The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is one of the most important — if not the single most important — unions in the country. It has 1.5 million members and wields enormous political influence in Democratic political circles.
With this in mind, candidates have been tripping over one another to earn attention and affection from AFSCME and its leadership. Though many expected an AFSCME endorsement for one of the nine Dem presidential candidates very soon, Gerald McEntee, AFSCME’s president, has said he’s prepared to wait a bit longer.
Because Wesley Clark hasn’t announced his decision yet.
In case there was any doubt that top members of the Dem establishment are paying very close attention to the retired general’s plans, McEntee made it clear that Clark’s announcement will have the ability to change this race in a hurry.
“I think we would owe it to our members and to the country really, to at least let him be in it for a time to see whether he gets some traction,” McEntee said yesterday. “I don’t see how our union would be prepared to do anything until he has some time.”
McEntee is not a disinterested observer. Anxious to replace Bush, McEntee has been one of Clark’s biggest fans in recent months, urging the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO to run for the Dem nomination because he believes Clark would be a viable Bush opponent.
AFSCME’s support should not be underestimated. The union offered early support to a candidate in 1991 that was trailing, at the time, in the polls. His name was Bill Clinton.
If Clark doesn’t run, AFSCME appears to have narrowed its favorites to Dean, Kerry, and Gephardt.