The anticipation building Friday at the Florida AFL-CIO's meeting in Jacksonville was as thick as confetti on election night, as high-profile political candidates with high hopes began passionately courting labor leaders during the union's 2010 endorsement convention.
Politicians, mostly Democrats, are flocking to Jacksonville this weekend to speak the words they hope union members most want to hear, words that will win them an AFL-CIO endorsement on Sunday.
The red-hot question is, who will the AFL-CIO back for one of the highest profile races in the nation -- the race for U.S. Senate.
Gov. Charlie Crist, who abandoned the Republican Party less than a month ago and became an independent in a strategic move to keep his U.S. Senate dreams alive, spoke to the group Friday afternoon.
Crist took off his jacket and loosened his tie before delivering a speech laced with biographical tidbits and declarations of independence. He was unabashed in his pleading for the union's endorsement, unions being a traditional source of organizational support and money for Democrats nationwide.
I want your help, said Crist. I want your vote. I want your endorsement.
With support from Republican organizations now cut off, Crist is desperately targeting traditional bastions of Democratic support, including all of Florida's education unions, including the Florida Education Association and the United Federation of Teachers.
The governor, who was greeted by applause and strong enthusiasm from the several hundred union members in attendance, also turned on his trademark humility for the occasion. I am here to learn," he said. "I am here to listen and I am here to show respect. There is not enough of that right now.
Crist returned several times to his need for the union's backing.
I am not a Republican or a Democrat, he said at one point. Come October, its going to be very lonely for me without a political party.
Crist also defended his support of President Barack Obamas stimulus proposal. Im a common-sense guy, he said. We needed it and, as a result of taking that money, we saved 87,000 jobs.
He defended vetoing Senate Bill 6, a Republican-backed measure aimed at reforming teacher performance pay. And he said he would support legislation to add a union representative to the board of Space Florida. Union members praised Crist for refusing to cut the pay of state employees but also noted sourly that they have not seen a pay raise in six years.
Congressman Kendrick Meek, considered at this point the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for Senate, is also seeking the groups endorsement, He will be speaking to the AFL-CIO early Saturday morning.
Hes on his way, Meek supporter Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, told the audience. Floridas newest senator is on his way.
But if Hill's reference was an attempt to warm up the crowd for Meek, it largely fell flat. There was only scattered applause. Most of the labor leaders sat in silence.
Crist, on the other hand, received an enthusiastic reception when he entered the meeting room, and the enthusiasm continued to build. As he left, all union proceedings came to a screeching halt when a large number of the attendees, especially members of teachers unions thankful for his veto of SB 6, crowded around the governor. AFL-CIO President Mike Williams eventually descended from the podium to round up members so the meeting could continue.
The AFL-CIO convenes Sunday, after all the speeches, to cast its endorsement for the U.S. Senate seat and other races across the state.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
