No Boon for Tasini

Lamont Victory Not Rallying Labor Aid

By HOWARD MEGDAL

Some municipal union activists celebrated challenger Ned Lamont's victory over incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut Aug. 8, and expressed support for Jonathan Tasini's bid to unseat Sen. Hillary Clinton in New York's Democratic primary Sept. 12.

JOSEPH LIEBERMAN: Still labor's choice?
But little formal organizational labor support has rallied to the Tasini cause, while Mr. Lamont's victory has yet to bear fruit among Connecticut unions beyond those that supported him in his primary campaign, such as the state branch of the American Federation of Teachers. The Connecticut AFL-CIO, which backed Mr. Lieberman in the primary, said it would consider endorsing him in the general election if he makes good on his vow to run as an independent.

Incumbency Uber Alles

"Unless you're a card-carrying Nazi, organized labor will support the incumbent," joked Communications Workers of America Local 1180 Vice President Bill Henning in an Aug. 10 phone interview. "And I'm not even sure that being a cardcarrying Nazi is enough at this point."

Mr. Henning, who supports both anti-war insurgents, believes that Mr. Lamont's Aug. 8 victory portends well for progressives in November's midterm elections.

BILL HENNING: Unions live with incumbents.
"You can extrapolate that people are very dissatisfied," Mr. Henning said. "But it's not just about the war. Issues like health care, issues of trade, these are all things that working people care deeply about."

Mr. Tasini said that Mr. Lamont's victory showed that "pro-war Democrats can and will be defeated," but he contended that there are other issues that should rally organized labor to his cause.

Raps Clinton on 'Trade'

"I knew from the beginning that the establishment unions are going to support the incumbent, even though she is dreadful for workers," Mr. Tasini said prior to an Aug. 10 press conference. "Her support for free trade should make her anathema to working Americans."

Still, despite speaking before both Local 1180 and District Council 37's Local 371, Mr. Tasini had yet to receive a single union's endorsement.

"She's definitely going to have organizational support," Mr. Tasini said. "But I think I'll do well among rank and file. I'm very excited about what we'll do with rank and file."

HILLARY CLINTON: No need to sweat, yet.
Mr. Henning noted that Ms. Clinton's continued refusal to debate Mr. Tasini was part of "a typical incumbent strategy." She's doing more than just ignoring her challenger, Mr. Henning noted.

Waiting for Hillary

"I think he was received well," Mr. Henning said of Mr. Tasini's appearance. "Our board tabled a resolution to endorse Tasini, which I had sponsored, and ex tended an invitation to Hillary Clinton to appear. We're still waiting to hear back from her."

Mr. Tasini made it clear that he expects union backing should he conjure a political miracle and win the primary.

"Oh, I have no doubt that if I win the primary, that they will support me in November," he said. "I haven't even felt the need to ask. I am completely sure that if I win the primary, I will get 100 percent labor support."

In the meantime, with Mr. Tasini having raised just $150,000 to Ms. Clinton's $22 million-plus, Mr. Henning believes it will be hard for Mr. Tasini to get his message out the way the multimillionaire, self-funded Mr. Lamont did against Senator Lieberman.

'Nipping At Her Heels'

"I think that Jonathan continues to be nipping at Hillary's policy heels. Whether or not he can get enough attention to have a real debate is problematic," Mr. Henning said. Mr. Tasini has said that when New Yorkers realize that he opposes the Iraq War and Ms. Clinton supports it, his popularity will surge. He cited a Marist Poll from last month, in which 62 percent of the respondents said they would vote for a candidate who opposed the conflict, while just nine percent said they would support one who favored the war.

But Mr. Henning isn't so sure being in sync with the voters will be enough.

"If people could hear [Mr. Tasini], there would be enough voters who were not enamored with the frontrunner. But the American electorate tends to want to go with a winner, even when that frontrunner doesn't espouse their views."

The Local 1180 vice president invoked frequent presidential also-ran and labor activist Eugene V. Debs to summarize his view.

"I agree with what Debs said: 'It is better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.'''