| Time to Quit |
10 November 2003
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Gephardt's Labor Friends Jump on Dean's Bandwagon
The power of American labor was supposed to be Congressman Richard Gephardt's (D-MO) ticket to the Democratic nomination. News last week that major labor unions SEIU and AFSCME would announce their support of Governor Howard Dean on November 11 has dealt a mortal blow to Mr. Gephardt's campaign. It is time for him to withdraw.
The unions' message here is that American labor cannot afford to back a losing candidate, and it certainly cannot afford another four-years of Mr. Bush. Dr. Dean and Mr. Gephardt are neck-and-neck in the Iowa polls, and with Governor Dean and Senator Kerry leading New Hampshire on the strength of their New England roots, the favorite here is not the Congressman from Missouri.
Even if Mr. Gephardt survives the early contests, the ground troops of the campaign that the union rank-and-file represent in places like New York, California, Michigan, Wisconsin and Washington state will be arrayed against him. He was counting on their help, he might have made due with their neutrality, but he is having to fight his old allies.
He is not the most odious of the Democratic mob, and he does have years' of Congressional experience that would make a Gephardt presidency effective in getting legislation passed. He isn't a demagogue, he's been a solid representative of his district and state, he probably is also kind to animals and small children. But he's finished.
For Mr. Gephardt to continue at this stage is to continue a lost cause. Governor Dean has the momentum and the internet, Senator Kerry has his war medals and his wife's money, Mr. Gephardt has lost his main source of convention delegate power. The money will begin to dry up soon, but he can still depart the race with some dignity and influence if he goes sooner.
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