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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (18721)	12/5/2003 4:12:12 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793691

New Republic: 12.04.03 GEPHARDT'S CAMPAIGN TURNS TO THREATS by Adam B. Kushner Candidate: Dick Gephardt Category: General Likeability Grade: F Dick Gephardt, on economics at least, is one of the most consistent politicians in Washington. And, more than any other issue, he has been an unremitting champion of organized labor, collective bargaining rights, and protectionism. In fact, his record is so unblemished that's it's often seen as his greatest liability--many urban and white-collar Democrats suspect Gephardt is beholden to the unions, his largest base of support. And, in response to that charge, Gephardt's has always had a credible defense: He has principles and he sticks to them. Not any more. When two major unions, AFSCME and SEIU, endorsed Howard Dean, it was hard not sympathize with Gephardt's frustrations. He was rewarded for his fealty with betrayal. But it was reported today that the vice chair of Gephardt's campaign, Joyce Aboussie, saw that as justification enough to abandon a career of advocacy: labor abandoned Gephardt, so Gephardt could abandon labor. Aboussie told the leaders of AFSCME and SEIU that if their unions campaigned for Howard Dean in Missouri, Gephardt's home state, she would instigate a campaign to get collective bargaining rights repealed there. She also insisted that they not help Dean in Iowa, where Dean and Gephardt are the two caucus favorites. Even though Gehpardt didn't make the threat himself, and was reported to be unaware of it, his campaign has neither denied the exchange, nor fired Aboussie, a long-time aide and a well-known, colorful personality in Missouri politics. Gephardt's campaign has hardly even admitted wrongdoing. "These are Dean supporters who are trying to stir up something in [sic] behalf of their candidate," said a Bill Carrick, a Gephardt advisor, "and trying to blow something out of proportion. There's not much to it, in reality." If Carrick (and, Gephardt, whose nonapology speaks volumes) is cynical enough to believe that politics should steamroll principle, maybe he's right--there's not much to it. But I doubt AFSCME and SEIU members, whose bargaining rights are suddenly in jeopardy, would be so nonchalant. tnr.com