Presidential Forum

The United Steelworkers of America sponsored a two-day conference in Cleveland during the week of the fourth of July with the goal of getting Democratic presidential candidates to discuss the future of American manufacturing. The meeting attracted John Edwards and Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Cleveland's own Dennis Kucinich.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton admitted Friday that she thinks about making history by becoming America's first female president. But that isn't why she's a candidate, she told a predominantly male crowd of about 1,000 union members Friday morning. "I'm not running because I'm a woman," Clinton said during the United Steelworkers of America (USW) forum. "I'm running because I am the most qualified person for the job”.

If elected president, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards pledged Thursday, he would ban the hiring of permanent replacements for striking workers. Edwards, who also promised to make it easier for unions to organize, recalled how he attended a rally to support striking Goodyear workers in Akron last year. "I will always stand with you when you fight for justice," said Edwards, one of three Democratic presidential candidates who spoke during a forum attended by about 1,000 United Steelworkers from across the country.