As a follow to my dairy yesterday, AFL-CIO: "Labor isn’t an arm of the Democratic Party"; SEIU: No Support for Blanche, I wanted to bring a report from Greg Sergant, from the Plum Line on WaPo:
White House officials make nice with labor
In a private meeting currently under way with labor leaders, top White House officials are working hard to smooth over tensions in the wake of an anonymous administration official's claim that unions had flushed $10 million down the toilet in Arkansas, and are stressing that they respect labor's decision, sources say.
Some background:
An annonymous White House official sent a big FU to working people on the night of Bill Halter's loss via Politico. The AFL-CIO responded by sending the following message:
"If that’s their take on this, then they severely misread how the electorate feels and how we’re running our political program. When we say we’re only going to support elected officials who support our issues," said AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale. "When they say we should have targeted our money among some key house races among Blue Dog Democrats — that ain’t happening."
"Labor isn’t an arm of the Democratic Party," Vale said. "It exists to support working families. And that’s what we said tonight, and that’s what we’re gong to keep saying."
From the SEIU:
We'll see if Blanche Lincoln is made a better Senator for having to answer to working Arkansans over these past few weeks. And if you are Larry Kissell (NC-08) or Zach Space (OH-18) or Mike McMahon (NY-13) or Michael Arcuri (NY-24) or another candidate who stopped advocating for the needs of working families once elected, the labor movement is going to be at the side of those voters who demand change.
AFL-CIO: "Labor isn’t an arm of the Democratic Party"; SEIU: No Support for Blanche
It has been reproted that Andy Stern called people in the White House yesterday and I suspect there was other feedback from unions to the White House as well:
Former SEIU President Andrew Stern called the White House today and told officials to knock it off. And a senior labor official said that Robert Gibbs's remarks from the podium today, appearing to endorse the premise that labor wasted $10 million, "did NOT help anything in the slightest. Saying we have an obligation to support someone because they have a D next to their name is seen as a repetition the WH last night, albeit in less atrocious language. Makes us feel like there is now no excuse of a rogue staffer on election night, seems like concerted effort."
The Atlantic
More from Greg Sergant, who is one of the best reporters and bloggers around:
Representing the White House at the meeting, which is currently underway at AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, are top advisers Patrick Gaspard and Jen O'Malley. On the labor side are AFL-CIO's political directors.
Here's what's going down as we speak, according to a source who is present. Labor officials pointedly told the White House reps that they stood by their effort in Arkansas and were proud of it, and that they would continue making endorsement decisions not according to the letter next to the incumbent's name, but sole ly on who was better for their members.
In response, Gaspard, the White House official with perhaps the deepest roots in labor, assured those present that he understood that unions should remain independent. He asked the labor officials not to let one comment foul up relations between labor and the White House.
White House officials make nice with labor
This is good. There is a Democratic Party coalition and organized labor is a key part of it. Mutual respect should guide relations between the White House political operation and organized labor. While there are differences at times, there is much in common, and we all need to work together to rebuild America.
For updates and more information, go here: The Plum Line
More as I learn it.