And we lose those fights because when Al Gore sells out, national environmental groups come to his aid, claiming the problem lies somewhere else, with Congress or federal agencies. But we all know the buck stops at the White House. They have supported Gore throughout the bulk of his political career and see him as the candidate who most supports their agenda and has a chance of winning the election. While Ralph Nader would be an ideological fit for many in the environmental movement, third-party candidates have rarely fared well in this country. Nader's standing in the polls, at about 7 percent as this article is written, would seem to indicate his chances of success are no better.
Polls show that heavily union districts have occasionally gone to the Republican candidate.
In fact, the Teamsters Union has a long history of endorsing Republican Presidential candidates, including Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush's father. Teamsters President James P. Hoffa Jr. Both Teamster and Republican attendees said the discussions at the event were very positive, with Hoffa complimenting a number of Republican congressmen for their assistance on issues important to his members. What he's signaled here is a willingness to look across party lines. Common ground among labor and Republicans seems to exist on both trade and environment issues. The Teamsters and many Republicans oppose efforts to establish Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China.