By Susan Crabtree, The Washington Times

Striking a conciliatory election-year tone, President Obama told an audience of labor union officials that he hasn’t been “a perfect president” but had always stayed true to his pledge to work on their behalf.

“When I was running for this office, I told people, I’m not a perfect man — Michelle can tell you that,” he said Monday, veering from prepared remarks at the the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Department Legislative Conference and reiterating a few moments later that he’s “not a perfect president.”

During his 2008 campaign for president, Mr. Obama relied heavily on unions for millions of dollars of support, as well as labor’s national get-out-the-vote grassroots network. Mr. Obama has sometimes been at odds with labor during his three years in office but will need all the support he can get from unions ahead of the November election.

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