Will Barack Obama prove to be unstoppable in his quest for the Democratic nomination? UNITE HERE, the union representing more than 450,000 hotel, restaurant, apparel and laundry workers, is deciding to endorse Obama. They will be making their final decision tonight once the New Hampshire results are in… But unless Obama suffers defeat tonight, they’re planning to give him their nod.
From The New York Times’ Caucus Blog:
“There are three excellent candidates in the race  we like them all”, said Bruce Raynor, the union’s president. “This is a very hard choice.”
The endorsement would make Unite Here the first national union to back Mr. Obama, and it would give him a big leg up in Nevada, where the unions Las Vegas local, Culinary Local 226, with more than 60,000 members, is by far the largest and strongest union in the state.
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The union […] also represents 400,000 retirees. Union officials say they could help Mr. Obama in South Carolina because they are one of the largest unions there as a result of the unions long-time presence in the textile industry there.
So what do you think about this potentially HUGE development? Will this convince our neighbors next door in Nevada that Obama’s the one? Will this give Obama a leg up in South Carolina? And has Obama now become as “unstoppable” as Hillary Clinton was “inevitable” just three months ago?
I want to hear what you have to say about this latest turn in the Presidential Race. How about this union deciding to endorse Obama? And how about this race looking so dramatically different than it was only a few months ago?
Go ahead and have your say! 🙂
I just think they should have endorsed Edwards. Besides Kucinich, he’s the most pro-labor candidate there is. Obama hasn’t said much about what he’d do for workers.
Obama cannot win a general election. He will bring out all the closet racists to vote and the dems will lose to the reeps. Scenarios include another fabricated security threat and a last minute “scandal.” Edwards is the only rational choice.
Sadly it’s become more about who’s with the winner than endorsing who people believe in. Kos said it outright, “Who is going to win bragging rights”. It bothers me that this is perceived as a game.
Unite Here was very close to endorsing Edwards but they cared more about going with a winner. What does that say, are the more concerned for their image or their workers?
It’s a sticking point for me.
Obama crossed the picket line to do a appearance with Oprah, his staff had to apologize, why hadn’t they just done it some where else, oh it was the only place big enough. Ugh.
Heather – Feel free to take comfort in the latest – as of about midnight last night – that the endorsement will likely again be delayed. Frankly I thought this post was premature. Perhaps it was exuberance….
Sheesh – now the NYT is saying the union is going ahead with the endorsement..