Debate Tonight

Two hours until the AFL-CIO sponsored, Keith Olbermann on MSNBC hosted, debate kicks off in front of 15,000 working families at Soldier Field, in Chicago. Should be exciting, and I will be giving my comments during and after. But that's only part of the flurry of labor-political activity going on.

First, while the AFl-CIO as an overall federation may not reach the 2/3 majority needed to endorse a candidate, it's expected to release individual unions to do just that after its executive meetings tomorrow, which are part of the two-day national conference.

Johnathan Tasini at Working Life has a guess where those endorsements (and these are national unions; local unions can still endorse their own candidates) will go, pending tonight's performances, as does Marc Ambinder at the Atlantic. Here's the ones they agree on:

United Auto Workers: Edwards
UNITE HERE: Edwards
United Steel Workers: Edwards
Carpenters: Edwards
Teamsters: Edwards (though local ties for Clinton and Obama may murky that up. Also, note that Richardson spoke forcefully at their party at Yearly Kos).

Tasini also says Transit Workers and Professional and Technical Engineers may go Edwards.

American Federation of Teachers: Leaning Clinton
AFSCME: Leaning Clinton

As for one of the two big kahunas, the SEIU, word is they're leaning heavily Edwards, though they got burned a bit by Dean last time. I suspect that the members will be more passionate for Edwards more than they did for Dean, who ran an anti-war platform, not pro-worker.

I hope we eventually can this is a real debate, where candidates can't rely on talking points and have to answer to pressure put on them by other candidates. Forums are too friendly, and do nothing to move the issue-based discussion forward.

I hope we see some sparks tonight.