We thought Gephardt had the major AFL-CIO union endorsement locked up. Not so. Check this out:

Dean wows union rank-and-file at convention:

The former Vermont governor was greeted with earsplitting cheers and numerous, lengthy standing ovations from the nearly 1,500 rank-and-file members. The audience several times clapped and chanted in unison.

"This time the person with the most votes is going to be the president of the United States," Dean roared. Afterward, he was mobbed by union members seeking autographs and pictures, as well as the media.

The analysis:

The Democrat who has the most at stake is Gephardt, who covets a laborwide endorsement from the AFL-CIO next month. The Missouri congressman has 12 union endorsements so far, and is the only candidate to get backing from an international union. But he needs support from a few more large unions, such as SEIU[the 1.6-million-member Service Employees International Union], to win over the AFL-CIO.

....The SEIU is the nation's fastest-growing union and among the most progressive and diverse, making it an enticing prize for Democrats seeking labor support. Its members are janitors, nursing home workers, home health care workers, hospital nurses, and government employees. Many are Hispanic.