Trumka: President, not Tea Partiers, can get country back to work

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka pressed President Obama and the Democratic agenda heading into midterm elections, a day after steadfastly defending the administration's efforts in the face of stubbornly high unemployment.

The union leader opened for Obama at the annual Milwaukee Area Labor Council Laborfest, along with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.).

"President Obama and Democratic leaders share our vision of an America built on good jobs — and together, we’re going to get America back to work," Trumka told the union crowd. "It won’t be the bankers. It won’t be the Tea Partiers. It won’t be the 'party of no'."

Trumka focused his speech on the date — 57 days until November elections — and exhorted the crowd to not "let up."

"Do you want to go forward with Obama and the Democrats, or backwards to the policies that wrecked our economy?" he said. "Do you want an America where working people earn a fair share of the wealth we create, where our economy works for everyone?"

On CNN on Sunday, the union leader echoed the recent White House refrain of blaming the current economic situation on the administration of George W. Bush.

"He's created more jobs in this recession than George Bush did in eight years with a surplus," Trumka said.