STATE UNION WON'T OPPOSE CUOMO

New York State United Teachers is remaining neutral in the 2014 governor's race. At its endorsement conference this week, NYSUT decided not to support Zephyr Teachout for governor in the Democratic primary or Howie Hawkins from the Green Party in the general election if Teachout loses the primary. We are not opposing Andrew Cuomo's reelection.

NYSUT's neutrality will clear the way for the AFL-CIO, to endorse Cuomo just like in 2010.

Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association President Beth Dimino reports over on Facebook how NYSUT had the opportunity to oppose Cuomo during the endorsement conference: "There were many who called for endorsements of Teachout and/or Hawkins."  

Yet another Revive NYSUT promise goes down the drain.  President Karen Magee's Revive NYSUT campaign literature in the fifth bullet said her caucus was "Against Cuomo."  They further emphasized, "We are not pro-Cuomo.  We have called him the Scott Walker of New York." Our new leadership group had a chance this week to align the NYSUT endorsement with their campaign literature, but just like with Common Core, they have once again they failed the test.

So much for the new NYSUT bosses listening to the rank and file.

This endorsement action pretty much fits in with the theory as to why Randi Weingarten had a major role in the coup to unseat Dick Iannuzzi as NYSUT President. Over at Ed Notes, Norm Scott reported on this in February: "My sources say that Randi could not accept Iannuzzi and crew's blatant rejection of Cuomo which would leave her without a role to play with the big boys on the state Democratic Party level. My sources say that it is more important to her than even considerations of splitting NYSUT."  Good sources Norm!

See the list of NYSUT endorsements here. 

Were any of you asked about any of these?