About seven presidents ago, the union I belonged to — which represented reporters, editors, photographers, and commercial workers at newspapers — endorsed a political candidate.

Actually, it was the executive board that did the endorsing for all of us.

A lot of union members, including me, flipped out.

Some didn’t like the candidate, but most didn’t like the fact that a union representing reporters (who in theory are supposed to cover the news without a political bias) would endorse any political candidate.

To make a long story short, union members at four newspapers took up a collection. (This, by the by, is when I learned how cheap reporters can be!)

We were going to run a signed advertisement in the two biggest papers to say that we, as journalists, don’t endorse candidates.

Collecting the money, the signatures and then validating them for the newspapers was time consuming — but we did it.

We paid each paper something like $4,000 and our ad ran.

We were satisfied that our journalistic honor had been satisfied.

Sort of.

Two things happened: The candidate “we” endorsed lost. By historic proportions. And four years later the union did it again.

We figured the only winners were the newspapers who got our ad revenue.

Union endorsements hit different people different ways.

Take yesterday’s column.

It was about the latest of four federal unions that have endorsed a presidential candidate.

Three of the unions, representing postal clerks, federal engineers and a broad spectrum of the white collar workforce, have case their lot with Sen. Barrack Obama (D-Ill.).

One favors Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

So what’s the reaction — good, bad or indifferent — to the endorsements?

Here’s what people are saying:

• “Probably doesn’t mean a hill of beans that the unions back Obama or Clinton. They all backed Kerry four years ago and Bush won the election!” Jim H.
• “Your column has me seeing red and it has nothing to do with ‘red states/blue states’. Labor unions, federal or otherwise, have absolutely no business endorsing political candidates for any office! It’s not the concern over a union endorsing a losing candidate and members suffering retribution at the hands of the winner. I think even the most self-serving of politicians is above that. Those are the kind of small minded, petty games more likely to be seen in labor union elections. Rather, my objection is on the use of union funds (derived from members’ dues) and vote of approval given to a political candidate that even one dues paying member of that union objects to. I would not want any union I paid dues to endorsing the candidate I supported, because I know there would be others in the same union with a different opinion. Well, your column helped me make one decision. Our agency recently certified the AFGE to represent white collar workers and I actually planned to join. Emphasis is on the past tense. There is no way I will ever join a union when they are endorsing and supporting political candidates.” Ken in Annapolis
• “Endorsements are a necessary evil. Unions should see where the candidates stand on important issues as they relate to the workers. This should be done on an individual basis and not just the endorsement of a certain party candidate. We must try to elect people who represent our best interests in balance with the concerns of our nation.” Alice Salmansohn
• “I’ve yet to hear anyone in my ‘real’ life ask ‘I wonder who AFGE is endorsing?'” Pat F.
• “Of course federal unions should be part of the political process and, as such, should participate in the endorsement game. We all have constituencies that we care about/work for, and that includes working for and helping get candidates elected who will make the working lives of our members better.” Andrew G. Lovett, NTEU Chapter 60

  Nearly Useless Factoid

  On average, Americans consume over 28 pounds of bananas each year.

  To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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