SMOOT V. HAWLEY

Democrats Seeking Labor's Backing Call for More Health Benefits and Less Free Trade (ADAM NAGOURNEY, 8/06/03, NY Times)

All but one of the nine Democratic presidential candidates made extravagant bids for support from organized labor here tonight, calling for expanded health care coverage and some restrictions on free trade policies and denouncing the Bush administration for cutting funds to state governments.

The candidates squabbled over how ambitious health care programs should be and how restricted trade policies should be. But for the most part, they largely endorsed the views held by organized labor as they appeared at a 90-minute forum sponsored by the A.F.L.-C.I.O. [...]

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, who has portrayed himself as the most centrist candidate, sought to stand out tonight as he refrained from offering unabashed endorsements of union positions.

At one point, the senator was booed when he said he would establish a pilot program to provide poor students with vouchers to attend private schools, a position strongly opposed by teacher unions.

"I'm going to speak the truth," Mr. Lieberman said. "I'm going say what I think is best for America regardless. This is an experiment. Try it for three to four years, limit it to poor children, don't take any money out of public school budgets."

Given that Mr. Lieberman's candidacy is a non-starter--better suited to the GOP--one wonders how all the libertarians who've been beating their chests for two years, claiming that they'd never vote for George Bush because of the steel tariffs, feel now. Gonna cut off your NAFTA to spite your face? Posted by Orrin Judd at August 6, 2003 6:39 AM