海角大神

Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, trusts Hillary Clinton to keep her word on free trade.

Back in July, when Mrs. Clinton鈥檚 close ally, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, said that a President Hillary Clinton would in fact support the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade deal 鈥� after 鈥� he quickly had to backtrack.聽

But can Clinton really be trusted to make major changes to TPP, in the name of protecting American jobs and workers, and not just a few tweaks? Mr. Trumka did not hesitate.

鈥淚 have no doubt in my mind,鈥� Trumka told reporters Thursday at his annual pre-Labor Day breakfast hosted by 海角大神. 鈥淚鈥檝e looked her squarely in the eye, just like I鈥檓 looking at you, and we鈥檝e talked about TPP. I鈥檝e known her for 30 years, and there鈥檚 never been one time where Hillary Clinton has given me her word on anything that she didn鈥檛 follow through on. I have absolute trust that she will follow through on that.鈥�

As for Governor McAuliffe, Trumka didn鈥檛 mince words: 鈥淲ell, Terry needs to keep his mind in gear and not let it get into neutral once in a while.鈥�

Clinton鈥檚 constancy in her new posture on trade, after years as a proponent of free trade deals, is crucial to maintaining union support in the presidential race. Republican opponent Donald Trump 鈥� and Bernie Sanders before that, during the Democratic primaries 鈥� has made opposition to TPP a cornerstone of his pitch to working-class voters, who form a critical part of his political base.聽(President Obama supports TPP.)

Trumka expressed confidence in organized labor鈥檚 ability to turn out votes for Clinton, despite Mr. Trump鈥檚 inroads into the white working class.

鈥淲e鈥檙e probably about where we were with Barack Obama at this point with the election,鈥� Trumka said, adding that the more organized labor gets information out to workers, 鈥渢he better off we get.鈥�

Trumka on Trump

But he acknowledges the competition with Trump 鈥� and then slams him as a 鈥渇raud.鈥澛�

鈥淎nytime a politician is on the same side of an issue as us, we think it鈥檚 a positive thing,鈥� says Trumka.

But 鈥淒onald Trump talking about being against trade deals is almost laughable. He has a history of being for every trade deal that ever existed. He outsources every one of the products he has,鈥� Trumka says, a reference to Trump鈥檚 clothing line and other foreign-made goods bearing his brand.

鈥淏ut he saw the power of that issue, the political power, and being the opportunist that he is, he jumped on board,鈥� Trumka says.

The AFL-CIO chief adds that he鈥檚 happy Trump 鈥渏umped on board鈥� and got the other candidates in the presidential race to oppose TPP. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 see that as a threat at all. We see him as a fraud, and not being sincere about his support. But if he is, we鈥檒l take the support.鈥�

As for Trump鈥檚 performance Wednesday 鈥� first striking a presidential pose in his meeting and press conference in Mexico with President Enrique Pe帽a Nieto, then a return to the rousing anti-immigrant rhetoric at an evening rally in Arizona 鈥� Trumka offered a colorful assessment.

鈥淲hile he talked like John Wayne last night, he acted like Winnie the Pooh when he was in Mexico,鈥� Trumka said.

The labor leader noted Trump鈥檚 comment that he didn鈥檛 bring up who would pay for the wall he wants to build along the US-Mexico border. At Trump rallies, he often asks the audience, 鈥淎nd who鈥檚 going to pay for the wall?鈥� The response: 鈥淢exico!鈥�

鈥淗e was pretty meek and quiet鈥� in his visit to Mexico, said Trumka. 鈥淗e never even raised who was going to pay for the wall itself. It tells you that he鈥檚 not really serious about it, it鈥檚 not a serious proposal. We will continue to use what he says to educate our members.鈥�

The big races

Trumka predicted that Democrats would retake the Senate, and named six races as 鈥淭ier One鈥� for organized labor鈥檚 focus: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada, Florida, and Missouri.

Trumka also declined to say whether Clinton, as president, should renominate Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court, whom he called 鈥渁 great candidate.鈥� And he predicted there would not be a vote on Judge Garland during any post-election lame duck session in the Senate.

After that, Trumka said, 鈥淲e鈥檒l see鈥� I鈥檓 not willing to commit at this time, not to go forward on it.鈥�

Garland is viewed as a center-left prospect for the court, and some activists are hoping that as president, Clinton would put forward a more liberal choice to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Stepping back a bit, as Mr. Obama鈥檚 presidency winds down, Trumka offered a comparison between him and Clinton.

鈥淧resident Obama has been a good president for working people,鈥� Trumka said, citing Obama鈥檚 appointments to key posts, such as the Department of Labor.

But under Clinton, he added, 鈥減robably the difference will be that she will listen a little earlier and a little more carefully than the president did. She is more open to talking to people, before decisions are made. Her circle is wider than the president鈥檚. He currently has a pretty small, closed circle, so I think she鈥檒l get more input in the decisionmaking process.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檒l be full partners in rewriting the rules of the economy,鈥� Trumka said.