Hey OHIO obama's words on NAFTA may be just 'politickin'

[catagory5]

Obama staffer gave warning of NAFTA rhetoric. Maybe obama is just 'tryin' to win the nom. Whatever it takes attitude. Few days old but maybe some missed it.


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080227/dems_nafta_080227/20080227?hub=QPeriod



Barack Obama has ratcheted up his attacks on NAFTA, but a senior member of his campaign team told a Canadian official not to take his criticisms seriously, CTV News has learned.

Both Obama and Hillary Clinton have been critical of the long-standing North American Free Trade Agreement over the course of the Democratic primaries, saying that the deal has cost U.S. workers' jobs.

Within the last month, a top staff member for Obama's campaign telephoned Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the United States, and warned him that Obama would speak out against NAFTA, according to Canadian sources.

The staff member reassured Wilson that the criticisms would only be campaign rhetoric, and should not be taken at face value.

Edited to 3-4 paragraphs to conform to DU's fair use standards for copyrighted material

Lithos
DU Moderator

[Adelante]

1. This never happened

The Canadian Embassy denies the story.

[Unsane]

3. Yup

[liberalnurse]

13. I see your part of the cleaning crew...but

I am hearing this too. Ambassador Wilson validates this.

This is what I found.......


Barack Obama has ratcheted up his attacks on NAFTA, but a senior member of his campaign team told a Canadian official not to take his criticisms seriously, CTV News has learned.

Great news clip, professional.

Watch the Video here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJYMgX4JuU )

[ThatBozGuy]

2. Never happened and was debunked before you ever read or posted this

Roy Norton, the minister of public affairs for the Canadian embassy, is flatly denying that any Obama campaign official spoke to the Canadian ambassador in recent days or told him that Obama's anti-NAFTA stump speech is merely "campaign rhetoric."

"No, none," Norton told me when I asked him if Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., had spoken to any Obama advisers recently. He added: "Neither before the Ohio debate nor since has any presidential campaign called Ambassador Wilson about NAFTA."

Norton did allow, however, that the embassy on the staff level had discussed multiple issues, including NAFTA, with the Obama and Hillary campaigns at various times, and had urged them to look at NAFTA in a positive light.

"We've impressed upon them the fact that NAFTA has been good for all three countries," Norton said. "They have made it clear that NAFTA is an issue of contention in the , and that inevitably there would be discussion and debate surrounding NAFTA."

"They've heard us out on the issue of NAFTA and expressed understanding for our position. But the candidates and their campaigns have been very careful to refrain from making specific commitments," Norton continued, reiterating that no such conversation like the one described in the Canadian TV report ever happened.

[catagory5]

4. yeah right there is new info

that i guess yall havent heard.....

[catagory5]

5. So obama's people called it 'inaccurate'? LOL

Obama Camp Calls Canadian TV Report "Inaccurate"
By Greg Sargent - February 28, 2008, 11:32AM
The Obama campaign has formally responded to the report on Canadian TV saying that a Canadian official claims a senior Obama person privately told him that Obama's anti-NAFTA talk on the stump was just "campaign rhetoric."

From Obama spokesperson Bill Burton:

“The news reports on Obama's position on NAFTA are inaccurate and in no way represent Senator Obama’s consistent position on trade. When Senator Obama says that he will forcefully act to make NAFTA a better deal for American workers, he means it. Both Canada and Mexico should know that, as president, Barack Obama will do what it takes to create and protect American jobs and strengthen the American economy -- that includes amending NAFTA to include labor and environmental standards. We are currently reaching out to the Canadian embassy to correct this inaccuracy."
It will be interesting to see whether the Ohio press -- not to mention the big news orgs -- run with the story despite the denial.

[axordil]

6. No, the CANADIAN EMBASSY DID

There is no news here, only a planted story from the right (that includes allegations that the Clinton campaign did pretty much the same thing--that should be a pretty good hint of where this came from).

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

10. Honestly, Would You Expect Them To Confirm It?

Makes sense they'd deny it, whether it was true or not.

But I am not taking a position on its validity, cause there isn't anywhere near enough evidence to declare it true. But I don't consider the embassy's denial to be a debunking either. I consider it to be a no brainer.

[durrrty libby]

9. CTV stands by its story.

Check out actual video

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=98541&mesg_id=98541

[tabatha]

7. Why are you posting old, discredited stuff as new.

You post here too often not to know that this has been debunked.

[durrrty libby]

11. Not debunked. CTV stands by their story

[tabatha]

12. So CTV knows better than the Canadian Embassy?

[GoreVidalIsGod]

8. Canadian Embassy denied.

Only Taylor Marsh is printing this BS. Not even CNN is touching it.

[durrrty libby]

14. Wrong.

ABC NEWS: THE SOURCE FOR THE CTV REPORT WAS CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER’S CHIEF OF STAFF!!!


http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=4365922

[Johnny__Motown]

15. This was all debunked yesterday, your Kool-Aid taste stale? it is yesterday's batch