Hoffa & Obama: The Labor-Latte Alliance

[OhioChick]

Now divorced from the mob, the Teamsters choose a Bobby Kennedy type for president
by Tom Robbins
February 26th, 2008 12:00 AM

If you wanted to conjure up an unlikely photo op—something along the lines of George W. Bush in a loving arms-around with Dennis Kucinich—you might try putting skinny Barack Obama in a happy embrace with burly Teamsters union leader Jim Hoffa Jr.

These are not exactly birds of a feather. But there they were last week, grinning and gripping in San Antonio, as Hoffa vowed to put DRIVE—the union's powerful political-action committee—in gear for Obama in the upcoming campaigns.

It's an odd-bedfellows alliance that represents a major shift for the union, as well as one more indication that Obama-mania can jump all divides.

Just a few months ago, the surest way to find a passionate Obama supporter was to head for the nearest WiFi-enabled coffeehouse. If there was a Teamster around at all, he was probably out back delivering a truckload of latte cups. Hoffa's 1.4 million members wear the bluest of America's collars. They're freight drivers, warehouse workers, trash haulers, even cops. If they went looking for a Democrat in the early primaries, they were more likely to go for John Edwards, who at least tried to speak their language.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0809,314536,314536,4.html

[asthmaticeog]

1. Off topic, but MAN, the Village Voice sure has gone to hell since it got bought out.

Latte jokes? WTF?

[OhioChick]

2. I'm Just Trying to Help

Steve out by finding Labor-related articles, until he returns. :shrug:

[asthmaticeog]

3. I'm sorry, I meant no ill toward you.

:blush:

[OhioChick]

5. No Apology Necessary.

:)

[MoJoWorkin]

4. Thanks. It was an interesting and entertaining article.

[mooseprime]

6. the amazing thing to me, still,

is how somehow the middle class, democrats, and liberals are continually tarred with such labels as "volvo-driving," "elitist," and "latte-drinking," when in fact it's the republicans who are the elitists -- they can never even tell you the price of milk in the stores. there's not a one of them even drive themselves! at least we drive our own volvos. drinking latte is just plain middle-class. what's noteworthy here is that they've so gutted the once-strong middle class, that even having a latte now looks like a luxury in saint ronnie & bushco's america.