WHO KNEW THAT THERE WERE SO MANY RACISTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY:

DENVER — Racial prejudice is being cited among senior union leaders to explain Sen. Barack Obama’s difficulty in winning over support from white rank-and-file members.

Obama (D-Ill.) is counting on organized labor to help win him key electoral votes in Ohio, Michigan and other battleground states. Karen Ackerman, political director for the AFL-CIO, acknowledged that Obama’s race is an important factor for some union members.

“This race is very complicated because there is an African-American candidate for president,” said Ackerman. “We feel there is a racial component for some union members, but we’re confident we can overcome that.”

Some in the labor movement say that Obama’s race has made it difficult for a significant number of union members to support him over Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the presumptive GOP nominee.

Of course, they may not be racists — they may have problems with Obama’s (and, now Biden’s) hardline anti-gun stance. Then there’s the whole Bill Ayers thing . . . . (Via Michelle Malkin).

Some related thoughts from Shannon Love.

UPDATE: Reader Bryan Walter emails:

It isn’t racism. I am a less than proud member of SEIU. The first few calls from the union, I responded by politely asking them not to call back. Now I simply hang up on them and their junk mail goes right in the trash.

If the union would actually do something to help it’s members instead of perpetually pursuing political power maybe it’s membership would be more enthusiastic.

Ouch.