AFL-CIO declines to endorse a DNC chair

 The AFL-CIO yesterday decided not to endorse a candidate in the Democratic National Committee race, removing one of the last firewalls that could have prevented former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean from winning the chairmanship. The non-endorsement from the umbrella labor group led former Rep. Martin Frost (D-Texas), who was banking on labor's support to emerge as the anti-Dean candidate, to drop out of the race yesterday, a Frost aide said. Former Ohio party chairman David Leland also bowed out of the race yesterday, and he endorsed Dean. [more]