Finally, some honesty.
From the scathing letter from the Board to AFSCME chief McEntee:
We are writing to protest in the strongest terms the negative campaign that AFSCME is conducting against Barack Obama. We do not believe that such a wholesale assault on one of the great friends of our union was ever contemplated when the International Executive Board (IEB) made its decision to endorse Hillary Clinton.
Oh, but it gets better...
Seems attacks weren't what the Board bargained for...
None of the information presented to the International Executive Board
suggested in any way that AFSCME intended to utilize its resources to
attack the other Democratic candidates. In fact, a number of IEB members
stressed–either privately or in their comments at the meeting-how much
they respected and admired Sen. Obama. And at least one Board member
spoke passionately against the Democratic candidates attacking each
other, arguing that such negativity would damage Democratic prospects in
the General Election.
We were therefore shocked and appalled to learn that our union-through
"independent expenditures"–is squandering precious resources to wage a
costly and deceptive campaign to oppose Barack Obama. As Barack’s
standing in the polls has soared, according to numerous press reports
AFSCME has spent untold dollars in Iowa and New Hampshire to send out
mailings and run radio ads whose sole purpose is to undercut his
candidacy. And now AFSCME has even registered a website with the
explicit purpose of "opposing Barack Obama."
And you remember the whole "mandate" debate? Seems McEntee was disingenuous about that, too.
It is also worth noting that the campaign that AFSCME is waging against Sen. Obama is fundamentally dishonest and inconsistent with past positions of our union, i.e. attacking him for not forcing individuals to purchase health care even when they can’t afford it. The ads are misleading in attempting to give the impression that they are associated with John Edwards rather than Hillary Clinton and in their claims that Sen. Obama’s health care plan will exclude 15 million people when in fact every person will have the opportunity to participate. This dishonesty is giving our union a "black eye" among many in the media and the progressive community.
Finally, some honesty in this conversation.
McEntee should be ashamed...
*On a personal note, I can't uprate anymore...I guess I got caught up in the uprate/TR wars of last month. To anyone I offended, I sincerely apologize. And for anyone I now can't give mojo, but would like to, I am also sorry.