Obama will receive 71 percent support from union members, George predicts

HARRISBURG -- Barack Obama's support in Pennsylvania, despite a double-digit lead in most polls, is relatively soft in western Pennsylvania.

AFL-CIO President Bill George is trying to change that.

In a press conference at the Capitol, the powerful union head said he thinks 71 percent of union members will strongly support the Democratic presidential nominee on Election Day -- higher than the percentage U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) received in 2004 and 2 points lower than the support former vice president Al Gore received in 2000.

If his Monday press conference was any indication, he will focus on two issues to persuade union members -- tax cuts and social security.

"You can see the influence of John McCain is still about Wall Street," George said.

The president also riffed on a number of other election issues:

• His group has dispatched 3,000 lawyers to polling stations across the country to monitor elections.
• Acknowledged state Rep. Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny County) is in a fight against Republican challenger Jason Davidek in the 33rd Legislative District, but said he thinks the longtime lawmaker will be "OK."
• Said the race in the 39th Senatorial District between Republican Kim Ward and Democrat Tony Bompiani, considered the state Senate's most competitive, is a dead heat.
• Knows U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) is in a fight against Republican Bill Russell, said the AFL-CIO has been asked to start making phone calls and distributing literature.