Top Three Dems Now Refuse To Cross Picket Line For Debate

The Democratic frontrunners for the presidential nomination have all announced that they will forgo CBS News' upcoming presidential debate unless the network can reach a resolution with its employees who have authorized a strike.

Speaking earlier in the day, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, declared that: "The workers at CBS News have been without a contract for close to two and a half years. It is my hope that both sides will reach an agreement that results in a secure contract for the workers at CBS News but let me be clear: I will honor the picket line if the workers at CBS News decide to strike."

Hours later, her chief opponent for the nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, weighed in as well, issuing the following statement through his campaign: "If CBS News is unable to reach an agreement with its workers and they decide to strike, Barack Obama will not cross the picket line to attend the debate."

Finally, former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, offered his support for the strikers, declaring that he and his wife Elizabeth "will also honor any picket lines at CBS News, up to and including the CBS presidential debate on December 10th... I hope that in these disputes, management and the union are able to agree on a just settlement. But until those settlements are reached, I will stand firmly with these workers in their fight for a better life."

The refusals of the top three candidates to attend the debate if a strike is in progress is the strongest statements yet in support of the writers.

CBS News is slated to host its first Democratic debate on December 10 at the network's Los Angeles studios. Last week, however, approximately three-fourths of CBS News' 500 employees (writers, desk assistants, graphic artists, and assignment editors, mostly) voted to authorize a strike. Employees at the news station have been without a contract since April 2, 2005 and have scheduled a negotiating committee to meet on the situation following the Thanksgiving break.

Three weeks ago, the entertainment and screenwriters of the Writers Guild of America (which also covers CBS News employees), began a strike of their own, after negotiations on a new contract for the union's 10,500 members hit an impasse. These members of WGA are seeking a percentage of the retail price of movies and television episodes downloaded on Internet; something to which the studios have yet to agree.

Democratic presidential candidates have made the strike a forum for demonstrating their pro-labor credentials. This past Friday, Edwards joined the picket lines at NBC's studios in Burbank, proclaiming that the WGA Strike was a "fight for justice." Today, Edwards, along with Clinton and Obama went even further in expressing their solidarity.

"America's unions are the backbone of America's middle class and I will always stand with America's working men and women in the fight to ensure that they are able to earn a fair wage," Clinton said.

Update: Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has offered his support for the strikers as well, saying in a statement, "Supporting workers' rights is more important than anything I will say at the debate."

Comments

[InofTouch]

03:20 AM on 11/24/2007

Well this should be a good thing to watch as seen the other boys to get a chance to shine out of the spotlight

[RuthieM]

12:55 PM on 11/23/2007

Good, they should all honor the Writers Strike, including the spouses.

[dgscol]

11:32 PM on 11/22/2007

In this photo these people look like celebrities. How do you like them so far? All I would really want from them is to know what top issues do they think are important for the nation to address in the next 4 years. If they would just answer that, they could short the list of donors they keep in their valises; which they consult after they get into office, so they will not be embarassed.

Should these politicans be taking money from the Sikh's?
Do these Sikhs vote? Have drivers licenses?

[hmfwic]

10:08 PM on 11/22/2007

If it ends up being cancelled because of the WGA strike, it'll be too bad for hostess Katie Couric and a lucky break for Hillary.

[godlessclif]

04:05 PM on 11/22/2007

Hillary had her custom catered debate on CNN [Clinton News Network] with an audience hand picked like Howdy Doody's peanut gallery; who cheered Hillary like she was Princess Summerfall-winterspring and booed Obama, Edwards and Biden like he was Mr. Bluster and his henchmen.

Now faced with the prospect of left leaning, but not completely biased, CBS; Hillary, or rather her handler Mark Penn, has decided to use the strike as an excuse to avoid any objective questioning.

Obama and Edwards don't want to offend the union, so Hillary's tactic worked.

Obama and Edwards as Hillary me too candidates
is delusional. The vote on Peruvian NAFTA will show that. Hillary said she is against NAFTA, but she still is voting for it.

Hillary Care is corporate welfare for health insurance and HMOs that brings the concept of compulsory insurance from the auto industry.
If you own an ass, you will be forced insure it by Hillary, you don't even have the option of not buying the insurance and riding the bus like you do with car insurance.

[poopdeck]

03:43 PM on 11/22/2007

This, alas, is exactly the sequence in which the three wannabes will rank at the time of the Democratic Convention next year. Barack and Johnnie: me-tooism will not get you nominated .

[FOIAgras]

02:14 PM on 11/22/2007

Sam, why are you joining the corporate media herd in anointing Edwards, Obama, and Clinton as the "top three" and "frontrunners"? Don't we have enough journalism by self-fulfilling prophesy from Big Media?

[margaretrose]

02:01 PM on 11/22/2007

Not that Hitlery, the cattle futures baron could give a hound dog's biscuit about the Ameriacan worker, let alone those serving under the regime of the Communist Broadcasting Network (CBS), but why doesn't she and Oabama just take their Marsha Clark/Chris Darden dog and pony show on the road and have their debate on Al Jazeea TV? That way the two could speak directly to their biggest fans and supporters....the million Muslim fanatics throughtout the globe who hate America and want to see her destroyed..while at the same time giving them a bird's eye view of the left's "best choice for America's next Commander in Chief!

[avraamjack]

11:29 AM on 11/22/2007

IT I COOL SENATOR CLINTON WILL NOT CROSS THE PICKET LINE BUT:
Even though many may like the policies that Senator Clinton proposes, they should also consider her record – just as Senator Clinton insists.
.
The last Clinton Administration, when faced with the fact that protection rackets where torturing people with poison and radiation, chose to avoid its responsibilities to incarcerate the criminals and protect the citizenry.
.
Instead, they made a deal with the criminal gang stalking protection rackets to leave them alone and to consequently abandon the citizenry.
.
Do we want a President who sells out the citizenry for votes?
.
Do we want a President who sends a "crime does pay" message to society?
.
Would you vote for a President who has signed nonagression deals with the KKK or the Nazi party? Gangs that torture with poison and radiation are much like the KKK and Nazi Party.
.
We do not need a sellout President. We need a principled leader President.
.
I could be wrong since I was not there when the sellout decision was made but since nobody will admit the sellout they do not have to defend it.
.
Do a web search for “gang stalking” if you are one of the few who do not know what the above refers to.
.

[kellygrrrl]

11:01 AM on 11/22/2007

Well, they are all still using their own Speech Writers, correct?
Does that make them scabs?

[lentinelia]

09:18 AM on 11/22/2007

The "three top dems" is a disgusting designation.

The stupidity level of Huffpo is equivalent to CNN.

I am for the black sheep - like Kucinich.

[BrokenMirror]

08:16 AM on 11/22/2007

"Top three Dems." How depressing.

[armadillious2002]

07:54 AM on 11/22/2007

This is good - like it or not - by and large Unions and strikes are responsible for the lifestyle we enjoy in this country today.

And, never doubt it - without Unions the repubs would have you and your children working 24-7 in sweat shops in a heartbeat - all in the name of the lord.

[USMC1980]

03:12 AM on 11/22/2007

Good for Hillary, Barak and Edwards. This is more proof as to why Unions have been so pro DNC for years. I gaurantee you, not one Republican will or would have a problem crossing a picket line...a bunch of fucking scabs the lot of them.

[truthyguy]

01:48 AM on 11/22/2007

Now of we could just get HRC to cancel everything else and go home, wherever that is.