Posted on 04/30/2019 2:28:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
PITTSBURGH -- Joe Biden's decision to kick off his presidential campaign in Western Pennsylvania Monday shows that he is not just in a battle for the soul of the country; he is in a battle for the soul of his party.s
That battle begins and ends with long primary contests that many Democratic experts and officials believe will be decided exactly one year from now, on Pennsylvania's April 29 primary voting day.
"This nominating process certainly has all of the ingredients to go long, and the Democratic voters in this state hold the key to help defining our party as being the party of the working class," said Harold Schaitberger, the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, in an interview with The New York Post.
The IAFF, which represents more than 316,000 full-time firefighters and paramedics, announced its endorsement of Biden in Pittsburgh, something Schaitberger said is one of the earliest endorsements it's ever done, and one it did not give Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
"That marked the first time we've ever not endorsed in a presidential election," he said.
Schaitberger bluntly admits Clinton just did not connect with labor, but Biden does.
"We're also responsible to make sure that, quite frankly, the nominee isn't a nominee that is gonna take the party off the left cliff," he said. "It seems that too many candidates have high-minded, aspirational ideals, but it's not a recipe for winning and succeeding. And it doesn't really reflect in many ways the heart and soul of workers, middle-class workers."
If you think the IAFF's influence in the Democratic primary process is not of significance, a moment in the 2004 election cycle is often overlooked, when former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean had captured the imagination and speculation among the press and pundits.
"As you know, Howard Dean was gonna be the nominee. It was that simple -- at least, that is what everyone said, until all of a sudden, we snuck up and literally carried John through Iowa and through New Hampshire," Schaitberger said of John Kerry. "And then he was off and running in the rest of the world."
The decision to back Biden has already annoyed President Trump, who tweeted Monday, "The Dues Sucking firefighters leadership will always support Democrats, even though the membership wants me. Some things never change!"
Often, where the firefighters go, so do other union workers.
Harold McDonald, a Democratic committee man from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, and retired council representative for the Carpenters Union, is convinced this race is going long: "This is truly the battle for the soul of our party. You have pundits and reporters on the national news saying our party is one thing, and then you have the rank and file voters here saying that's not what we are voting on at all."
McDonald, who is African American, said voters here worry about health care and education. "That is what is important to me as well," he said. "That is why I am supporting Biden already."
The same goes for 22-year-old Hannah O'Toole, who sang the national anthem at the Workers Memorial Day celebration in Pittsburgh ahead of Biden's visit along with her father, 60-year-old Marty O'Toole, who is the business manager for Plumbers Local 27.
"Joe Biden's been a big part of the way we think and want to go and he has always been a front runner for us here in Pennsylvania," said Marty O'Toole, who is personally supporting the former vice president.
Hannah O'Toole is also leaning toward Biden. "I've liked him since Obama," she said.
Darrin Kelly, president of the powerful local labor council here in Western Pennsylvania and a city firefighter, said the Party has drifted too far left. And this is the state where, not just in the general but mostly in the primary, that will be decided.
"Today is an important reminder of what is important to voters in Pennsylvania in a Democratic primary and we expect the Democratic Party to truly start listening to what our message is, stop polarizing us and start welcoming us back, we want FDR style politics," Kelly said. "If our strength is truly our diversity then the party has to start listening to the working class, they have to welcome us back and our voice will be heard in the primary in this state and that the message we want about job creation, health care and pension security is what will bring us out in a general."
Unions are Democrats. They see Biden as a moderate. Wait and see who they back in the general if Bernie is the standard bearer for the dhimmicrats.
I never said I think they care. Hell the local doesn’t even care.
There. Fixed it
This is a classic Union Leadership vs Rank and File disconnect. Go to the parking lot behind any full-time fire station. You will find bumper stickers for IAFF, National Rifle Association, Trump 2016, and Pro-Life causes.
Union leadership don’t care about union members. Like the United Mine Workers supporting Obama even after he vowed to destroy Coal miner’s jobs.
January 2008 , Obama vows to bankrupt coal industry.
May 2008 United Mine Workers Endorse Obama.
OBAMA TO MAKE GOOD ON PROMISE TO ‘DESTROY THE COAL INDUSTRY’ THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDERS
https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/obama-make-good-promise-destroy-coal-industry-executive-orders/
United Mine Workers: “Obama Will Be On Our Side”
https://www.politicususa.com/2008/05/21/umwa-obama.html
Mine Workers Union Endorses Obama
Support comes despite recent defeats in coal producing states.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24758461/ns/politics-decision_08/t/mine-workers-union-endorses-obama/
Confidential to McDonald: with single payer, say goodbye to your negotiated health bennies. And common core? Good luck with that.
There is a reason groups usually do not endorse a candidate this early in the process... they look like idiots when their candidate fails to even reach the primaries.
Joe Biden is not a serious candidate. He is a stalking horse. Not sure who he is working for but I believe his purpose is to suck all the air (and money) out of the other Democrats campaigns and clear the path for the Democrat’s real candidate.
Personally I don’t believe it will be Hillary (besides her health and age, she may soon be facing some real legal problems).
Some are suggesting that Michelle Obama may run but even Michelle knows that President Trump is not your typical Republican, he would have no problem attacking Michelle.
The Democrats are playing pre-2016 politics where they believe a minority candidate will be immune to any attack because of their race or sex. They still have not learned President Trump is not their Grandfather’s Republican.
President Trump will go after who ever the Democrat nominate exposing their past and amplifying their leftest views.
Now the elephant in the room is the looming PHASE 2 of the Russian collusion story - This is when the deep state conspirators are exposed (and hopefully brought to justice).
This is going to be fun election cycle.
I’m retired and my son is an active FF. The membership does not support Biden.
And they say conservatives worship the past, the status quo grown archaic, obsolete. Here are two old men looking backward to an era that is long gone.
Watching Biden making the speech was pathetic..... The message to those Democrats that are now mostly dead. Biden is flogging a ghost horse
They will vote for Trump anyway.
Now the rank and file can leave the unions thanks to the SCOTUS Janus decision. Let’s just wait and see.
Yeah, I don’t donate to Firefighters or Police unions anymore. My brother is retired FF and my stepson is a detective on a MS-13 gang unit. But since the unions endorse Dem’s I will never donate.
42 years retired ff/pm solid for Trump!
Im shocked to learn big city employees are librats.
I can’t imagine there are many firefighters that care about their family and their country who are supportive of that senile old creep. The bas-turd should be in prison, in the same cell with the Clintons and the Obamas!
The headline of this article starts with a lie. Stop reading there.
https://twitter.com/FlipitRed2020/status/1122987744118984704
..... not good when your supporter falls asleep
A backdrop of union thugs behind a Democrat Thug.... what a surprise...
Doubtful Trump is bothered by it, and doubtful he doesn’t have support of the majority. He certainly doesn’t have support from TH
Daily Mail tried to make out Biden had a big crowd - mentioning “crowd” about a dozen times:
30 Apr: Daily Mail: I’m campaigning on ‘truth over lies’: Biden rallies union workers in Pittsburgh to start his 2020 presidential run saying he is in the rust belt to beat Trump - and is rewarded by chants of ‘We love Joe’
•Former Vice President Joe Biden launched his first campaign rally Monday to the CROWD of blue-collar voters who he believes can put him in the White House
And he rallied the CROWD with fighting words...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6973775/Choose-truth-lies-Biden-urges-union-voters-takes-Trump-rally.html#comments
however:
29 Apr: Yahoo: AP: The Latest: Biden accuses Trump of abusing powers
He told HUNDREDS of cheering supporters and union activists in Pittsburgh that the U.S. can thrive through increased economic unity, saying, “We can do all of this without punishing anybody.”...
Before Biden took the stage, HUNDREDS of supporters and union activists in the Teamsters Union ballroom chanted: “We want Joe! We want Joe!”...
https://news.yahoo.com/latest-trump-says-union-members-love-him-mocks-160505524—election.html
Fox’s Peter Doocey said it was 600.
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