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Labor Helps Lead Landrieu To Victory In Louisiana
In a big victory for working families, Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana was reelected in a Dec. 7 run-off election - a win she credited in large part to union members.
"The working people of this country that wear the hard hats, that fight the fires, that keep our streets safe, teachers that teach our children, the janitors that pick up the trash - these people are not the enemy. These people deserve a fair shot and a fair shake," Landrieu said in thanking the unions for their support, as quoted in the Baton Rouge, La., newspaper, The Advocate.
Laundrieu received 52 percent of the votes cast in the Saturday election to 48 percent for Republican opponent Suzanne Haik Terrell. Republican heavyweights right up to President George W. Bush came to Louisiana to stump for Terrell, and spent millions on the campaign.
But their rhetoric and pocketbooks couldn't match the determination of CWA and the state's other labor unions. "When you take on the president, his family, his cabinet, 15 million dollars and a lot of distortion of the truth, it's a feeling that's beyond belief," said CWA Local 3410 President Michael Fahrenholt, describing the thrill of victory.
He said his members and locals throughout the state worked phone banks, rallied and went door to door to union households, leading up to the election and until 7:30 p.m. on election day. "We were very visible as CWA," he said. "Everywhere the candidate went, we were there, too. The more the Republicans threw at us, the more invigorated our people were."
Among what he called "Republican overkill," was the $1,000-a-plate luncheon that Bush attended for Terrell while workers met with Landrieu to feast on red beans and rice on paper plates.
But it wasn't just union members or Democrats who appeared fed up with the Republican message. Fahrenholt said his members spent part of election day in areas of New Orleans with strong GOP footholds, and got an unexpected reception: A cook in a diner asked for one of their "Re-Elect Mary Landrieu" shirts to wear, a Krispy Kreme franchise gave them extra doughnuts for free and a woman in one of the town's most upscale neighborhoods stopped her Mercedes to talk to the Landrieu crowd.
"She rolled down her window and said, 'I've heard from President Bush three times now about how this (electing Terrell) is a matter of national security and it has infuriated me. Doesn't our party understand that we know how to think for ourselves?'"
"The working people of this country that wear the hard hats, that fight the fires, that keep our streets safe, teachers that teach our children, the janitors that pick up the trash - these people are not the enemy. These people deserve a fair shot and a fair shake," Landrieu said in thanking the unions for their support, as quoted in the Baton Rouge, La., newspaper, The Advocate.
Laundrieu received 52 percent of the votes cast in the Saturday election to 48 percent for Republican opponent Suzanne Haik Terrell. Republican heavyweights right up to President George W. Bush came to Louisiana to stump for Terrell, and spent millions on the campaign.
But their rhetoric and pocketbooks couldn't match the determination of CWA and the state's other labor unions. "When you take on the president, his family, his cabinet, 15 million dollars and a lot of distortion of the truth, it's a feeling that's beyond belief," said CWA Local 3410 President Michael Fahrenholt, describing the thrill of victory.
He said his members and locals throughout the state worked phone banks, rallied and went door to door to union households, leading up to the election and until 7:30 p.m. on election day. "We were very visible as CWA," he said. "Everywhere the candidate went, we were there, too. The more the Republicans threw at us, the more invigorated our people were."
Among what he called "Republican overkill," was the $1,000-a-plate luncheon that Bush attended for Terrell while workers met with Landrieu to feast on red beans and rice on paper plates.
But it wasn't just union members or Democrats who appeared fed up with the Republican message. Fahrenholt said his members spent part of election day in areas of New Orleans with strong GOP footholds, and got an unexpected reception: A cook in a diner asked for one of their "Re-Elect Mary Landrieu" shirts to wear, a Krispy Kreme franchise gave them extra doughnuts for free and a woman in one of the town's most upscale neighborhoods stopped her Mercedes to talk to the Landrieu crowd.
"She rolled down her window and said, 'I've heard from President Bush three times now about how this (electing Terrell) is a matter of national security and it has infuriated me. Doesn't our party understand that we know how to think for ourselves?'"