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Beverly — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:22:43 GMT

Dan Abrams you have the facts wrong. Bill Clinton signed in Nafta but Hillary was against Nafta. Get your facts straight. We do not say Obama said something when it was his wife, Michelle.
Your are misleading the public.Your know better, wives and husband do not agree on some issues.

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Marbw — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:27:14 GMT

1996: Clinton Said "I Think Everybody Is In Favor Of Free And Fair Trade. I Think NAFTA Is Proving Its Worth." A questioner pointed out that UNITE opposes the North American Free Trade Agreement, backed by the Clinton administration, on grounds it sends American jobs to Mexico. In March 1996, three years after President Clinton signed NAFTA into law, Hillary Clinton said, "I think everybody is in favor of free and fair trade. I think NAFTA is proving its worth," she said, adding that if American workers can compete fairly, they can match any competition. "That's what a free and fair trade agreement like NAFTA is all about," she said. [AP, 3/6/96]

1996: Clinton "Vowed That Her Husband Would Continue To Support Economic Growth In South Texas Through Initiatives Such As The North American Free Trade Agreement." AP wrote, "Mrs. Clinton vowed that her husband would continue to support economic growth in South Texas through initiatives such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Rio Grande Valley empowerment zone, which allows tax breaks to businesses that relocate to the border." [AP, 11/2/96]

part 2

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California Voter — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:31:08 GMT

As most of America knows, and what we're all hoping the voters in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont figure out in the next week is this fundamental fact about Clintonian campaigning:

1) Sanctimoniously blast your opponent on a topic to create a smokescreen so that you can:

2) Use precisely the tactic you falsely accuse your opponent of using.

This is not leadership. The only thing she's ready to do on Day 1 is lie, spin, and demagogue.

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Andrew, Seattle, WA — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:35:13 GMT

This is absolutely disgusting what this Hillary campaign is doing. This is backfiring enormously for her and I think she may have lost her mind. I know many people that were supporting her that have finally seen the evil behind her power grab and are no longer supporting her. Does she not have any dignity to get out while she is still somewhat respected? At this rate she may not even win reelection in New York. This is the slime politics that everyone in this country is sick and tired of. Doesn't she get it???

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Kerri, Monterey, CA — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:00:51 GMT

Questions I'd like to ask the candidates:

To Clinton: Let's say I'm young, healthy, employed full-time, and childless. If I earn enough that I wouldn't qualify for public assistance, but I never get sick so I consider health insurance an unnecessary expense and refuse to pay for it, how would you insure me under your mandatory plan?

To Obama: Let's say I'm young, healthy, employed full-time, and childless. If I earn enough that I wouldn't qualify for public assistance, but I never get sick so I consider health insurance an unnecessary expense and decline coverage, what would happen under your voluntary plan if I became hospitalized?

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William Wallace, Orlando, FL. — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:08:14 GMT

What we are now seeing is just how important the Clinton legacy is to the Clintons. Senator Clinton will not win the nomination. Instead they now are trying to destory the Democrat's chance at leadership, they simply can't let it go.

I've always been a fan of President Clinton, but this is not good for anyone at this point.

I guess this will make Senator Obama more battle ready for the rest of the year.

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Gustavo Herrera, Baltimore MD — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:19:57 GMT

Seriously, what is up with Clinton going nuclear the last week before March 4?

You can't have it both ways. If you act graciously like she did at the end of the last debate, you can't then go gangbusters wild the next day. This "shame on you Barack Obama" stuff is the harshest she's come at him all campaign.

And it's not like the mailers are old news or somehow drastically different from her OWN campaign mailers. Both sides cherrypick facts to make their platforms look stronger. Gimme a big fat break.

More commentary in general: http://www.nationalscold.com

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Steve, Columbia, SC — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:31:16 GMT

Thank you for continuing to write about issues involving trade! It's an issue that is so important to voters, but repeatedly candidates (in past elections, just as now) never talk about it. One has to wonder why "free trade" is an issue so rarely brought up by politicians. Could it be that their interests may be sometimes similar to those of business?

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Bob W Mendon, NY — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:39:38 GMT

Hillary touts her experience in Congress so why hasn't she proposed any legislation in Congress to roll back NAFTA and the other blank check international trade deals?

Check out this link for Hillary's direct quotes supporting NAFTA:

http://obamavets.com/?p=13

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J Jones — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:05:27 GMT

My family has felt the impact of sending the manufacture of Printed Wiring Boards to overseas countries and Mexico. It was my main profession for most of my working career of 39 years. Now I am disabled and fear my future. Most of my friends and my husband struggled after the manufacturing plants closed here in the Dallas area - some still are. But I have mixed feelings about it. The many toxic chemicals that were dumped include cyanide gold, Methyl Ethyl Ketone and Trichlorethyline. These are now being dumped in those countries instead of our water shelf. I myself was "gassed" a few times by Tricho as the chemicals were being dumped down the drain and the fumes came back up the other drains. I was exposed through the skin to Silver Nitrate daily for 20 years and was told by my physician that the heavy metal would eventually cause my death. I do not want these kinds of exposure be allowed anymore but they are - just not in this country. NAFTA helped move many companies right across the border of EfPaso and everyone has heard the horror stories of the failed re-introduction of the Bald Eagles due to the pollution of the Red River which has begun to be a dumping ground, the deformed babies in Mexico and the scalded children here in the US due to MEK in the water. It also destroyed the donkey farm of a nearby family by killing off the stock. This is a tragic fact - build Circuit Boards and pollute the water - whether it's here or Mexico or China or the Phillipines. There must be an answer and I for one would like to hear it.

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Ryan, Woodbury, NJ — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:15:21 GMT

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. That is my opinion of all of this. I was undecided until this weekend. I saw Clinton say she was honored to be on stage with Obama and then scold him like the Catholic School nuns by which Tina Fey had drawn comparison. I realte alot of things to sports, because I feel like alot of life's lessons can be taught in the sporting arena. There is an old sports adage that explains how I feel about this whole mess. That is, you can tell more about a person's character when they lose than when they win. Obama was losing...now winning...same person the whole time. Hillary was inevitable...now losing...the evil sleeping tyrant has awoken! Better get gas for the bus before prices get too high...it is a looonnngg drive back to Chappaqua!

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JT — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:22:32 GMT

I think they should indicte Obama along with his buddies. See "Mansion 'mistake' piles the pressure on Barack Obama" in The Times Online today. These kids today know nothing. They only hear the speeches and don't look at the facts.

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Bea. West Haven, CT — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:34:54 GMT

Hillary now claims to oppose NAFTA; then why did she recently vote to expand NAFTA to include Peru? I would like to hear the answer in the debate.

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RSB — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:17:30 GMT

Hillary has experience. She has experience mangling health care reform. She has experience bungling her first and hopefully last national campaign. She has experience surrounding herself with an unimaginative, secrective and arrogant core of sycophants. She has experience with a lackluster and unimpressive legislative record. Experience is cheap. You just have to be there. You don't have to accomplish anything. Experience is not the same as leadership, let alone effective leadership. If I ever had any doubts, they are gone today. The Clinton campaign has moved from mere incompetence to ruthless, shameless, destructive incompetence. Shame on them and shame on her. The Clinton campaign and Hillary Clinton in particular has earned my lasting contempt.

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Mr. Clean, Texas — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:24:17 GMT

February 26, 2008
Mansion 'mistake' piles the pressure on Barack Obama
A British-Iraqi billionaire lent millions of dollars to Barack Obama's fundraiser just weeks before an imprudent land deal that has returned to haunt the presidential contender, an investigation by The Times discloses.

The money transfer raises the question of whether funds from Nadhmi Auchi, one of Britain’s wealthiest men, helped Mr Obama buy his mock Georgian mansion in Chicago.

A company related to Mr Auchi, who has a conviction for corruption in France, registered the loan to Mr Obama's bagman Antoin "Tony" Rezko on May 23 2005. Mr Auchi says the loan, through the Panamanian company Fintrade Services SA, was for $3.5 million

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3433485.ece

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RSB Minneapolis MN — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:28:18 GMT

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Jimmy Finch — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:43:21 GMT

nafta was a clinton failure and needs to go. we do need this agreement the mexican gov does not abide by any of the directives so why in the heck are qwe even worried about it.

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Pat Barlow, Cleveland, OH — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:14:28 GMT

Puzzle me this: If Hillary is, as she says, the one to get things done...why is her campaign failing so miserably whilst Sen. Obama is doing just fine? I'd say we certainly wouldn't want this country run as Hillary is running her campaign.

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Ron Andersen Salem, Or. — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:53:48 GMT

NAFTA was a bad idea from the start. I believe it got it's start during Bush 1 administration and was signed by Clinton. ( Now theres some bi-partisianship for you). It seems we traded our good jobs for illeagal workers in that deal. Ron Andersen

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Richard Chapman Las Vegas NV — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:59:14 GMT

Bill Clinton was embedded with the republicans on NAFATA despite the wishes of the democrat voters. He did as we expect republicans to do, ruled in favor of big business. Hillary was behind him all the way. She admitted to this.
Now she wants us to believe that she has miraculously converted into a people’s candidate. It’s Washington as usual with Hillary?

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Nj — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:04:33 GMT

Turn out the light, the partys over

Dodd to back Obama. Edwards and Richardson will soon follow.
" I will hold my breath if you dont vote for me"
- Darth Hill

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bc Indiana — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:25:14 GMT

No matter what any politician says NAFTA is not going away. The commitment to a North American trading bloc was made a long time ago and there is too much vested corporate interest to change it.

Get used to it. Manufacturing jobs and unions took a hit all over North America, not just in the US. If you analyze it not on a country versus country basis but on a corporation versus worker basis it's perfectly clear what the new game is.

Only Obama gets it. You have to go back in and renegotiate with corporate interests to build in worker protection and penalties for corporations for moving offshore.

New game, new rules.

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PAW, Oakland, CA — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:21:56 GMT

The central theme of all this is that Hillary Clinton wants things her own way and if you oppose or shed light on any of her actions you are black listed.
That is Hillary's policy of inclusion in a nut shell.
Play nice until someone sys "I like that" then extort them if they ever choose to disagree with you again.
In this Hillary & "W" have much in common.
Loyalty over competency.
Manipulation over candor.
No wonder Chris Dodd is endorsing Obama.
Even he cannot stand the actions of the Clinton's any longer.

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Cathy Lyons, Bridgton, Maine — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:44:22 GMT

Billary do something wrong? Or at the very least aknowledge and take ownership for something they once supported, that clearly went very wrong... YUH, that'll be the day! Billary is starting to sound like Jan Brady; Oh, it'always Obama! Obama, Obama, Obama...

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Jordan, NY, NY — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:55:36 GMT

The "Kitchen Sink" strategy that the Clinton campaign has said they'll implement in this final week appears to already be backfiring. As far as I can tell, Obama has been fairly consistent on issues of trade and his campaign has already solidified this position in the minds of Ohio voters. While I can find nothing more appauling than photo-wars of yesterday (not only did Senatory Clinton lose my vote for the Presidency, but I won't be voting for her to serve as my senator either), this back-and-forth on NAFTA will probably turn off more voters in Ohio where it's the #1 issue.

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Steve, Parma,Ohio — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:17:49 GMT

When are the people going to realize the president is just a figure head for this country and has no real bearing on how things are done. They still have to fight parties including the house, senate, congress, etc... Campaign promises do not mean anything. We do not need someone who will stick their head in the sand when things get rough, we need someone who will hold their head high and can back decisions made by others actually running our country.

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Tonyman, Berkeley, California — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:23:24 GMT

Great Article!, I am glad you published this.

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Information Junkie — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:26:05 GMT

If Sen. Obama wins the nomination, he will be HAMMERED by the Republicans from the start.

Fiscal Responsibility: Even though Sen. McCain has the "I don't know much about economics" line, as a Republican, he will be given the benefit of the doubt on this, regardless of Pres. Bush's policies. Sen. Obama's platform, on the other hand, proposes a raft of new spending initiatives without providing funding sources (offsets); this opens him up the "tax and spend Democrat/liberal" label. And before anybody says that the funding will come from the troop withdrawl, the operations in Iraq are funded through a supplemental bill, NOT part of the regular budget; expecting that Congress will fund long-term government programs (as opposed to economic stimulus packages or military operations) through supplemental funding is naive at best and irresponsible at worse.

Bipartisanship: Sen. McCain will eat Sen. Obama alive on this issue. "Sen. Obama, please name one major bipartisan policy initiative you have co-authored or actively sponsored and successfully gotten passed into law during your time in the U.S. Senate." This hits him directly in the "uniter" premise he's campaigning on. Sen. McCain (of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform) has problems with hard-line Republicans BECAUSE of his bipartisanship.

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Bob Kokomo IN — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:26:33 GMT

I do not care who the blame for NAFTA is. What I would like to hear is what is going to be done to fix the problems with foreign trade. Everything else is smoke and mirrors.

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campdog — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:42:46 GMT

NAFTA was signed by Bill Clinton as part of a bi-partisan effort to prepare the US for participating in international markets. NAFTA passed with both Republican and broad Democratic support.

NAFTA, like most international agreements is a work in progress and there are areas of concern that need to be addressed.

Obama claims the ability to work with both sides of the aisle....a good trait. But being open to both sides of an arguement and willingness to negociate will open the individual to all naysayers at every turn on the road to making the process work. This is exactly what Obama is doing with NAFTA.

Obama never mentions that his supporter Jimmy Carter was also in favor of the NAFTA agreement as were many Democrats. Instead he re-writes history to suit his arguement. Good politics but not exactly honest business.

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stunned GA — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:51:29 GMT

I heard Mr. David Gergen (formerly a Clinton White House man, now an alleged neutral newsman) defend Hillary as never being supportive of NAFTA. Then a clip was shown of her praising NAFTA. I did not see her fingers crossed or catch a wink and she sounded sincere. His explanation was she pretended to support NAFTA to make the Republicans easier to handle on Health Care (He did not give an excuse as to why she wrote NAFTA was a great moment in her husband's administration after her Health Care initiative failed).

I wonder if Mr. Gergen might share the code so we lowly voters can know when she is saying what she really means. She has said she wanted to reform Health Care since her alleged false support of NAFTA and that has not happened. So logically, she was "lukewarm" on NAFTA but passionate on Health Care, but NAFTA is a done deal and Health Care Reform was left by the wayside. Seems to me she is deluding everyone again with her claims of proven readiness. But then again, who knows with Hillary?

Her recent campaign dramatics are bordering on pathological. The warm fuzzy statement ending the debate followed by her old-fashioned 'hissy fit' over the mailers followed by her mocking 'vision' speech followed by her intense readiness speech reminded me of 'The Three Faces of Eve". I'm not a drama teacher, so I can not grade her as good or bad, but she sure as hell has become scary.

I can not change my vote, but I hope those in the March 4 primaries are taking note. She appears to be imploding. I would not be shocked to see her head spin as she hurled green vomit in the final debate. I think it is time for Bill and Chelsea to take her home (or maybe to a home). Sorry Hillary girl, but you need a vacation (from the public eye)!

I do not know if either Obama or McCain would be a good president, but at least they seem in control enough to make RATIONAL decisions.

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DiversityDiva67, Hartford, CT — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:59:02 GMT

This is exactly why I love Barack Obama. He stays on the issues. Utterly brilliant to bring up NAFTA which has attributed to the decline of many American communities. Obama speaks the truth of the people. The Clintons are political dinosaurs. Throughout this campaign, they tend to show their true republiCANT colors!

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Ed Bloom — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:51:22 GMT

Hello ?
I say go ahead, let's re-negotiate, whomever dare.
Do these dimwits realize Canada is obliged to ship
67 % of the oil it produces to the U.S. ?? Do these
Democrat wanna-bees realize the impact renegotiating
will de-achieve ? E. Bloom

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Katrinka Yobotz, USA — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:26:29 GMT

On NAFTA, Alan has said, "We need to annul the free trade pacts and create a tariff system that will even the playing field for American companies whose goods are competing against those 'made in China'."

They'll talk about Alan Keyes' past campaign. Why won't they talk about his current run for president? Is it that they don't want conservatives to know that there is a real conservative running for president? Alan has been running since September 2007 and they won't LET him on tv, radio, debates or polls.

For more on Alan Keyes, go to www.alankeyes.com. Read his position statements, and go to the upper righthand corner and read what pledge signers have had to say. We really do need a true conservative for president.

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John Hobbs Manchester New Hampshile — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:02:24 GMT

Chris Matthews forgets everything about the end of the Clinton administration except Monica. What kind of reporters do we have in this country that they can not remember President Clinton's last speech on NAFTA? He told the other members we need to change the rules so developing countries have the same labor protections as the more developed countries. Then George Bush won the presidency and we stopped talking about it.
He was brave to say it at the time at the convention where he was outnumbered . I wonder who asked him to say it or who put the idea in his head. It wasn't Obama....I wonder who it was