Jackson praises choice of Lieberman

Jace Radke

Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson took time out from speaking at a convention of union workers at the Mirage hotel-casino to call Al Gore's choice of Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., as his running mate a heroic decision.

"His choice moves beyond the artificial qualifiers of gender, race and religion," Jackson said. "Sen. Lieberman will be an asset to the ticket, bringing his moral standing and experience from the U.S. Senate. He believes in the American dream, where there's room for everyone under one big tent."

Jackson, who had just finished speaking to the national convention of the Glass Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International, said that Lieberman should be judged on what he does, not by who he is or the fact that he is an Orthodox Jew.

"I'm sure the best of us will come out in the campaign, and the worst will also be exposed," Jackson said. "If Lieberman fights for health care and job security for workers, then we will judge him by that fruit."

Jackson spoke about unity and better working conditions, wages and health care to the assembled union leaders at the Mirage on Monday, saying he was happy to stand with workers in their fight to keep jobs from going to other countries.

"These workers want to work and get paid for it, but they can't compete with the slave wages being paid in Taiwan or Mexico," Jackson said. "We fight for an even playing field for the American worker."

The fate of workers like those he spoke to Monday should be a top priority for this fall's election, Jackson said.

"The Bush-Cheney ticket has said that its first priority is to bring tax relief to the wealthy instead of bringing education relief, health care relief and job training relief," Jackson said.

"So this race must be determined by budget priorities," he said, either relief for a few, or "inclusion and growth for many."