Trumka said there is "only one bad reason" not to vote for President Obama "and that’s because he’s black.”
Massachusetts Democratic politicians including Joe Kennedy, John Tierney, John Kerry and Elizabeth Warren join national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and state labor leaders for an AFL-CIO rally on Sept. 24, 2012. (The Republican | Shira Schoenberg)More politics news
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: There’s no more Mr. and Mrs. Nice Guy in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race.
BOSTON - National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka visited Massachusetts on Monday to campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren at a union event featuring a who’s who of state Democratic politicians.
Warren, Sen. John Kerry, U.S. Rep. John Tierney, congressional candidate Joe Kennedy and Boston Mayor Tom Menino spoke before several hundred union members at an AFL-CIO rally in Dorchester.
All of the politicians argued that Democrats represent the working class – on issues ranging from extending unemployment insurance benefits to supporting Democratic President Barack Obama’s jobs bills. “On vote after vote, these guys have been engaged in the greatest assault on organized labor that I’ve ever seen the entire time I’ve been in the Senate,” Kerry said, referring to Senate Republicans.
Trumka criticized Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for comments Romney made at a private fundraiser dismissing 47 percent of Americans – who support Obama – as “victims” who feel entitled to government support. “We may not have enough money for Mitt Romney and his friends, but the ballot box doesn’t care,” Trumka said. “We all have one vote on election day.”
Trumka criticized Brown for his voting record on labor-related issues. He also used strong - and personal - rhetoric to criticize those who would vote against Obama and against Warren. “There are dozens of good reasons to vote for Barack Obama and only one bad reason not to, and that’s because he’s black,” Trumka said. “Now hear me about Elizabeth Warren, there are dozens and dozens and dozens of good reasons for us to vote for her, but it’s crazy not to vote for her because she’s a woman or because she’s a college professor, or for any other superficial reason that you’ve been fed.”
Warren said she is proud to have Trumka’s help, and praised unions for their work. “Unions are going to help rebuild America’s middle class,” Warren said.
Brown spokeswoman Alleigh Marre disputed the perception that union members are largely supporting Warren. “Rank and file union members like Scott because they see him as a regular guy with an independent voting record who is focused on creating jobs and reining in government spending,” Marre said.