on
a large video screen. Staccato clapping and sign-waving erupted.
Gore's brief remarks fired up the troops even further.

There's nothing shocking in that picture. After all, this
week ought to be one long party for the AFL-CIO, which went out
on a limb with a crucial, early endorsement of Gore that helped
throttle Bill Bradley's insurgent candidacy. And 30 percent of
the delegates here-approximately 1,500-are union members.

But the surprise is the enthusiasm with which the crowd
applauded the mention of Gore's running mate, Sen. Joe Lieberman
of Connecticut. Call it following the script. Staying on message.
Stressing unity for the ticket against the anti-labor
Republicans.

But question labor leaders and delegates about a number
of hot-button issues on which Lieberman has parted company with
the union label and you hear a somewhat different story. From his
support for school vouchers (anathema to teachers) and free trade
(abomination for industrial workers) to his opposition to
affirmative action, Lieberman's stance conflicts with labor's
positions.

"There are candidates who would probably have done more
to immediately energize the base than Joe Lieberman," conceded
Richard L. Trumka, the No. 2 AFL-CIO official, who quickly added
that the Connecticut Senator has a better than 80 percent pro-
labor voting record.

Asked about Lieberman's support of vouchers, Trumka
responds quickly: "He's wrong-his position will not prevail." How
can he be so sure? "Al Gore will be President of the United
States," Trumka declares-and then proceeds to extol the Vice
President's strong labor record.

Sweeney echoed those sentiments. "Joe Lieberman will be
the Vice President and not the President," he said in an
interview. "We trust Al Gore."

Had Gore picked House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt
of Missouri instead, Trumka said, "he would have rang the bell
out of every American out there-he would have been a great
candidate. But I also think he is going to be a great Speaker of
the House."

So what happened to labor's clout? After all, Lieberman
is the chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist
group that has often-even provocatively-disagreed with parts of
the union agenda. Trumka once said that the DLC's program is not
only "immoral," it is "anti-worker." The fiery labor leader does
not back down from those views, but he insists that the DLC's
"influence here has been minimized"-a surprising conclusion given
Lieberman's spot on the ticket.

Moreover, the choice of Lieberman is not the only move
that Gore has made in recent weeks that has riled some union
members. When campaign chairman Tony Coelho, a favorite of labor,
stepped down for health reasons, Gore blindsided the AFL-CIO by
replacing him with Commerce Secretary William Daley, who waged a
tenacious battle for the North American Free Trade Agreement and
for permanent normal trade relations with China. Both deals are
unacceptable to labor.

"Our concern at the time was the manner in which Bill
Daley was (selected)-the announcement without any discussion
about the issues," Sweeney said.

Trumka was more blunt: "Fortunately for us, Bill Daley is
not running for office-Al Gore is, and it's a lot easier to
energize people for Al Gore than for Bill Daley."

Still, Trumka, Sweeney, and plenty of other labor
stalwarts refuse to be anything but upbeat. When Gore "is with
you," Trumka concluded, "he will not only fight for you, he will
bleed for you."

LOAD-DATE: August 15, 2000

Document 20 of 96.


Search Terms: Permanent, Normal, Trade
To narrow your search, please enter a word or phrase: