Ah, yes, Melissa Bean, one of the CAFTA 15, has been doing her best to curry favor with the corporate world. None other than Robert Novak (he of the hypocritical rah-rah war-mongering class who likes to expose CIA agents) tips us off to where Melissa is getting her love in his August 7th column:

“Melissa’s new backers.
Freshman Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean of Illinois, a principal Republican target for 2006, may win U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsement at the cost of backing from the Teamsters and other labor unions because of her vote for the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Word circulated on Capitol Hill that Bean had been promised the U.S. Chamber endorsement if she broke party ranks to vote for CAFTA (supported by only 14 other House Democrats). A Chamber spokesman told this column it has never endorsed a candidate on the basis of one vote. Bean did not respond directly, but her spokesman said her CAFTA ”decision was based solely on what she believes is in her district’s best interests.”

Labor unions were outraged by Bean’s CAFTA vote after contributing $235,200 to her 2004 campaign against veteran Republican Rep. Phil Crane in his Chicago suburban district. Since the election, labor has given her $127,500 more. The Teamsters were particularly vocal in protesting to Bean.”

That’s Novak’s wisdom. Hope someone put this little tidbit on the flyers union members hand out at the demonstration at Melissa’s Illinois office on Wednesday.