Labor draws a candidate crowd

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) was at it again yesterday, boasting of his work on behalf of labor unions and addressing their issues.

Edwards was just one of several Democratic presidential candidates scheduled to address the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ (IAM) legislative conference yesterday and today.

{mosads}That Edwards and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Joseph Biden (D-Del.) continue to woo unions of all sizes reveals the importance their campaigns place on endorsements from organized labor.

Almost all the Democratic contenders have pushed hard for endorsements, attending forums and events hosted by the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, among others.

Clinton and Biden are scheduled to speak as part of the IAM’s Day of Action today on the National Mall. The pair will hope they get the same kind of reception Edwards received yesterday.

The former senator said he has dedicated himself to labor causes and poverty issues since his unsuccessful 2004 vice presidential run.