City police, firefighters buck trend, back Bush
By ALAN J. BORSUK
aborsuk@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 1, 2004
Election 2004
More than 100 Milwaukee firefighters and at least as many Milwaukee police officers are expected to be prominently visible Friday when President Bush holds a campaign rally at State Fair park.
Many of the firefighters will pick up from where they left off Monday night when Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Local 215 president Greg Gracz led about 200 firefighters in saluting Bush. The message was shown live on large video screens at the Republican National Convention in New York.
The Milwaukee police local is expected to announce its endorsement of Bush at the rally.
In both cases, the Milwaukee locals are on different paths than major union organizations for their profession.
Rick Gale, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, the main union organization statewide, said 60 out of 61 locals with full-time firefighters in the state - all but Milwaukee - have endorsed Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, and the international firefighters union endorsed Kerry even while the nomination race among Democrats was occurring last winter.
In the Monday night statement to the convention, Gracz said any union's purpose is to negotiate good wages and working conditions for its members and "the working condition we cherish the most is a safe, free America."
He praised Bush's handling of the war on terrorism as the right way to protect the country.
Gracz said the highest compliment a firefighter can pay someone is to say that he would enter a burning building with that person.
"I'm here to say that we would walk into a burning building with President Bush because we know he would not let us down," Gracz said.
Following Monday's video appearance, Gracz flew to New York to attend the convention in person. He was warmly treated by Republicans at a party for the Wisconsin delegation Tuesday night at the Tavern on the Green restaurant. He said he has taken phone calls from firefighters from Maine to California who support his views.
But Gale, who is active in the Kerry campaign, called Gracz's statement "a lot of rhetoric and a lot of fluff."
"He never said one thing that George Bush did for firefighters, and you know why? George Bush hasn't done anything for firefighters," Gale said. "The simple truth is George Bush has done everything he could do reduce spending and staffing for the fire service of the United States."
Kerry has taken strong stands to provide federal financial help to fire departments, Gale said, citing a line often used by Kerry in campaign appearances that it is wrong for the U.S. to pay for opening firehouses in Baghdad while firehouses are being closed in the U.S.
Brian Reynolds, vice president of the Milwaukee local, said 85% of members who voted on whom to endorse for president chose Bush.
Reynolds said firefighters backing Bush are expected to wear red T-shirts proclaiming their presidential preference at the rally Friday.
Milwaukee Police Association President Bradley DeBraska said Wednesday that Bush earned the local's endorsement by supporting such steps as protecting police officers' overtime pay, increasing benefits to the families of law enforcement officers who are killed, and allowing retired officers to continue to carry concealed weapons.
Police at the rally are expected to be wearing blue T-shirts in support of Bush.
The International Union of Police Associations has endorsed Kerry.
Katherine M. Skiba of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this from New York. |
