Bad news for Jedwards. Union leadership is “so happy” with the Democratic candidates for president that it might not endorse a contender in the primary, according to the NY Times. John Edwards, of course, has spent literally years courting organized labor in the hopes of getting its endorsement, which would be a huge boost for him in Iowa, where as many as one-third of Democratic caucusgoers come from union households, and elsewhere.
What’s particularly sad is that poor Edwards hasn’t done anything wrong. “There’s a pretty strong sentiment across the labor movement for Edwards,” said Steve Rosenthal, a former political director of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. “But I think some unions are a little leery of endorsing him without more evidence that he can win.”
Ouch. How’s that for a catch-22? Edwards can’t get the labor endorsement because he can’t win, and he can’t win without the labor endorsement. It’s tough being number three.