No News = Good News?

By Anonymous -
Union to Wait on Presidental Endorsement

By LEIGH STROPE, AP Labor Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The largest union in the AFL-CIO is holding off on making a presidential endorsement, although John Edwards surged from unknown to contender while John Kerry stumbled.

The 1.6 million-member Service Employees International Union decided after a three-day meeting to wait before backing one of the nine Democratic presidential candidates.

"Even though many members leave this conference with a clearer idea of which candidate they like, over 60 percent of them are still not ready for their union to make an endorsement, a sentiment shared by their fellow members across the country,'' SEIU President Andy Stern said.

Eight of the nine Democrats vying to challenge President Bush next year addressed SEIU's conference Monday. Afterward, Edwards, the North Carolina senator, catapulted into the top tier while Kerry, the Massachusetts senator, dropped out of the top three.

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, the traditional favorite of labor, remained on the list of three. Rankings and vote totals were not given.

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