Despite an intensive effort, President Bush has failed to win over Teamsters President, James P. Hoffa. Gaining the support of the Teamsters was important to the President; with over 1.4 million members, they are especially strong in swing states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. However, in the last few weeks Mr. Hoffa has become increasingly vocal against Mr. Bush, feeling he has shown little concern for the American worker. At the AFL-CIO meeting in Florida last month, Hoffa spoke harshly against Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao and the administration's anti-worker/union actions.
See "Labor Leader Backs Away From Bush", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, March 16, 2003