Unions Put Early Kerry Backer on Strategy Panel

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE

Published: March 10, 2004


BAL HARBOUR, Fla., March 9 — The A.F.L.-C.I.O. rewarded the president of the first union to endorse Senator John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, by naming him on Tuesday as vice chairman of a new campaign strategy committee.

Top officials of the labor federation named the union leader, Harold A. Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, as a committee vice chairman to give him a major role in helping shape labor's efforts to elect Mr. Kerry. The federation endorsed Mr. Kerry two weeks ago; the firefighters endorsed him last fall.

Mr. Schaitberger was chosen for the position as several union presidents here pushed unsuccessfully to oust Gerald W. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, from his post as chairman of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s political committee.

Several union leaders attending the labor federation's midwinter meeting here said the new campaign strategy committee was set up in part to dilute Mr. McEntee's power and to help put Mr. Schaitberger in the spotlight. The leaders spoke on the condition that they would not be named.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/politics/campaign/10LABO.html

Kerry is a good choice for the firefighters.

John Kerry certainly is. But my understanding is that Schaitberger's just a little bit nuts.

there is a small part of you that HAS to be a bit nuts to do what they do.

I mean that in a loving way, as one of my brothers is a fire fighter.