Teamsters President Uses RNC Speech to Make the Case for the GOP to Support Unions

What he didn’t exactly make the case for was unions supporting the GOP.

Sean O'Brien, President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters speaks during the Republican National Convention.
Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, spoke at the Republican National Convention even though the union has not made an endorsement. Morry Gash/AP

From the very start of Teamsters president Sean O’Brien’s closing speech Monday night at the Republican National Convention, it was clear O’Brien’s address was not going to be a normal one.

Typically, to speak at a political convention, you have to endorse the party’s presidential candidate. (Just ask Ted Cruz how unusual it is to speak without actually endorsing the chosen candidate.)

But for O’Brien, his keynote Monday night was less about making the case to the Teamsters Union that members should support Trump and Republicans, and more about making the case that Trump and Republicans should support the Teamsters.