(Updated May 22, 2007) -- 2008 presidential hopefuls met with leaders from about 30 IAFF state associations May 10-11, 2007, in conjunction with the 2007 Federation of State and Provincial Professional Fire Fighters meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The one-on-one meetings, which follow the IAFF Presidential Forum in March in which 11 major candidates from both parties addressed 1,000 IAFF delegates from across the United States, are the next step in the process that will lead to an IAFF endorsement later this year.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), former Senator John Edwards (D-NC) and Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) participated.

Paid for by the International Association of Fire Fighters Interested in Registration and Education Political Action Committee, www.iaff.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Follow the media coverage:

Obama publicly scolds staff for scheduling decision (CNN)
Richardson touts labor record at firefighters' convention (The Boston Globe)
Poor grades help Barack Obama learn about campaigning (McClatchy Newspapers)
Courting support (Portsmouth Herald)
Presidential Democratic hopefuls address fire union in Portsmouth (Foster's Daily Democrat)
Democratic presidential candidates woo firefighters in N.H. (Associated Press)
Fire Fighter Union Offers Important Endorsement (Campaigns and Elections Magazine)