# Kerry Crosses Two Police Picket Lines



## Gil (Jun 15, 1998)

Kerry Crosses Two Police Picket Lines
Flip-Flops Keep Coming

Today Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, blasted Senator John Kerry for yet again turning his back on America’s law enforcement officers by crossing two police picket lines in Florida yesterday established by F.O.P. Lodge #25 in Orlando, Florida. Canterbury noted specifically that his actions against police officers who were seeking nothing more than to highlight their situation weakened Kerry’s continuing claims that he is not a habitual flip-flopper.

“It wasn’t that long ago that Kerry said ‘I don’t cross picket lines. I never have,’” Canterbury said. “That ‘pledge’ is now meaningless. I guess his support for organized labor in this country either hinges on what his definition of a ‘picket line’ is, or is given only to those organizations which support his candidacy. Either way, this is his most egregious flip-flop on law enforcement to date.”

Canterbury and Orlando Lodge #25 President Jeff Williams also took issue with the Kerry Campaign’s efforts to downplay their assault on law enforcement by claiming that it was a “surprise demonstration by an organization that supports President Bush.” This claim was made despite the fact that it was the fourth picket by officers of the Orlando Police Department who have been without a contract since October 1, and that the union notified Democratic officials last week of its plans. Williams called the claim “bogus,” noting that they had set up the picket for the sole purpose of bringing attention to their cause, and were hoping that based on the Senator’s past efforts in Boston in July, that he would talk with the mayor to try and reach an agreement. 

“We had a location set up at the airport with a huge sign that read ‘picket line ahead, do not cross,’” Williams said. “He is not a man of his word.”

“I don’t care if the picket was set up 5 minutes before he went by,” Canterbury said. “That doesn’t change the fact that Kerry turned his back on Florida cops. Crossing a picket line is bad; racing past our members to pander for votes is just plain sickening. I sure hope his event was worth it.”

When asked for Senator Kerry’s reaction as he crossed their picket line, Williams said that “he put his thumb up and smiled at us.”

The Fraternal Order of Police is the nation’s largest law enforcement labor organization, with more than 318,000 members.


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## soxrock75 (Jul 26, 2004)

"John Kerry doesn't cross picket lines, I never have and never will

" - John Kerry during the BPPA contract negotiations

Unbelievable!!! When is someone in the mainstream media going to call out this self-serving a**hole on any of the flip flops that he has said. He used the BPPA and their struggle to his benefit and didn't cross their Menino pickets. He is a user, plain and simple and is only looking out for himself. These picket lines probably weren't high profile enough for him to stick his nose into, so he didn't bother. What a jerk!!!


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

*Police union endorses Kerry
Cites honoring of picket line
By Andrea Estes, Globe Staff | October 21, 2004*

Boston's police patrolmen's union yesterday voted overwhelmingly to endorse John F. Kerry for president, months after the Democratic nominee refused to cross a police picket line during the union's bitter contract dispute.

About 50 members of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association's House of Representatives handed the endorsement to Kerry by voice vote after US Representative William D. Delahunt made a personal appeal. It was the first time the union has endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate, the union officials said.

''This is a significant endorsement, particularly if you go back to 1988," Delahunt said, referring to the union's controversial endorsement of Republican George H.W. Bush over the hometown candidate, Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis.

The union endorsed Bush again in 1992. The BPPA had previously endorsed Republican Ronald Reagan.

Police leaders said the union endorsed Kerry in large part because he honored their picket line outside a meeting of the US Conference of Mayors meeting in Boston in June.

They said the endorsement also proves false rumors that circulated during the union's contract battle that their threats to disrupt the Democratic National Convention were aimed at helping the Republicans.

A state arbitrator settled the contract on the eve of the convention -- even as union members prepared to picket welcoming parties for the nation's Democratic delegations.

''We remember our friends and those who stand with us," said BPPA official James Barry. ''The rumors that we had another agenda all through this fight were planted and had no basis in reality. This shows there was no truth to them."

Barry said yesterday's closed-door session was animated, but no one suggested endorsing Bush. A few members suggested staying out of politics and endorsing no one, he said.

''They didn't think the union should be involved in presidential politics," said Barry. ''I said, 'Like it or not, we are involved in presidential politics.' We had the spotlight on us during the DNC. He respected our picket line. That was said over and over again."

BPPA president Thomas J. Nee, who was present at the meeting but left before the vote, said the decision to endorse ''was not arrived at easily," but added: ''The Bush administration has not answered the call. Their record speaks for itself. He was absent for the grit, but there for the glory."

The National Association of Police Organizations, of which Nee is the president, endorsed Kerry last month. Campaign spokesman Michael Meehan said Kerry was ''pleased to have the endorsement of the police officers who know him the best.

''They know his record as prosecutor and his record putting 100,000 cops on the street. They know he's the best one to keep America safer and stronger."

''It's particularly pleasing to have him be the first Democratic candidate they've endorsed in decades, if at all," Meehan said.

Barry said the union will contact its 1,400 members and urge them to support Kerry. They will point out his history of supporting police officers, particularly his sponsorship in the early 1990s of a US Justice Department program that allowed for the hiring of 100,000 police officers, he said.

In his 20-minute address to the union, Delahunt said, he talked about Kerry's background as an ''aggressive prosecutor and someone whose priority is ensuring the middle class doesn't go backwards."

''I talked about his not allowing the middle class in this country to disappear," he said. He said he spoke about his own grandfather, a Boston police officer fired for union organizing.

''When he worked as a police officer the work week was 96 hours and there was no vacation or overtime," Delahunt said. ''There weren't any benefits. Today we see them disappearing. The Bush administration wants them to disappear," he charged.

Delahunt has been campaigning and raising funds for Kerry around the country. 
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## dcs2244 (Jan 29, 2004)

Like any of this is a "surprise"? The cradle of liberty has become the "cradle of slavery"! :evil:


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## Ranger2 (Aug 13, 2004)

You would think that Kerry would have made an appearance at Arlington National Cemetery for the burial of the Dracut Native KIA. Seeing how is Senator for MA and does have Merrimack roots... shame shame shame shame


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## Burner1 (Jul 30, 2002)

Does anyone really think that either candidate is going to help them in any meaningful way? They are both one percenter's, and neither are looking out for the middle class. Unless you live in a "battleground" State (Massachusetts is not), your vote is a joke...The electorate has already been decided for The Commonwealth.


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