Sen. Edwards: What Can I Say
If you want to see 500 union members and supporters as happy as all get-out, watch them meet and hear from Sen. John Edwards.
The Oregon AFL-CIO hasn't endorsed a candidate for president, and I'm not playing favorites here, but Sen. Edwards hit the ball out of the ballpark in his speech to our Convention today in Seaside. On every issue -- health care, the war in Iraq, and more, he gets it. Working people are the backbone of our country, and we need to work hard to make sure that a child of a mill worker can have the opportunity to someday run for president.
Rep. Kucinich made a similar point on Friday -- that we need to keep the doors open for poor and middle class children to thrive just as the child of a CEO has. That is what our labor movement is about. It's my story and the story of so many of the union members, officers and staff with whom I am honored to work. That's exactly why we're here.
Other highlights so far today:
- AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Organizing Director Stewart Acuff honored us with wall-shaking speeches. When these two were done speaking, I was energized and ready for a fight. Bring on 2008!
- U.S. Senate Candidate (and Oregon House Speaker) Jeff Merkley gave a rousing speech to our delegates, as did candidate Steve Novick yesterday. These two are good friends of labor and received a warm welcome from our folks.
- Our terrific Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byrd and I were re-elected to our leadership posts.
- About ten media covered our Convention today, including three Portland news stations, the Oregonian, several coastal newspapers and the Associated Press.
- Our 400 delegates in attendance have worked night and day to develop resolutions on everything from health care, to how we conduct our Convention. I have been doing this work for 30 years, and I have never seen such an energetic group thinking through these issues and working together like I have seen this weekend. Our members know that the decisions they make this weekend are not just lip service. They will have an impact on the state, and they are weighing them as such. Great work, everyone!
Labels: Barbara Byrd, John Edwards, John Sweeney, Oregon AFL-CIO, Tom Chamberlain
posted by Oregon AFL-CIO at
1:49 PM
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