Fact check: Kamala Harris lectured a board member from the teamsters telling them they had better get on board.

1. Summary of the results

The original statement is confirmed by multiple sources with additional specific details. Teamsters President Sean O'Brien reported that Kamala Harris told board member Joan Corey "Teamsters? You better get on board. Better get on board soon." ^{[1] [1]}. Harris also reportedly told O'Brien directly "I'm going to win with you or without you" ^{[2] [2]}, demonstrating a confrontational approach to union leadership.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are missing from the original statement:

• This occurred during Harris's 2024 presidential campaign after Biden withdrew from the race ^[1]
• The meeting was notably brief, with Harris only answering 4 out of 16 planned questions ^{[2] [2]}
• The Teamsters ultimately did not endorse Harris, marking the first time since 1996 they didn't back a Democratic candidate ^[3]
• Internal polling showed that 59.6% of Teamsters members supported Trump compared to 34% for Harris ^[3]
• Neither Harris nor Trump made serious commitments to union interests, according to O'Brien ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

While the original statement is factually accurate, it understates the significance of the interaction. The term "lectured" doesn't fully capture the confrontational nature of multiple exchanges between Harris and Teamsters leadership. O'Brien explicitly expressed frustration with her approach, stating he would never demand support from an organization in such a manner ^[4].

The context benefits different stakeholders:

• Harris's opponents benefit from highlighting her confrontational approach with union leadership
• Trump's campaign benefits from emphasizing the historic break in Democratic-Union relations
• Teamsters leadership benefits from portraying themselves as standing up to political pressure, maintaining independence in their endorsement process