VPs Hit Bridge-Burning
AFSCME Backlash Over Obama Attack

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

The almost-$120,000 spent recently by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees to attack presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic primary races in New Hampshire and Iowa did not sit well with seven of its international vice presidents, who noted that the ads criticized a health-care stance that the union previously embraced.

OBAMA GUY HE'S NOT: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Gerry McEntee was criticized by seven of his international vice presidents over a union ad campaign that ripped U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's health plan as a 'band-aid solution' to help AFSCME's choice for President, Hillary Clinton.

The group of officials, who lead councils from Connecticut to California, sent an angry letter to AFSCME President Gerald McEntee on Jan. 4 objecting to the use of union money for flyers and radio ads that accused Mr. Obama of being "timid" and leaving 15 million Americans without health insurance.

'Assaulted a Friend'

"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 made its decision to endorse Hillary Clinton," the letter states.

Close to $80,000 was spent on mailings opposing Mr. Obama in New Hampshire, according to the union's election campaign filings, where Ms. Clinton bested a surging Obama campaign by two percentage points. About $34,000 was spent on anti- Obama mailings in Iowa and roughly $5,000 was earmarked for setting up a Web site opposing the Illinois Senator.

The authors accuse their parent union of being "deceptive," noting that in blasting Mr. Obama's health-care plan, AFSCME contradicted its past position of opposing health plans that mandate that individuals purchase insurance.

Mr. McEntee defended the union's actions, arguing that the ads have "contrasted differences between the candidates on the issues" and not ventured into "negative" campaigning, which he defined as attacking "a candidate's character and integrity."

'Stuck to the Facts'

BARACK OBAMA: Stance in sync with AFSCME's.

Mr. McEntee contended that "AFSCME's campaign has been fair and has stuck to the facts."

One of the mailings in question led with the statement: "Obama proposes leaving 15 million Americans uninsured." It continues, "Barack Obama spends a lot of time promising bold leadership ... Instead Obama took the timid way out, offering yet another band-aid solution ... we don't have time to wait for Obama's plans to catch up with his promises."

The flyer featured pictures of ill individuals in various states of distress and ended with the large-type statement, "America needs real change on health care. But Barack Obama's plan is just more of the same."

Former Sen. John Edwards's campaign also objected to the ads, which quoted his criticisms of Mr. Obama's health plan. Edwards aides asserted that his quote made it seem as if the ad was placed by supporters of his campaign instead of by supporters of Ms. Clinton.

Roberts Takes a Pass

District Council 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, a strong supporter of Ms. Clinton, declined to comment on AFSCME's use of its political funds.

DC 1707 Executive Director Raglan George Jr., who endorsed Ms. Clinton but admitted that there were differing opinions inside his executive board and union, said he did not have enough details about the ads to comment.

The AFSCME board voted 23 to 10 to endorse Ms. Clinton in November. None of the seven international vice presidents who signed the letter returned phone calls requesting comment. At least two of them, Illinois District Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer and Deputy Director Roberta Lynch, reportedly voted against the endorsement of Ms. Clinton. A third one, however, Minnesota region Vice President Eliot Seide, in the past has had close ties to Mr. McEntee.

In the letter, the vice presidents asserted, "The argument for endorsing Hillary Clinton was not that her positions were better than those of the other candidates or that she would be the better president for working families, but rather that she was the clear frontrunner, the most likely primary victor, and the strongest general election candidate."

The authors argued that regardless of the content of the ads, union funds should not be used to attack a "long-time friend of AFSCME."

Breeding Hostility

They also raised a question of strategy. "Supposedly, we are involved in this primary because we're concerned about 'access' to the next Democratic president," the letter stated. "So why would we want to develop a hostile relationship with the man who could be that next president?"

The union's early endorsement of Howard Dean in the last presidential election when he was the front-runner for the Democratic nomination caused discontent in the ranks and among some officials after Mr. Dean's rapid fall in the polls. AFSCME endorsed Al Gore more than a year before the 2000 election, but was also an early supporter of Bill Clinton in 1992.

In his response, Mr. McEntee took a strong stand in his Jan. 8 letter against Mr. Obama's health plan. But as an article on the Mother Jones Web site noted last week, AFSCME stated that the policy of mandating individuals to buy health insurance was "incompatible with AFSCME principles and long-term interest" in its Health Care Reform Blueprint for 2007-2008, which it adopted at its August 2006 convention. Both Ms. Clinton's and Mr. Edwards's plans include such "individual mandates" to ensure universal coverage.

In his letter, Mr. McEntee also took a shot at Mr. Obama for criticizing ads sponsored by outside groups not officially connected to candidates' campaigns, known as "527s," and lumping them together as the venue of special interests, "as if workers are somehow just like insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry."

'Divided Perception'

Mr. McEntee also chastised the authors for having released their letter to the media. "Publicly mischaracterizing the legitimate comparison ads as dishonest and negative campaigning does nothing but hurt the reputation of our union and exacerbate the perception of a divided labor movement," the letter stated.

AFSCME has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and sent hundreds of staff and volunteers to key presidential primary states to campaign for Ms. Clinton. When it endorsed her, the union promised $60 million in financial support and 40,000 volunteers over the course of the campaign.