One unexpected blessing of President Joe Biden’s reign of incompetence is the new phenomenon of the GOP and conservatives receiving support from people and groups who heretofore only offered their support to Democrats and liberals.
Specifically, most unions historically have been on the side of Democratic and liberal policies, and Biden has proudly proclaimed himself “the most pro-union president in American history.”
Unfortunately for the president, at least one union is making a liar out of him by making its first significant donation to the GOP since 2004.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which primarily represents the rights of truckers and warehouse workers, gave the Republican National Committee $45,000 after former President Donald Trump met with the union in January.
Now, the Teamsters also have given significant money to the Democrats this election cycle, sending the Democratic National Committee $135,000 in December as well as $15,000 back in March.
As the Post noted, though many rank-and-file union members favor Trump, who is the GOP front-runner in this year’s presidential race, the union leadership doesn’t always share those same sentiments.
In fact, one unidentified board member called him a “known union buster, scab and insurrectionist” in a letter to the Teamsters president protesting the January meeting, according to the report.
After that meeting, Teamsters chief Sean O’Brien said the Biden administration had been overall “great for unions” but added that the union had “some more questions that need to be asked to both candidates.”
In the past four presidential elections, from 2008 to 2020, the Teamsters have given their powerful endorsement to whoever was the Democratic nominee.
Should blue-collar workers support Trump?
That said, this donation does signal a departure from the union’s donation patterns.
Some believe the Teamsters’ donation to the GOP could hint at an unprecedented Republican endorsement.
John Palmer, one of the union’s executive board members, told the Post, “We’ve never done anything like this in my time on the board. I suspect the play is that we’ll have a bit more leverage with the GOP, but it appears like a tacit endorsement of Trump.”
That surely stings the self-proclaimed most pro-union president in American history.
Overall, this is a huge win for the Republican Party.
For Biden not to have the Teamsters’ full and unwavering support is a huge blow for him and his campaign.
If the union does end up endorsing the GOP nominee over the president, that would just be a gut punch for him.
Strange how Biden’s complete failure at everything is working out quite well for his political opponents.
