AFL-CIO backs Obama

Barack Obama solidified his union backing today, as the nation's largest labor federation formally endorsed him.

The AFL-CIO's general board unanimously supported the presumptive Democratic nominee, citing his "strong support of working families on issues such as health care reform, fair trade that will lift up workers here and around the world, retirement security and the freedom to form unions and bargain for middle-class living standards." Obama has a 98 percent voting record on working families’ issues, compared to just 16 percent for Sen. John McCain, the union said.

In so many ways -- on jobs, health care, gas prices and the war in Iraq -- our country is headed in the wrong direction,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said in a statement. “Barack Obama has proven from his days as an organizer, to his time in the Senate and his historic run for the presidency, that he’s leading the fight to turn around America. He’s a champion for working families who knows what it’s going to take to create an economy that works for everyone, not just Big Oil, Big Pharma, the insurance companies, the giant mortgage lenders, speculators and the very wealthy. We’re proud to stand with Sen. Obama to help our nation chart a course that will improve life for generations of working people and our children.”

The official stamp of approval kicks off the federation's mobilization of more than 13 million union voters. The AFL-CIO also launched a website detailing Obama's background and stands on the issues.

UPDATE: Blair Latoff, a Republican National Committee spokeswoman, responded in a statement: “Nobody should be surprised that the AFL-CIO has endorsed Barack Obama considering his undying support for tax increases to fund big government programs. Barack Obama’s record of raising taxes and imposing government to set the priorities for working families are not the values most Americans are looking for in their next president. Voters looking for ‘change’ will find it in John McCain’s campaign to help working families, not the negative attacks from the AFL-CIO and Obama.”