More on Unite for Strength

Would that we could blog morning, noon, and night about entertainment union politics--and, really, who among us doesn't love doing that?--but, alas, other duties call, such as editing Back Stage's "Moving to New York/Welcome to New York" spotlight (look for it on newsstands beginning Aug. 7).

Nevertheless, here is a quick rundown of the second-day coverage of Unite for Strength, a new political party in Hollywood that is attempting to unseat ruling faction Membership First in the national board elections this September. If you read my post last night, you will want to read it again, as it fixes a few typos and, more important, includes a quote from Membership First's Loren Lester. Also worth reading: The comments below the post from actor Michael Heister, keeper of his own blog on the podosphere.

Additionally:

* Strike Watch has a poll running. It asks, "Who would do a better job running the guild: Membership First or Unite for Strength?" The deadline is Monday, July 28, at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific.

* Entertainment attorney and uber-pundit Jonathan Handel writes on his Digital Media Law blog that Unite for Strength's concerted effort probably means there won't be a deal between SAG and producers until after the election.

* Stephen Diamond, former candidate for SAG's national executive director post and an associate professor at Santa Clara University School of Law, makes essentially the same point on his Vallywood blog. His earlier post on Peter Coyote is worth a read as well.

* Variety.com essentially has the same story we did, though Dave McNary proved once again he's a much harder worker than Strike Watch by actually taking the time to type out all of the names on the Unite for Strength slate. (Then again, he doesn't have to edit "Moving to New York," does he?)

* The Los Angeles Times, whose Richard Verrier broke the Unite for Strength yesterday, had an editorial in Monday's paper calling for SAG to send the producers' contract offer to the rank and file and them them vote.

COMING UP SOON: More from my interview with Ned Vaughn, the principal leader of Unite for Strength.

--Andrew Salomon