Naftagate Part Deux: Hillary Clinton Co-Chair/Fundraiser Downplays Candidate's NAFTA Rhetoric

[malik flavors]

In Canada, Clinton Co-Chair/Fundraiser Downplays Candidate's NAFTA Rhetoric
April 18, 2008 5:07 PM

At Toronto's Empire Club of Canada this week, two former US ambassadors to Canada -- one Democrat and one Republican -- debated how concerned Canadians should be that the Democratic candidates are serious about re-negotiating NAFTA.

It was the Democrat, James Blanchard, who told Canadians not to worry, according to Canadian press accounts.

Blanchard, former Governor of Michigan, is a Michigan state co-chair of Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign, one of her major "HillRaiser" fundraisers, and served as US Ambassador to Canada during the administration of former President Bill Clinton.

Hillary Clinton has pledged to voters that she will force Canada to re-negotiate the deal or the US will opt out of it.

"I've said that I will renegotiate NAFTA, so obviously we'd have to say to Canada and Mexico that that's exactly what we're going to do," Clinton said during a recent debate. "We will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate it.”

But Blanchard seemed to pooh-pooh that bold statement, telling attendees that Democrats are more concerned about China and Mexico than they are Canada.

''Their concern is job loss or unfairness in dealing with countries that have low wage and labor standards and low environmental standards,'' Blanchard said, according to the Canadian Press. ''I have not seen anything that would constitute a threat to trade with Canada."

The story said that Blanchard this week "played down her antipathy toward the free-trade deal, saying she has visited Canada many times and understands the country well."

More:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/in-canada-clint.html

[malik flavors]

1. Bounce

[democrattotheend]

2. Get this out everywhere you can

Wouldn't that be poetic justice?

[malik flavors]

4. It really would be considering the B.S. that went down before Ohio.

[democrattotheend]

5. Doesn't seem to be picking up any steam yet

Not on Kos or any other blogs yet.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Here we go.......

now that's relevant to the issues.

Blanchard, former Governor of Michigan, is a Michigan state co-chair of Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign, one of her major "HillRaiser" fundraisers, and served as US Ambassador to Canada during the administration of former President Bill Clinton.

[SunsetDreams]

6. so that story was never debunked like some here tried to claim

Canada was telling the truth when it said it was really Hillary Campaign that had said that.

[malik flavors]

8. This just happened recently. It's a new story.

[democrattotheend]

7. Kick