Surprise! It’s October!
As with everyone else who recalls election antics from one year to the next, I’ve been waiting for the October Surprise (or surprises, who knows?) that should be rearing its head right about now.
It didn’t take long, it seems. About one minute into October, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) called a strike at all of the ports that they have workers. All major ports on the East and the Gulf Coast are affected.
It is not news that an October port strike would be to the detriment of a sitting administration and a boon to the political party challenging them. The fact that the Biden Administration is the most pro-union government in decades – and arguably, ever, makes the move to strike just now more than a little suspicious.
Cap that with this newly circulated photo of the ILA president, Harold Daggett, 78, shaking hands with the first former president with 13 felony convictions (or any felony convictions, for that matter). 
The photo was taken a while ago but has suddenly resurfaced all over the internet – and now here.
That, along with tales of two former trials in which the union president was connected to the Mafia.
That, along with tales of Daggett owning a luxurious 7100 square foot mansion, a 76-foot yacht and drives a Bentley.
And his salaries. Don’t forget his salaries.
So what is the deal here? Why slip a knife in the back of a pro-union party? The union supported Joe Biden in 2020 with their endorsement, and the ILA PAC has contributed $115,000 to Democrats out of a total of $120,000 to all parties just this year.
Right now, there are more questions than answers, but I’ll bet there’s a great story out there begging to be told.
Addendum: As you can read in the comments the strike was just called off until January 15th. It reminds me of Rule 76 of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: “Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.”
You’re probably right about there being an “interesting” story there; but, the strike was called off this afternoon. To possibly be resumed on Jan. 15.
Smells like weeks-old fish sitting in the sun to me.
1I’m thinking that the October Surprise (one of them, anyway), might well be Judge Chutkan’s releasing to the public the somewhat redacted version of Jack Smith’s 160-odd page brief concerning the charges against Donald Trump in the trial over which she presides. According to all reports, it’s a doozy, and Trump is freaking out. Things could get VERY interesting between now and November 5.
2BarbinDC, thanks for that info. And yes, I hope the October surprise is on TFFG this time. I see his attorneys have already filed to dismiss 2 of the 4 charges and possibly all 4.
3I was under the impression that the strike started when their contract expired with negations going nowhere.
4According to the WSJ, their contract expires 1/15/25. The union agreed to end the strike with an offer of a 62% wage increase over 6 years (was a 60% increase) and a commitment to continue bargaining on other demands until 1/15/25. Guess they didn’t want to be scrooges.
5Turns out, the contract expired 9/30/24 at midnight. Recent contract extension negotiated to pause strike expires mid January, 2025.
6https://electrek.co/2024/10/03/hell-froze-over-in-texas-us-grid-first-time/
7Thanks Joe and Kamala!
thatotherjean@2 and anyone else interested. The redacted document that Jack Smith submitted is available at
https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/73357920e3c8d739/8fc8bfd0-full.pdf
Most of the redactions so far seem to be CCn for co-conspirator number n, and related names that can be easily guessed at. I’m still reading through it but it cuts no slack for T****
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