Thomas Menino usually a happy warrior who has loved being Myaor of Boston for 11 years now, is plainly irritated these days. He is furious at the local police union. he is contemptuous of Democratic leaders around the country who who worship at the altar of organized labor. and he is even peeved at his longtime comrade in the Mass political wars John Kerry.
Mayor Menino caught the Boston Police Patrolmen's Asoc napping Monday when a state commission forced through an expedited arbitration procedure that will settle a long-pending contract dispute just in time for the Democratic convention. However the threat is not gone. Police union leaders are so angry that they vow to send protesters to the Fleet Center. Calling the arbitration a "political bag job" union president Thomas Nee said: " We are absolutely going to protest , now more than ever" His call for volunteer protesters from "around the country" deepens the problem for the Democratic politicians who devoutly observe labor picket lines
Kerry's refusal to walk past police pickets when Menino addressed the U.S. Conference of Mayors last week in Boston still rankles the mayor. He was not alone. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who is known for having minimum regard for John Kerry also felt Kerry blundered by honoring the picket line.
While Menino's suspicion of Republican inspiration for the current crisis seems doubtful, there is no question that the union timed the trouble to coincide with the Democratic convention.
www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/printrn20040722.shtml
Mayor Menino caught the Boston Police Patrolmen's Asoc napping Monday when a state commission forced through an expedited arbitration procedure that will settle a long-pending contract dispute just in time for the Democratic convention. However the threat is not gone. Police union leaders are so angry that they vow to send protesters to the Fleet Center. Calling the arbitration a "political bag job" union president Thomas Nee said: " We are absolutely going to protest , now more than ever" His call for volunteer protesters from "around the country" deepens the problem for the Democratic politicians who devoutly observe labor picket lines
Kerry's refusal to walk past police pickets when Menino addressed the U.S. Conference of Mayors last week in Boston still rankles the mayor. He was not alone. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who is known for having minimum regard for John Kerry also felt Kerry blundered by honoring the picket line.
While Menino's suspicion of Republican inspiration for the current crisis seems doubtful, there is no question that the union timed the trouble to coincide with the Democratic convention.
www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/printrn20040722.shtml
:
