It's official: AFL-CIO endorses Obama

By GottaLaff

Just for Commenter Jack:

The A.F.L.-C.I.O.’s leaders voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to endorse Barack Obama for president, saying the federation would spend more than $50 million and deploy more than 250,000 volunteers in this fall’s campaign.

John J. Sweeney, the federation’s president, said, “Barack Obama’s record demonstrates he is a champion for working families and his proposals will improve life for generations of working people and our children." [...]

For Mr. Obama, labor’s vocal and enthusiastic backing is important because some Democrats fear that his support is weak among many working-class voters.

What can brown the AFL-CIO do for you?

The A.F.L.-C.I.O. said its campaign efforts would reach more than 13 million voters – union members, their family members and union retirees – in 23 priority states, adding that it planned to be involved in more than 525 federal and state races nationwide. The labor federation said its campaign efforts would focus on five swing states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. [...]

In March, the A.F.L.-C.I.O. began a nationwide “McCain Revealed” campaign that has sought to spread information about what it says is Senator John McCain’s anti-worker record. As part of that campaign, labor volunteers have knocked on 60,000 doors and delivered 1.5 million worksite flyers

The federation said that the endorsement of Senator Obama “is not only a stamp of approval; it marks the beginning of a huge, united political mobilization among working class voters.”

Good thing they're on our side.