Biden looks to union leaders for support as he seeks to reassure worried Democrats
Facing pressure from within his own party to abandon his reelection campaign, President Joe Biden is relying on labor unions to help make the case that his record in office matters more than his age
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden met Wednesday with the executive council of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest federation of trade unions, to shore up support from a critical constituency as he beats back continued calls to step aside in the 2024 campaign.
“I think of you as my domestic NATO — not a joke,” the 81-year-old Democrat told the crowd gathered at headquarters.
Hours later in the Oval Office, when a reporter asked him about an opinion piece written by George Clooney in which the actor implored Biden to leave the 2024 race, the president responded with “AFL-CIO!” paused, pumped his fists and added, “Go, go, go.”
The AFL-CIO said the president has been booked to attend the meeting for more than a year, but his participation now involves much higher scrutiny after his weak debate performance against Donald Trump raised fears about his ability to compete in November's election. His sit-down with union officials also overlaps with the NATO summit in Washington, where Biden is navigating geopolitics with other world leaders.
