Does John Olsen have short term memory loss?

by: ctblogger

Mon Aug 20, 2012 at 14:25:22 PM EDT

AFL-CIO President John Olsen, CTNJ today:

AFL-CIO President John Olsen told WDRC Host Brad Davis that he plans on calling House Speaker Chris Donovan Monday and asking him to get out of the race.

[...]

Olsen said he thinks it's not realistic for labor, which makes up a large segment of the Democratic party in Connecticut, to wait for somebody who is "pure" and will vote in favor of their agenda all of the time.

Olsen has worked hard behind the scenes to deliver the endorsement for Lieberman.

[...]

Olsen said that the federation, if it endorses Lieberman, would stick with him even if he loses the primary and runs against the Democrats as an independent in November. "We endorse individuals," he said. "We don't endorse the party."

You can't have it both ways John, and it's hypocritical for you to tell unions members to get behind an individual who has been openly hostile towards those in the labor movement.

Elizabeth Esty, a lawyer and mother of three turned state legislator from Cheshire, called to say she'd had it.
[...]

I grabbed my notebook and headed over to the Capitol, hoping to catch her before she recovered her party-approved talking points.

"The center is not being heard," Esty told me, launching into a lengthy list, from intractable unions to a misguided sick leave proposal and tax cuts for the wealthy. "What is happening in politics such that neither party is producing and supporting moderates?"

How so? She hears business leaders complain about how difficult this state can be, then watches fellow Democrats push for new mandates, such as state-imposed sick time rules...

...it's not like the rank and file union members  haven't ignored Olsen in the past, turned their backs on the primary victor and assisted in the spoiler role before.