First Door on the Left

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a rare alliance, strategists for John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and John Kerry discussed whether they could stop the Service Employees International Union from endorsing fellow Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.

The union, the largest in the AFL-CIO with 1.6 million members, announced last week that its 63-member board would decide Thursday whether to endorse the former Vermont governor. “It’s Dean or one,” said SEIU spokeswoman Sara Howard.

The announcement prompted top aides to Edwards, Gephardt and Kerry to convene a conference call during which they discussed whether Dean’s endorsement could be blocked.

Comparing intelligence from their sources inside the union, the Edwards, Gephardt and Kerry campaigns determined that they still had an outside chance to stop Dean, according to senior officials with the three campaigns.

I have always said that on the off chance that Governor Dean is not the nominee next year I would work for whoever is. (Anybody would be better than Bush.) These guys are making it very difficult for me to stand by that promise.

DES MOINES–On Saturday November 1, the non-partisan Center for Economic Policy and Research released a report titled ‘Hard Times in the New Millennium: The fate of youth in the Bush years.’ The report found that the young people of our country have faced particularly ‘dim prospects’ since President Bush took office.

“The Bush administration’s policies have not been friendly to young Americans, leaving too many without a job, without health insurance, without a college education, and without hope,” Dean said about the report.

The report found that the unemployment rate for 18-30 year olds was over 9% in the first half of 2003, nearly double the rate for older Americans. Nearly one-third of young Americans went without full-year health care insurance in 2002. Governor Dean’s plan for health care is built upon a proposal to provide health care insurance to all Americans under 25.

“The fate of our country lies in the next generation of young Americans. This report underscores why young Americans must get involved in the political process. Their future and the future of America depends on their decision to get involved and help change Washington,” Dean said.

The Dean For America campaign launched Generation Dean, its official youth outreach organization, in order to reach out to and involve millions of young Americans who care passionately about changing their country. Generation Dean is now the largest youth outreach campaign in this election — with young professionals, high school and college grads, and members of the work force all included in the effort. In fact, through the Generation Dean website, over 800 groups and nearly 20,000 members have self-organized in all 50 states and several foreign countries.

“Our campaign is about reengaging people in the political process, and Generation Dean is thriving because thousands of Americans are making the decision to stand up and be counted,” Dean said. “They can make the issues of young Americans a priority, because we cannot afford to leave behind a whole generation of Americans.”

Also read: “‘Getting out the voice’ may win it“