Obama says schedules show Clinton two-faced on NAFTA
Barack Obama's campaign is trying to capitalize on the release of Hillary Clinton's first lady schedules by jumping on her early support for the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Particularly before her big win in anti-NAFTA Ohio earlier this month, Clinton harshly criticized the deal and said, if elected president, she would seek to renegotiate it in ways to help American workers.
But the 11,000-plus pages of White House schedules, released Wednesday, show her holding at least five meetings in 1993 aimed at helping win congressional approval of the deal. The papers, however, don't show what was discussed and what Clinton said in those meetings.
The Obama camp issued a strongly worded memo that all but accuses her of lying to voters in Ohio and elsewhere.
"It’s about trust," the memo says.
"Working Americans are looking for a President who will be consistent in standing up for American workers -- and have the integrity to be consistent in his or her views," the memo continues. "Senator Clinton has failed that test: though she now rails against NAFTA on the campaign trail, her records as first lady show that she actively lobbied for NAFTA’s passage....American workers are already facing the uncertainly of a changing economy. The last thing they need is another President who changes views when there’s an election coming up."
Responding to the criticism, Clinton's campaign issued a talking points memo to supporters that asserts: "It is no secret that passing NAFTA was a priority of the Clinton Administration, but numerous contemporary accounts make clear that Hillary Clinton was personally opposed to NAFTA, and her position on NAFTA was and remains consistent."
UPDATE: Clinton spokesman Phil Singer sent out a more direct response: "Once again the Obama campaign is demonstrating that Senator Obama's words can't be trusted. Last year, Senator Obama said that he would not engage in personal attacks. Now, after losses in Ohio and Texas, the Obama campaign is explicitly attacking Senator Clinton's character. Instead of attacking Senator Clinton, Senator Obama should explain to the American people why his top economic policy advisor was telling the Canadians that his promise to fix NAFTA shouldn’t be taken seriously. The fact is that independent accounts make clear that Senator Clinton did not support NAFTA and that she is the candidate Americans can trust to fix it."
The talking points memo, labeled "myths and facts" about the schedules, also argues that the Clintons were not responsible for delays in their release or for the portions that are blacked out. The memo also asserts that the schedules do not undercut her claims of valuable White House experience or show that her policy role diminished after Congress scuttled healthcare reform in 1993.
"The schedules cannot and do not speak to the substance of her meetings with staff, advisers, administration officials, citizens, activists, foreign leaders, and others with whom she worked on policy issues," the memo asserts. "That should be no surprise -- it's not what they were created to do. What the schedules do show is an incredibly active and involved First Lady, and add detail to the already voluminous public record about her work."
ABC News SPOKE with 2 Women at those meetings. Mrs. Clinton told them it (NAFTA) was GREAT! Did she lie to THEM or to US? THAT is the ONLY question.
Apparently the Clinton campaign doesn't know the difference between a personal attack and a position attack. That's a big part of their problem.
Not only did the clintons think NAFTA was a good idea they climbed into bed with the Republicans to push it forward and got it approved.Now because of them there is going to be a twelve hundred foot wide, Mexico to Canada Toll road through Texas,(which thousands of Texans are adamately opposed to), and it will be owned by "investors" from outside the USA!!!! I would like to know how many people associated with NAFTA and this toll road made the Clintons wealthy on the backs of the working people that she is now hoodwinking into believing that she will "get those bad rich people that are doing this to them". What a piece of crap she is!!!!!! I will never vote for her no matter what. She is the classic power climber on the road to Hell and trying to take us with her at any cost. WE have suffered almost eight years with the current power mongers and we need a new group that will go in a new direction.
I didn't know Obama still have right to criticize anyone else except REV Wright.
He said she said...just like 2nd grade.
The Constitution says all are created created equal. Fine.
The reality is they do not stay that way.
Until votes are weighed according to education, community service, citizenship status, age, time in country, and criminal record, we will always have sub-prime leaders across the board.
looks like they are both nailing each other. good for them. hope neither of them wins the general election. If they're smart, they could easily work together & crush the Republican voters. but they both have fat EGOS & huge AMBITIONS. They don't care about the country as much as they pretend to say. If either one of them truly cared, they would appease the situation & help the Democratic party by simply offering him/her-self as the VP candidate for the other. that's it. & they'll both be in the White House will their individual agendas. & 8 years later, the VP can run for president.
In response to: "Until votes are weighed according to education, community service, citizenship status, age, time in country, and criminal record, we will always have sub-prime leaders across the board."
You forgot economic and social status.
We need to quit electing career politicians. A career politician has their career in mind more than the people they represent. Elect people who will get in do what they say and get out. That's the only way you will get anyone who will follow through on promises. If they don't care about being elected again every few years then they can devote 100% of their time to keeping their campaign promises.
We need to put an end to the era of the career politician and the two party system.
ya hoooo Mrs,clinton was the first lady NOT president The darling republicans had such little respect for any thing good they had kenneth starr spending our tax dollars by the tune of 80 million digging digging richard mellon scaife what role did he play???? Clintons were never charged with anything as the conclusion was insufficient evidence which was printed in one little article on the back pages of the LIBERAL press so here we go again where is the trial of outing a cia agent???? where is the trial of those involved in the illgitimate war take pictures of cheney in irag so you all can prove he did serve in a war. Poor ole george wishes he could go to war quote -- " I must say I,m a little envious if slightly younger & not employed here what a fantastic experience on the FRONT LINES
This is funny, Obama criticizing Clinton on being two-faced. It is almost the pot calling the kettle black. Obama does not have the credibility to criticize on being two-faced, especially on NAFTA. Obama got caught on this one, just like he got caught on his earmarks and his relationship with Rezko.
Just like Obama to try to shift focus from his relationships TODAY to Clinton's opinion of NAFTA more than a DECADE ago. NAFTA, in fact, has had benefit for the US in many many ways, but as Clinton pointed out in the debates -- and Obama basically said "uh, yeah . . . me too" -- many aspects of the agreement need to be renegotiated.
The people in Ohio were duped by the Clinton campaign, which truly will stop at nothing to get elected, even if that means clawing its way to the top and trying to destroy anyone in its way. Obama is absolutely right to raise this total inconsistency in HRC's campaign, because it goes to the heart of her policy claims.
Why isn't the media also responding more to his totally valid question about her experience. Where's the beef? A much-touted 30 years of experience, but all that really amounts to is one substantive speech in Beijing. The rest she accomplished was standard fare for a first lady. "Commander-in-chief from Day 1" is absolute baloney!
People, don't fall for it.
Hillary's character is an issue for the next President. There are videos along with her own autobiography showing how she pushed for NAFTA. Now she claims she didn't when her schedule shows she attended 5 meetings for it.
The Clinton administration also gave Communist China "Most Favored Trading" status and sponsored them into the WTO while ignoring Russia's struggling democracy.
You can thank the Clintons for all the outsourcing to China, including the wholesale movement of factories from USA to Mexico to China. People in the U.S. and Mexico are poorer after the Clinton administration.
I don't want a candidate who will run for a third Bush term like McCain or a candidate running for a third Clinton term. Either one will help finish destroying this country.
Losses in Texas... what statistics is this guy reading? Texas is a wash it is basically 50/50 with all delegates seated.
HRC is making a mockery of the political process. She constantly changes her views to suit what ever ears she is trying to win. After she wins a state she moves to the next and changes her views yet again.
Obama has been staying consistent. Heck even McCain is staying consistent in his views. Out of the 3 big names HRC is the worst candidate.
When did accusing someone of being inconsistent about their support of major legislation turn into a "personal attack"?
What was the argument for war? That's the question I asked my father yesterday. I said the argument was weapons of mass destruction. He said that was one small part... that there were many reasons.
Have people not read the resolution? If you haven't you should. It's only one page and can be found on the White House website.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-2.html
Now listen to Hillary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkS9y5t0tR0&feature=related
Now listen to Obama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8
Now consider.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VeXwboxjyI
URGENT MESSAGE TO BARRACK OBAMA
WE WANT OUR VOTES BACK !!!!
With all that has now come to light regarding Barrack Obama, it is now time to form a movement to take our votes back! All those who agree, please sign on and lets pass this on to all the networks that made Barrack Obama. The time has come to 'unmake' the arrogant swine.
"Edmund" Hillary Clinton cannot even state the facts when it comes to her name. If she lies about little things like that, what makes anyone think she will tell the truth when it comes to tough issues like NAFTA?
Quite frankly, even if she didn't lie, I still wouldn't vote for her. In her time in the Senate, all she did was pass earmarks for New York. Can anyone point to anything substantial she did in the Senate?
This doesn't sound like a personal attack to me. It sounds like he is calling her on her claims. HILLARY=VICTIM
Hey WV-DC, haven't you got the memo on Rezko? There is nothing there, the Tribune closed the books on it. Why? There isn't a story.
TWO-FACED OBAMA, OBAMA, BACK-PEDDLING AGAIN! WHY CAN'T HE SAY WHAT HE MEANS THE FIRST OR EVEN THE SECOND TIME? HE THREW HIS GRANDMA UNDER THE BUS IN HIS SPEECH BY EQUATING HER RACIST REMARKS THAT "MADE HIM CRINGE" WITH THE HATE-FILLED, ANTI-AMERICAN RACIST REMARKS OF HIS PASTOR. NOW, HE CLAIMS GRANDMA IS JUST A "TYPICAL WHITE PERSON"? WHAT THE HELL IS A TYPICAL WHITE PERSON?? ONE WHO LOVES GOD, COUNTRY AND FAMILY?? ONE WHO IS DISTRESSED BY THE REPUGNANT REMARKS OF PASTOR WRIGHT? ONE WHO'S BLOOD BOILS AND HAIR BRISTLES AT THE WORDS, "GOD DAMN AMERICA"?? WELL THEN, I'VE LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY. I AM A TYPICAL WHITE PERSON WHO IS VOTING FOR ANOTHER TYPICAL WHITE PERSON, HILLARY CLINTON!
RIDICULOUS! How dare he call Clinton two-faced when he talks about unity and change and then can't reason that his preacher and spiritual advisor is a bigot??? Give me a break.
If it takes him 20 years to figure out his pastor is a hate-monger ...how can we trust his judgement on anything.
Blah Blah ...Hope.. (hate)... Blah Blah... Change.. (same old thing)... Blah Blah ... Hope and Change..( just another politician)... Blah!
Obama needs to realise that he his falling into a trap. From now until November he should desist from referring to or mentioning Hillary Clinton and he should issue similar instructions to his campaign prople. Obama must stay focussed on HIS message and policies etc. or risk voters bcoming very disillusioned with the constant bickering.
David Gergen and some person close to Bill Clinton at that time mentioned Hillary Clinton privately opposed to NAFTA . Obama criticized " It is not enough unless she opposed to in public.
CNN Lou Dobbs is right. He nailed , " As a first lady! " Do you think a first lady can express her opposition to her husband's policy in public? Imagine, if a first lady
did so, what would happen to the country.
Yeah How dare Obama try and get back to the issues.
How shifty of him. As some of you probably won't get it- thats sarcasm.
Both the supporters of Obama and supported of Clinton need to take genuine looks at their candidate and I think any information that comes out that actually deals with issues is important.
shame on barack hussein. he doesn't have any right to say anything. he is running campaign on "JUDGEMENT" but failed to judge his racist pastor for 20 years.
I think we can expect a lot more to come in the next few weeks with further records expected to be released by the Clintons including phone logs etc. There is also the Clinton fraud trial scheduled for April 5 but now postponed till April 25. And somewhere before that, the Clintons may reluctantly release their tax return ...
Although Clinton may get away of winning Pennsylvania primary on April 22, she will not be able to win the party nomination because the Americans will have the chance to see through her in time.
[see Iraq war and NAFTA: two costly Clinton's mistakes]
Obama is JANUS in the flesh! ...PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
First he didn't hear Rev. Wright ... then after being smoke out by the press he admitted that he had heard on several occasions statements he didn't necessarily agree with ... Obama tells the voters one thing on NAFTA and the Canadian Government something entirely different ....OMG!
If that's not JANUS ... nothing is!
Lies of the Heart, Lies of the Soul, Lies of the Mind ... Lies of All Kinds!
Some say Obama voted for tax break for energy companies. I wonder if they read the whole bill, or skipped over the part that requires the energy company to use that tax break to invest in coming up with renewable energy technologies. Read the whole thing, write the whole thing, and skip that drama when you describe. It is just like Hillary and her 3:00am call. What if the call comes at 2:00am? Will she be able to handle it if the call comes at 1:00am? Most presidents go to sleep early, wake up and start their day around 4:00am. So, what if a call comes an hour early. People working in technology sector always get crisis calls from their company no matter what hour of the night it is. Enough of the mud slinging and scaring the people. Somebody put Hillary on a lie detector, please.
with regards to Obama, let me ask u a question about buying a house... does anybody really check whether the seller or owner of the house he/she is going to buy has done anything illegal before or after he /she has bought the house and somebody tells him/her that the seller/owner has or will do anything illegal?
I don't know...
about Hillary, well, she accepted Bill's impropriety and also others like him. I guess the question lies in where her real loyalty lies. l have a very strong feeling that it will only say... HERSELF... she changes her stance as long as it is going to give her political mileage with the voter. she will always tell them what they want to hear so that she will get to the WHITE HOUSE again... the last time was "NO 2". now she wants to be NO1 so that she can do what she wants without worrying about covering-up like the last time.
she has paid, cajoled, beg, lied and pretended that everything is OK so that she will be MDM PRESIDENT. and if and when she becomes one, GOD HELP US ALL AND THE WORLD. l have a strange feeling that she is willing to do anything to get what she wants... SHE IS STRONG ALRIGHT, strong enough to haul us all the way to... and we will all be the ASSES who will have to live with our guilt when she does it...
"I didn't know Obama still have right to criticize anyone else except REV Wright" -- WML, he already criticized all the racists such as yourself. You'll have to turn that moron Rush Limbaugh off in order to hear some real news.
" he got caught on his earmarks" -- CP, he fully disclosed all the earmarks. There was nothing controversial there. Hilary has yet to disclose her earmarks. As for John McCain, he just sleeps with his lobbyist. You'll have to ask her if he got any earmarks.
"Obama does not have the credibility to criticize on being two-faced, especially on NAFTA. Obama got caught on this one" -- CP, the Canadian government said that it was the Clinton campaign that contacted them and gave them the assurances that the campaign rhetoric in no way reflected their official position. That all happened when Tucker Carlson, and the rest of the MSNBC crew were covering the "news" about Saturday Night Live skits. They couldn't afford to put out any negative news against Hilary for fear that the contest would be over and their spectacular spin driven coverage would be over.
"Obama basically said" -- WV-DC, did he "basically" say it or did he really say it? Did Rev Wright say it for him? I think enough morons have tried to interpret what Barack Obama said or thinks and gotten it completely wrong; so, I can't give you any points for that one.
CP Cook, you should do some additional research. Obama spent 3 hours answering EVERY question about Rezko put to him by reporters from 2 newspapers in Chicago . Nothing there. The only way Clinton can win the nomination is by destroying Obama through lies and false innuendo. Her dirty tactics and the words of her advisors like Penn and Ickes have made me rethink my support for her. If Obama isn't our next president this country should be ashamed.
I know Clinton was for NAFTA because Clinton traded a vote with Marty Martinez of Alhambra CA for it. They promised if Marty would support NAFTA, they would support the 710 freeway listing which incidentally screwed the people of Pasadena and El Sereno.
CP Cook- earmarks? Caught? Obama is the only candidate to deliberately release all his earmarks for us to look at. Clinton is still hiding hers. Learn to understand the news properly.
Its just amazing how the Clintons lie, and the people in America believe them. They not only got NAFTA passed, her husband passed a prefered trade agreement with China. I wonder if he did that for his old buddies at WalMart, so they can buy somemore unsafe cheep junk from China. The working class people in America won't recover from what Bill did in 50 years. So heaven forbid if she gets elected. One thing about it , the rich in this country are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer, and that is just what these politicians want.
As long as there are people who would believe anything they hear Billary will keep telling lies. Wake up America!
Here's the problem for the Democrats: They bloody each other every day, while Sen. McCain sits back and takes his time to select the strongest running mate he can find. Here's how it's supposed to work:
http://digits.hrblock.com/ssDigits/digits.php?rType=1&sPath=1140&sNode=1140&uId=198
Obama is desperately rolling out the "speeches" and attacks in a pitiful attempt to change the subject from his recent scandals (i.e. getting caught lying about NAFTA, his 20-year relationship with his crazy, racist and anti-American "mentor and spiritual adviser", and now his blatant attempt to disenfranchise millions of voters in Florida and Michigan). Unfortunately for him, these genies are out of the bottle, and they are going to hound him for months. And if, God forbid, he becomes the Democratic nominee, the Republican attack machine will destroy him. Shame on him for pretending to be the candidate of "change", the candidate of a new kind of politics, the candidate of unification. He used these noble ideas to "hoodwink" the American public into helping him fulfill his insatiable ambition. This cruel hoax on this nation is threatening to cripple the Democratic party, and may ultimately hand the Presidency over to the Republicans.
All the schedules show is that although Clinton's primary role was as a first lady (not an elected official) who had to publicly support her husband's policy (and - tongue in cheek...flaws)....they also show her to be a very active first lady.
So, publicly she had to support NAFTA, but private accounts reveal that she did not support it. The schedules do not intimate the stance that the first lady had - just that she attended meetings. (by the way, if you take into account that she attended meetings meant she agreed with the outcomes, then one must also suggest that if you sat in church, you agreed with the sermons!)
Second. she has repeatedly said that NAFTA was good for certain parts of the country, but bad for other parts of the country. that's not saying she was for or against NAFTA. she has specifically stated that she would renogotiate the trade agreement.
In reading some of the comments hear I am reminded that some are simply uncapable of stepping outside themselves and assessing the reality of the situation. The reality is that the way blacks have been portrayed on film and in the media time and again the typical white person has a presupposed belief about who blacks are and what they believ until the black proves otherwise. Jerry Falwell, Rod Parsley and others have made comments tantamount to J Wright's, but nothing is mentioned of this. Not to mention that the nature of religion is that of Fire and Brimstone, reap what you sow, condemnation approach to living life. if you look at the fact that America has involved itself in more than 200 declared and undeclared wars/skirmishes between 1959 and 2001 would suggect that US really has no morale authority to judge anyone. But as ususal the underlying context is ignored to advance an agenda that will maintain the status quo for those who have never been on the receiving end of her attrocities. Wake Up.
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