Union Leaders Count on Union Ignorance

Given that Republican presidential nominee John McCain has been widely portrayed as despising President Bush ever since their contest for their party's nomination in 2000, the effort by the AFL-CIO to present Messrs. McCain and Bush to its membership in an ad campaign as "two ducks in a row" must be said to rely on a belief in the political ignorance of its rank and file. Thus, the AFL-CIO's leadership demeans the intelligence of its membership.

In any case, if any union members still are under the illusion that union political advocacy efforts are intended to represent them, this campaign should disabuse them of that notion. The AFL-CIO, at least with regard to its political efforts, does not represent members. It only attempts to herd them.