Hillary Clinton Will Go to Detroit to Address Unions

Clinton picks Detroit for union talk

Presidential hopefuls will speak to AFL-CIO members at town halls; her visit likely in May.

Sen. Hillary Clinton will speak in Detroit, as part of a national campaign by the AFL-CIO to give union members a chance to meet presidential candidates and help decide whether the labor group should endorse before the presidential primaries.

The date has not been confirmed, but may be May 29.

"We had a huge impact in 2006," AFL-CIO spokesman Steve Smith said. "We want to keep that energy."

Seven Democratic presidential candidates were given choices of cities in which to speak. Afterward, the seven candidates will participate together in Chicago in early August at the annual AFL-CIO's executive council meeting.

Clinton, a New York Democrat, chose Detroit, Smith said.

The AFL-CIO expects to announce next week the time and location of the Detroit town hall.

"It makes sense that she'd want Detroit," said EPIC-MRA political analyst Ed Sarpolus of Lansing. "It is one of the few areas where (Illinois Sen.) Barack Obama has yet to sway votes. She needs (2004 vice presidential nominee John) Edwards not to get a stronger hold. This is a good place to line up votes and hope the union endorses her down the road."

In EPIC-MRA's latest poll, Clinton was far ahead of her Democratic rivals. Clinton had 45 percent support, followed by Obama at 29 percent and Edwards at 16 percent, according to the poll released March 20 of 454 likely Michigan Democratic caucus voters. Smith said Detroit was on the list because "It's an area that has been hit particularly hard in terms of manufacturing jobs loss."

The other AFL-CIO town halls: Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., will speak April 29 in Sacramento, Calif.; Edwards May 1 in Seattle; Obama May 14 in Trenton, N.J.; Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., May 16 in Miami; Gov. Bill Richardson, D-New Mexico, June 4 in Phoenix; and Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, at a place and date to be decided.