Fla. AFL-CIO Splits Senate Endorsement (Because of protester mistreatment)

[Khephra]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Florida AFL-CIO split its endorsement Sunday between two Democratic U.S. Senate candidates in a compromise that snubbed Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas.

Neither former state education commissioner Betty Castor nor Rep. Peter Deutsch won the two-thirds vote needed to get a solo endorsement from the federation of unions, but both agreed to the joint endorsement, said Cindy Hall, president of the group, which represents 500,000 workers statewide.

"We have agreed that once the primary is over, we will be with whoever the candidate is," Hall said.

Penelas' snub stemmed from what union leaders described as the mayor's indifference to the alleged mistreatment of protesters at the Free Trade of the Americas meeting last November.

"We had retirees who were thrown to the ground and handcuffed. They had tear gas fired on them," said Rich Templin, a spokesman for the Florida AFL-CIO. "When the smoke cleared, (Penelas) said what a great job law enforcement had done."

more...........

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-florida-senate,0,7530207.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[MarkTwain]

1. Could not be more...

...appropriate. Yet but another nail in the political coffin of one of the most duplicitous politicians to ever infect Miami-Dade county - and that is, indeed, saying something.

Alex Penelas is a snarky little creep that has had his lips on the ass end of every lobbyist with deep pockets and their corporate masters.

He's not even good enough to be called a DINO; he's beneath that characterization. He's nothing more than a smarmy little bastard who would sell his own mother for another dollar bill in his political treasury.

He would not even know the meaning of the term "public interest" unless it has Alex's name on the check.

[dmr]

5. That is a perfect description of Alex n/t

[madfloridian]

2. Pic of the protest and police...scary. Glad they left Penelas out.

There are people on the ground. This is one of the least awful pics. Someone here has more posted.

[dmr]

6. That pic irritates me. Look at the contrast of

police in their gun-drawn stance and the bewildered peaceful protesters just looking at them.

WTF?

[Judi Lynn]

7. Where the hell were all these cops when the "exile" community rioted

after Penelas vowed to withhold police assistance to the U.S. Government when government agents came to retrieve Elián Gonzalez (enforcing the court order) and many Cuban-Americans trashed the place?



Obviously, they have completely different police responses and political positions for Cuban-Americans rioting as opposed to non-Cuban-non-rioting-Americans protesting globalism.

[Gman]

3. Reminds me of when the Texas AFL-CIO endorsed both Ann Richards

and Jim Mattox in 1990. Actually, the convention adjourned late Sunday night without any endorsements. The executive board later made all the endorsements.

That one Texas AFL-CIO convention was the most fun I ever had at any convention with my clothes on!

[fujiyama]

4. While I'm

not happy to see the intercine party warfare in that senate primary race, I am glad Panelas isn't doing well.

He really did screw Gore over in '00, and he seems not to care for police brutality and jack booted thugs beating the shit outta protestors.

[dusty64]

8. Interesting.

August 31st, that seems really late for a primary. Wonder who jebbie and diebold's pick will be?

[gratuitous]

9. Whoa, the AFL-CIO is retaliating?

Why, that almost requires a spine! Good for them for refusing to endorse someone who had betrayed them in the past. I'm almost heartened by organizations and candidates who demonstrate that they remember what happened yesterday or the day before. It's been far too long that liberals and progressives have had sand kicked in our faces and responded with "Thank you, sir. May I have another?"

[Tatiana]

10. Good for the AFL-CIO!

Penelas is lower than a snake's belly. He doesn't deserve to be rewarded for his traitorous behavior. Al Gore spoke the truth about him. Guess the truth really does hurt if you're Alex Penelas.

[TLDHOME99]

11. kick

:kick: