Teamsters to Back Gephardt for President

Leigh Strope
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Teamsters union plans to endorse Democrat Dick Gephardt for president, union officials say, giving the Missouri congressman a crucial political boost at a time when his weak fund raising has prompted questions about the viability of his campaign.

The coveted endorsement by the 1.4 million-member union is expected to follow a Friday conference call vote of 22 Teamsters vice presidents, sources in the union said.

It would be the most high-profile endorsement so far in the race among nine Democrats to challenge President Bush in 2004.

Teamsters spokesman Bret Caldwell said the union's executive board was scheduled to talk by phone Friday "to discuss a potential Teamsters endorsement." But he refused to confirm that a Gephardt endorsement was expected, and said the union would make no announcement afterward.

But the union already has scheduled endorsement events in Detroit, Des Moines, Iowa, and Manchester, N.H., for Aug. 9 with Teamsters President James P. Hoffa and Gephardt, The Associated Press has learned.

The Gephardt endorsement is a slap to the Bush White House, which has tried to chip away at organized labor's solid support for the Democratic Party. Hoffa even secured a special seat at President Bush's first State of the Union speech to Congress.

The Teamsters were the obvious target, with the union's past endorsements of President Bush's father and Republican presidents Reagan and Nixon.

Officials who discussed the union's endorsement plans spoke on condition of anonymity.

For Gephardt, who has staked his campaign on the support of organized labor, the endorsement was widely expected - but just not so early.

Teamsters officials haven't been shy about their affection for Gephardt, whose father, a milk truck driver, was a member - a point the candidate constantly highlights.

"He's certainly the best candidate for working families and has stood strong with the Teamsters throughout his entire career," Caldwell said.

But politically, it couldn't come at a better time for the former House minority leader.

His campaign is plagued by concerns about his ability to excite Democratic voters - a factor highlighted in his recent, poor showing in the money race.

Gephardt fell far short of his goal, collecting just $3.87 million in the second quarter and lagging behind some Democrats who have been considered much weaker contenders.