Dem senator delivers blow to union bill

By J. Taylor Rushing, TheHill.com

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) on Tuesday told Capitol Hill reporters that she is skeptical of the Employee Free Choice Act, possibly dealing another deadly blow to the legislation.

Feinstein’s skepticism, coming a week after Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) announced his opposition, means Democratic leaders might find themselves in an even deeper hole as they search for 60 votes to move the so-called “card-check” bill.

“I think in this economy that what has to happen is that the unions and management get together and try to see if they can work out something,” Feinstein said. “The card-check bill, as drafted, in this economy, is extraordinarily difficult and I think almost a lightning rod to dissent. I think there are some things that can be done. I’ve talked with both sides and continue to talk to both sides to see if it isn’t possible to work something out.”

Feinstein hedged when asked if she was definitely opposed.

“I’m not on the bill, and I said what I said,” she said.

Specter’s announcement last week was widely seen as political, given that polling has shown him with a double-digit deficit against former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in the 2010 race. Specter defeated Toomey by just 2 percentage points in 2004, and it is estimated that as many as 200,000 centrist Republicans have since switched their allegiance to the Democratic Party.

Specter had previously supported a motion to proceed to debate on the card-check legislation — a top priority of organized labor — which gave Democrats hope they could win his vote this year. After Specter announced his opposition last week, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said there are “other suspects” that Democrats are pursuing to reach the 60-vote threshold.

A trio of actors from the “West Wing” TV show took aim at Specter’s decision Tuesday at a press conference to promote the bill. Bradley Whitford, who played Josh Lyman on the NBC show, said Specter took the easy way out.

“He is down 15 points in polling, coming from the right in the Republican primary,” Whitford said.

“You cannot allow compromise on the fundamental right of workers to actually be able to form a union. It’s disappointing. It sounds to me like he’s more worried about his job than his constituents’ jobs.”

Asked if they had met with Feinstein to learn her concerns, the actors said no such meeting had been arranged.

“But we would welcome that opportunity,” said actor Martin Sheen, who portrayed President Josiah Bartlet on the show.

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