Obama adviser denies trade remarks(disputes part of memo obtained by AP)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

SAN ANTONIO - Barack Obama's senior economic policy adviser said Sunday that Canadian government officials wrote an inaccurate portrayal of his private discussion on the campaign's trade policy in a memo obtained by The Associated Press.

The memo is the first documentation to emerge publicly out of the meeting between the adviser, Austan Goolsbee, and officials with the Canadian consulate in Chicago, but Goolsbee said it misinterprets what he told them. The memo was written by Joseph DeMora, who works for the consulate and attended the meeting.

Goolsbee disputed a section that read: "Noting anxiety among many U.S. domestic audiences about the U.S. economic outlook, Goolsbee candidly acknowledged the protectionist sentiment that has emerged, particularly in the Midwest, during the primary campaign. He cautioned that this messaging should not be taken out of context and should be viewed as more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans."

"This thing about `it's more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans,' that's this guy's language," Goolsbee said of DeMora. "He's not quoting me.

"I certainly did not use that phrase in any way," Goolsbee said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_nafta

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Canada's government is interfering in U.S. election, says strategist

Published Monday March 3rd, 2008
WASHINGTON - Canada's Conservatives are "actively interfering" in the U.S. election campaign by floating the notion that Barack Obama isn't serious when he says he'll renegotiate NAFTA, a Democratic strategist said Sunday.

Bob Shrum, who has advised former presidential candidates, told NBC's Meet the Press that he thinks the Canadian government is trying to help Republican John McCain reach the White House.

"You've got a right-wing government in Canada that is trying to help the Republicans and is out there actively interfering in this campaign," said Shrum.

It was the latest round in a cross-border controversy that has ballooned from a news report citing anonymous sources.

more:http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/228706

[JTFrog]

1. It doesn't only help the Republicans tho does it?

I hate putting on my tin foil hat, but who else has big connections in Canada that could benefit from this?

[tkmorris]

2. Celine Dion?

[robcon]

3. Now, it's a meeting. Before, it was a phone call.

Until now, Goolsbee had only admitted he had a telephone conversation with the Canadian consulate.

I think Obama may have to drop Goolsbee, who's a respected economist, but a rookie political advisor.

[TacticalPeek]

4. Can't this guy settle on a story and stick to it?

Not that NAFTA shenanigans have any resonance with some of the D electorate.

:shrug:

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Canada says didn't misrepresent Obama over NAFTA

Source: reuters

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada on Monday denied it had tried to sway the U.S. presidential election by misrepresenting Democratic candidate Barack Obama with the suggestion that he didn't really believe his criticisms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Obama and rival Hillary Clinton -- who both blame the deal for job losses -- say the United States could quit NAFTA unless Canada and Mexico agree to major changes.

Key Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee discussed his candidate's policies with the Canadian consulate in Chicago, which wrote a report suggesting Obama's words on NAFTA were designed for a political audience and shouldn't be taken too seriously.

The report was leaked to the U.S. media, prompting some Democrats to accuse Canada's right-leaning Conservative government of trying to interfere in the election -- a charge dismissed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"I certainly deny any allegation that this government has attempted to interfere in the American election," he told Parliament.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0338038720080303?rpc=64

[PDJane]

6. Harper has as much credibility as the US government.....

I swear there's some underground bunker somewhere cloning these people.

Like that Claude Cobin quote that Pilger relies on; "Never believe anything until it's been officially denied." It's been officially denied, eh?

[Donnachaidh]

7. I'm far more interested in the fact that Obama is saying one thing to his supporters

and his advisers (he's responsible for these chuckleheads) are saying something entirely different.

Gee -- the candidate of CHANGE sure does know how to play the *Tell them what they want to HEAR* game just like all the rest, doesn't he? One question --

So where is the CHANGE? :sarcasm: His halo is slipping...... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[TrogL]

8. Harper doesn't want Obama

He'll do anything to discredit him.

[fascisthunter]

9. Stephen Harper another Conservative Coward A-hole

honesty takes guts

[PDJane]

10. Stephen Harper is a Bush clone.....

a secretive, fascist, unpleasant control freak who wants to change Canada into a place just like the US. He's just an ugly man, inside and out, and the folks he has collected are as small and petty and ugly as he is.