AFL-CIO seeks wedge between McCain and veterans

The AFL-CIO has launched a television ad in six states that will target military veterans who are also union members and may be inclined to vote for Sen. John McCain, the expected GOP nominee, because of his combat record.

The ad will run in swing states with high concentrations of white, working-class voters, a segment of the electorate that Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) had difficulty attracting during his successful run for the Democratic nomination. AFL-CIO officials have targeted 15 media markets in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

{mosads}Union officials are hoping to drive a wedge between McCain (Ariz.) and working-class veterans by emphasizing McCain’s opposition to increased veterans’ healthcare funding and minimum-wage increases.

The ad features Jim Wasser, a Vietnam War combat veteran, criticizing McCain’s support for the Iraq war and opposition to increased veterans’ healthcare funding.

The ad will run in “left-behind” towns that have lost industrial production and jobs, said Denise Mitchell, director of public affairs at the AFL-CIO. These towns include Flint and Marquette in Michigan; Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown in Ohio; and Johnstown, Pa.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Building and Construction Trades President Mark Ayers announced the three-week advertising campaign in a conference call with reporters Thursday.

The union leaders also announced the formation of the AFL-CIO’s Union Veterans Council, which plans to make contact with about 2.1 million unionized military veterans. Ayers, a former Navy pilot, will chair the council.

The television ad is the first major action of the new veterans' council.

Labor strategists plan to form state veterans' councils in Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin. They also plan to form councils in other states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia in the next few weeks.

Ayers said that while union members respect McCain’s service, “we don’t respect his record in the United States Senate.”

“He voted on the wrong way on veterans' issues, such as opposing increases in veterans’ healthcare funding the last four years,” said Ayers, who also attacked McCain’s support of trade deals such as NAFTA and CAFTA, which union leaders call “unfair” to workers.

Republicans are accusing Obama of marching in lockstep with labor unions and voting against trade deals that could help the struggling economy by increasing U.S. exports.

“When it comes to important trade agreements, Obama simply follows big labor and votes no,” said Alex Conant, spokesman for the Republican National Committee. “That might be good politics, but it’s bad for the country. It’s no surprise the AFL-CIO is now coming to Obama’s assistance and attacking McCain. John McCain has spent his life putting country before politics.”

Labor leaders said they would spend a “significant” amount of money on the six-state ad buy but declined to divulge the exact amount. The ad will run on network and cable television.