As RedState’s Teri Christoph reported Wednesday, the powerful International Brotherhood of Teamsters union seemed poised to endorse former President Donald Trump—but then in a last-minute decision they claimed that “neither major candidate was able to make serious commitments to our union.”
They refused to endorse either Trump or Democrat “nominee” Kamala Harris. (I put “nominee” in quotes because she was not nominated by the people in a Democratic process; instead, she was shoehorned into the position by the cabal of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and presumably, Barack Obama as they threw Joe Biden to the sidelines.)
Teamsters Members Overwhelmingly Voted to Endorse Trump, But Leadership Wimped Out
Biden Finally Speaks Out on Demise of Reelection Campaign, Mentions Pelosi's Role
The problem with this decision? It’s a spit in the face to the actual union members, who overwhelmingly supported Trump. I thought unions were supposed to represent their workers?
Trump's campaign was quick to highlight that the majority of Teamsters members favored endorsing the former president, according to the union's polling released on Wednesday.
In an email, the campaign acknowledged the union wasn't making a formal endorsement, adding that Teamsters polling data from July 14 to September 15 showed 59.6 percent of its rank-and-file members supporting Trump, with 34 percent backing Harris.
Other data from April 9 to July 3 showed Biden leading Trump, 44 percent to 36 percent. The poll did not provide information on survey size or methodology.
That’s not even close!
TEAMSTERS RELEASE PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT POLLING DATA
— Teamsters (@Teamsters) September 18, 2024
“For the past year, the Teamsters Union has pledged to conduct the most inclusive, democratic, and transparent Presidential endorsement process in the history of our 121-year-old organization—and today we are delivering on… pic.twitter.com/CnFNN9uosx
I love how Newsweek writes, "Trump's campaign was quick to highlight" the disconnect. I’m surprised they didn’t use the word “pounce.” What competent campaign team wouldn’t immediately jump on the fact that the hierarchy ignored the wishes of the rank and file they’re supposed to represent?
Despite the weak-kneed non-endorsement of the Teamsters, the Trump-Vance campaign sent out an email Wednesday evening pointing out that even the leftist mainstream media realized it was still a major “L” for Kamala Harris:
The non-endorsement was widely panned as a humiliating loss for Kamala:
- Politico: "The non-endorsement is a sizable blow for Vice President Kamala Harris"
- The Washington Post: "A blow to the Democratic Party"
- The New York Times: "The decision is a blow to Vice President Kamala Harris"
- Newsweek: "Kamala Harris Is First Democrat in Decades To Not Get Teamsters Endorsement"
- USA TODAY: "The move is a blow to Harris ... the first time the Teamsters has skipped an endorsement in a presidential election since 1996"
- Axios: "A blow to Democrats"
- CNN's Abby Phillip: "It's a blow to Harris..."
- CNN's Brianna Keilar: "This is something that hasn't happened in decades"
- Mother Jones: "A win for Trump"
- NPR: "Prior to this cycle, the Teamsters had endorsed every Democratic presidential nominee since Bill Clinton"
- The Wall Street Journal: "The first time the powerful union has stayed neutral in nearly three decades"
- CNN: "Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump"
- The Guardian: "Most of its members backed Donald Trump over Kamala Harris"
- NBC News: "Teamsters union declines to endorse in presidential election, breaking decades of precedent"
- CBS News: "The Teamsters have endorsed Democrats since 1996"
- AP: "Internal polling of its members showed Trump with an advantage over Harris"
- ABC News: "The Teamsters released polling of union members showing a nearly two-to-one preference for former President Donald Trump"
- CNBC: "The non-endorsement is a break from the union’s decadeslong tradition of backing Democratic candidates"
- Forbes: "...breaking a decades-long streak of endorsing Democratic presidential candidates"
- Semafor: "The decision marks a departure from the 1.3 million-member union’s tradition of backing Democrats"
- The Hill: "More than half of Teamsters members back former President Trump"
- Mediaite: "Teamsters Decline to Endorse Harris Or Trump As Member Poll Shows Majority Backs Trump"
- The Washington Times: "Teamsters refuse to endorse a presidential candidate, snubbing Democrats"
- Breitbart: "Teamsters Union Refuses to Endorse Kamala Harris; Polling Shows Most Members Support Donald Trump"
Workers know Kamala Harris — and her support for a fracking ban, electric vehicle mandate, and other Radical Left lunacy — would be devastating.
Not a banner day for Queen Word Salad.
Related: Teamsters Got Prime Time at RNC - Kamala Harris Gives Them the Brush-Off VIP
Has Kamala Harris Lost the Teamsters' Union?
As Newsweek noted, “All other major unions have endorsed Harris' campaign.” But shouldn’t that tell you something? As the Biden-Harris regime has opened the border, overseen a terrifying rise in overseas conflicts, and nuked the spending power of the average American with their sky-high inflation and bloated interest rates, wouldn’t it have been a good time for at least one of these powerful unions to show they cared more about restoring a declining America than they do about their own slavish devotion to the Democratic Party?
Instead, the Teamsters defied the clear desires of their own rank and file to keep their slippery relationship with the Dems alive. Even so, it's a clear win for Donald Trump and a slap to Team Kamala.
But they could have taken a stronger, principled stand, and they didn’t. That's sad.
