Posted on 06/19/2008 6:50:12 PM PDT by fanfan
American presidential hopeful Barack Obama appears to have moderated his opposition to NAFTA just ahead of Republican rival John McCain's extraordinary visit to Canada to praise the trade pact.
Mr. Obama, who said in March he would renegotiate the North American free-trade agreement if he's elected, said he might have gone too far.
“Sometimes during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified,” the Democratic nominee told Fortune magazine in an interview.
Were his attacks on NAFTA a product of that brand of campaign posturing?
“Politicians are always guilty of that, and I don't exempt myself,” he answered.
Mr.Obama said he believes in "opening up a dialogue" with trading partners Canada and Mexico "and figuring to how we can make this work for all people."
The admission was published shortly before Mr. McCain was expected to pour unvarnished praise on NAFTA, drawing a clear distinction between America's two combatants for the White House.
The debate over trade puts Canada in an unusual position: right in the middle of a campaign for the U.S. presidency.
A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed that he and Mr. Obama had a conversation recently, but would not provide details of the call beyond saying that Mr. Harper congratulated the Illinois senator after he became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
Sandra Buckler said Mr. Harper made a similar call to McCain a few months ago.
North American free trade and Canada played a pivotal role in at least one battleground state – Ohio – during the U.S. primaries.
A Canadian government memo written after a meeting with an Obama adviser suggested the Democrat's biting opposition to the pact was rooted in politics that would not blossom into policy if Mr. Obama becomes president.
That memo was leak to The Associated Press and many of Mr. Obama's own supporters believe it cost him the Ohio primary, which was won by Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Harper condemned the leak in the House of Commons as “completely unacceptable” and ordered an investigation into the matter.
An internal inquiry put the onus on the memo being too widely circulated among bureaucrats. The exact source of the leak remains a mystery.
A spokesman for Mr. McCain says the Republican is jumping off the U.S. presidential campaign trail and travelling to Canada to speak his mind on free trade and not to win votes.
Mr. McCain will meet with Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson and Gen. Rick Hillier, the chief of defence staff, in an effort to “demonstrate his view on the importance of the U.S.-Canadian relationship,” said Republican policy adviser Randy Scheunemann.
Mr. Scheunemann, director of foreign policy and national security for Mr. McCain's campaign, said this is “not a campaign trip” and jokes there are not many American votes to be had in Canada.
Mr. McCain will address the Economic Club of Canada in a sold-out luncheon speech.
“[The speech] will be about the whole breadth and depth of the relationship, economic and, of course, that includes free-trade, but as well as other issues such as environment and security and so on,” says Mr. Scheunemann.
The Harper government has been careful not to appear to have favourites in the American presidential race. Democratic strategists, such as party elder Bob Shrum, have accused the government of manoeuvring to help the Republicans by leaking the NAFTA memo.
Mr. McCain has touted the value of NAFTA since the start of his campaign, repeatedly saying the agreement is not up for negotiation if he becomes the U.S. leader.
The senator's visit to Ottawa has been met with criticism from those who say the trip puts Canada in the middle of the U.S. election, despite repeated comments from McCain's camp that this is not about the election.
Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae says that's a hard line to swallow considering the timing.
“A visit in the middle of an American election is a campaign trip and to suggest otherwise is being disingenuous.”
Mr. McCain's strict views on free trade have been one of the senator's central platform issues, but Mr. Rae says it looks like Canada is being used as a soapbox to further market Mr. McCain's message.
“It's a little unusual to be giving a partisan speech to a Canadian audience . . . . The speech is not intended for us it's intended for a prime-time American audience,” says Mr. Rae.
“It looks as if we are being used as a bit of a prop.”
B. Hussein Obama’s feet must be extra clean from getting stuck in his mouth so often.
So Barry’s envoy to Canada had it right: BO was lying for political points when he said he’d renegotiate NAFTA before the Ohio primary.
He’s beginning to make Bill Clinton look truthful.
The guy would push his grandmother under the bus to get elected.
Oh, he has already done that.
BO was lying for political points when he said he’d renegotiate NAFTA before the Ohio primary.
::::::
Both he and his wife seem to have this common liberal disease....and they have never been “tested” for it...
Speaking for ourselves now are we?
“The guy would push his grandmother under the bus to get elected.
Oh, he has already done that.”
Nice, isn’t it? A woman who raised him...
NAFTA does have its problems during its entire duration of existence, and I hope that they are truly addressed. I doubt that they will be.
So, he admits that he is a politician and lets his mouth overload his a**.
Thanks for fessin’ up B. Hussein.
Empty suit
Empty head
Yep.
Ping and good night.
:-)
Obama is a former coke snorter and an idiot when it comes to foreign policy. Democrats only know domestic policy because that means their gimme programs
“B. Hussein Obama’s feet must be extra clean from getting stuck in his mouth so often.”
OR FROM FREQUENT ‘FOOT BATHS’.
Obama is starting to make the Clintons look good. Never thought I would say anything like that, Obama is simply the biggest POS EVER.
So when does McCain meet with the President of Canada?
That honour is reserved for Prime Minister Obama.
John McCain’s extraordinary visit to Canada to praise the trade pact.
Since NAFTA was concluded, it has contributed to strong job growth and flourishing trade. Since the agreement was signed, the United States has added 25 million jobs and Canada more than 4 million
Here in Ontario we have lost plenty of manufacturing jobs.
There's not much of a market for buggy whips and top hats, so people adapt. We've all been doing that forever.
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