In Canada, Clinton Co-Chair/Fundraiser Downplays Candidate's NAFTA Rhetoric

[jefferson_dem]

Source: ABC News

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."


Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/

[babylonsister]

1. A CLINTON SURROGATE/HILLRAISER FUNDRAISER was behind

this NAFTA-gate, not Obama's camp? Say it isn't so! :eyes: Come on, Clinton supporters, defend this.

[OhioChick]

2. *crickets* n/t

[babylonsister]

3. Quelle surprise. nt

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Canuckistanian]

5. The Empire Club, eh?

Now THERE'S a bastion of old monied conservatives.

You don't get in THOSE doors unless you make a 6-figure salary.

And they're telling us not to worry?