A strike? No, an opportunity

Posted at 2:26 PM on September 5, 2007 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)

A labor union on strike for the DFL is like an open flame for moths.

At the U of M today, where some workers are on strike, Al Franken put in an appearance (Listen)

And Elizabeth Edwards even showed up to help the cause. (Listen)

Comments (3)

//A labor union on strike for the DFL is like an open flame for moths.

Jeez- god forbid a politician should make common cause with working people! Could you get more snarky?

Posted by Rob Levine | September 6, 2007 7:22 AM

As near as I can tell, none of the politicians who showed up yesterday showed up at the NWA machinists rally in Bloomington in August '05.

Chaudhary was there. McLaughlin and Rybak were there. And Klobuchar was there. McLaughlin and Rybak, of course, were in the middle of a campaign for mayor. Klobuchar had already set up her campaign committee much earlier the same year and was already raising money.

I certainly believe the DFL has an affinity for union members -- you only need to go to a state convention to see that. That doesn't mean they don't believe in whatever ideals the workers are fighting for. But, obviously, It's also VERY good politics to attend these sorts of things if you're running for office. It's not all about the workers, of course.

Posted by Bob Collins | September 6, 2007 9:03 AM

Geez Bob, get over it. I didn't hear that Norm Coleman showed up to show solidarity with any of these workers. That says something too. Like how Norm never shows up for gay pride parades either, although they're great places to get exposure and media attention.

Isn't there a union you could join? Then if you asked nice, maybe Norm would show up when you go on strike.

((Collins: Goodness, Fred, if you didn't know any better, you'd think I said it was bad for DFLers to show up on the first day of a strike. I only said strikes draw DFLers. Clearly it's a good strategy for campaigning pols to show up at a union strike. But, I'm sorry, politicians who do so are more than likely considering more than just what's best for the clerical workers.

The fact you put the event as a Coleman vs. Franken (or the DFL) scenarior -- thus placing the issues of the strike itself second to the political campaign (which has nothing to do with the strike ) -- suggests to me that politicians who show up at union rallies (and the supporters who monitor that ) may consider it a campaign event first and foremost.

There's nothing wrong with that unless you ask someone to suspend disbelief and contend it doesn't have something to do with the self-interests of the politician.

But keep in mind what the post said that Edwards' wife and a Senate candidate showed up. I put a picture of 'em on the page...I put their audio on the page. I'd say the campaigns would be pretty happy with that.

I'm confused my your statement about Coleman, though. What would the strategy be to pandering to what is considered a DFL base?

I was a proud member of the WGA, by the way. As I told Lucia yesterday. You don't cross our picket lines or we'll have our goons dangle you with a participle.))

Posted by Fred | September 6, 2007 9:45 AM

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