I just see contortion to avoid admitting that it's both possible and reasonable for generally pro-union people to disagree with any specific union. That's ground he doesn't want to cede to people that might be less positive on unions overall.
But it's a crazy stance to take. For any goal it's possible for a group or organization to work towards, there is going to be a non-zero number of perfectly-typical groups doing it that people don't like.
There's a pizza shop downtown that I think makes retched pizza, but I also know people who think they're the best in town. Doesn't mean I go around saying they're "not a traditional pizza shop" because I'm afraid of looking anti-pizza when I say I'm not joining you for lunch if that's where you're going.
I believe a more accurate metaphor would be if the pizza shop was known for regularly stealing people’s money, or assaulting their patrons. In that case they would in fact not be a traditional pizza shop and there would be no confusion about you being anti pizza.
You’re the one using contortion here in my opinion.
But it's a crazy stance to take. For any goal it's possible for a group or organization to work towards, there is going to be a non-zero number of perfectly-typical groups doing it that people don't like.
There's a pizza shop downtown that I think makes retched pizza, but I also know people who think they're the best in town. Doesn't mean I go around saying they're "not a traditional pizza shop" because I'm afraid of looking anti-pizza when I say I'm not joining you for lunch if that's where you're going.