By LEIGH STROPE, AP Labor Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Labor leaders on Wednesday blamed what they said were Democrats' muddled campaign messages and too much reliance on the union vote for the party's election woes, but stopped short of calling for new leadership.
Union leaders claim they delivered for Democrats in labor's largest-ever voter mobilization effort, but that alone clearly was not enough to salvage the party's election hopes. Labor is not searching for a strategy to get its issues heard now that Republicans control both the House and Senate.
"What you find is that the Democratic Party turns to only union members," said Steve Rosenthal, the AFL-CIO's political director. "Maybe it's become too easy for them. They don't have to go out and work to put together an organization. It's easy for them to just rely on the labor movement. Maybe they've gotten a little lazy."
But AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, when asked if Democrats should get fresh leadership, said, "Oh no. I really think that the Democratic leadership worked very hard on working family issues. I just think that we have to build a stronger program in terms of how that message is pulled together and how it's articulated."
Democrats' attempts to break through to voters on economic issues failed. "They weren't able to crystalize their messages," said Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.
Union turnout could not be measured without exit polling data, but labor leaders claim their rank and file responded to an unprecedented get-out-the-vote effort.
Unions printed nearly 17 million leaflets, logged 5 million phone calls, sent more than 15 million pieces of mail, tapped 4,000 political coordinators and amassed 225,000 Election Day volunteers. Labor contributed $62 million, mostly to Democrats, as of Sept. 9. Business contributions reached $708 million, with 57 percent going to the GOP. -- Yoshie
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