The Note's Sneak Peek
June 15, 2007— -- Start planning your Tuesday.
The Democratic '08ers hold two multi-candidate forums on that day.
At Washington's Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, the Democratic '08ers will make their pitches and answer questions in front of the nation's public employees union – the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.
Richardson: 8:15 - 8:40
Kucinich: 8:40 - 9:05
Clinton: 9:05 - 9:30
Edwards: 9:30 - 9:55
Obama: 9:55 - 10:20
Biden: 10:20 to 10:45
Following the open press forum which will be moderated by NBC's Chris Matthews, AFSCME's members will hold a closed press "freedom hall" discussion to share their thoughts on which of the '08ers made a positive impression and which ones didn't really answer the questions.
It's all part of AFSCME President Gerry McEntee's 2008 strategy of "drilling deeper" into the views of his members than he did in the last presidential cycle when he came out early for Howard Dean's presidential bid and later came to regret it.
For anyone prepping a candidate, here is some advice based on a Thursday ABC News interview with McEntee.
For Obama: McEntee says he doesn't hold it against you for skipping AFSCME's forum in Carson City. But stopping short of fully universal health care may be a problem. He also thinks that you better come out against the Korean trade deal and that you better do it fast. "I think he has got to take a stand on that," McEntee told ABC News, "I don't think there is any question about that." (Edwards and Clinton have already come out against the Korean trade deal but Obama has said that while he has reservations about the deal, he is waiting to evaluate the impact of the new Rangel-Pelosi trade principles on the agreement).
For Edwards: Drop the "they voted quietly line" of criticism against Clinton and Obama on the war funding vote -- it's tough enough for McEntee to follow let alone for some guy in Kalamazoo. "I don't think that excites anybody," McEntee told ABC News. "I know it didn't excite me and I live with this stuff."
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