The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

(Page 3 of 4)

br> In press reports and spin to reporters and Beltway insiders, organized labor leaders and lobbyists alike have been singing the praises of Edwards, a man who wasn't even labor's third choice in the primary season (that dubious distinction went to John Kerry , before labor's favorite, Howie Dean , went down in flames). "Either one would make us happy," says an AFL-CIO lobbyist in Washington, speaking of Gephardt or Edwards as a veep pick. "Edwards passes all the litmus tests." /p>

Yet that wasn't the position of labor a month ago. Could the Kerry campaign actually be showing some spine in telling the unions who is really in control?

"The reality is reality has set in with those guys," says a Kerry adviser in Washington. "It became clear to them that while Kerry would listen to what they had to say, they weren't necessarily going to get the guy they wanted. John Sweeney [AFL-CIO president] has had to come around to the idea that the pick is not his to make."

Hence the expanding list of veep nominees acceptable to labor.

The decision to back Edwards as a second choice came about three weeks ago, during conference calls among labor leaders in Washington and New York. "It's better to show unity before everything happens than to look out in the cold after the fact," says the AFL-CIO lobbyist. "If Edwards is the guy, then we have quotes going on three weeks now that show we were backing the bottom of the ticket and had a hand in it. That's all they are interested in. Looking like they have control of the situation."

p> THE VEEP MADELEINE br> Depending on who you talk to, Rep. Dick Gephardt either got word late Thursday that he was on the bottom of the ticket or that he was out of the race altogether. Several news outlets were reporting over the July 4th weekend that

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