OTTAWA, June 20, 2008
McCain Criticizes Obama Over NAFTA
In Speech In Canada, Republican Suggests Rival "Retreating Behind Protectionist Walls"
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Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. addresses the Economic Club of Canada, Friday, June 20, 2008, in Ottawa, Canada. (AP)
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The Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting added that if he wins the White House, "have no doubt that America will honor its international commitments — and we will expect the same of others."
McCain did not mention Obama by name as he spoke before the Economic Club of Canada, a business organization whose membership cheered his remarks.
His trip to Canada was unusual if not unprecedented for a presidential candidate, one that his campaign paid for yet aides insisted was not political.
Democrats criticized plans for a scheduled $100-per-person "finance event," and raised questions about U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins' involvement in the trip. McCain's aides said Wilkins had done nothing wrong. They also countered that the money was to pay the cost of the Economic Club luncheon — then canceled the event without explanation.
The free trade agreement is intensely controversial in the United States — supported by most businesses, opposed by many unions — and has already emerged as a flashpoint in the presidential race.
McCain supports it, while Obama and former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton vied for support among blue-collar workers in the Democratic primaries by stressing their desire to force changes.
"Since NAFTA was concluded, it has contributed to strong job growth and flourishing trade. Since the agreement was signed, the United States has added 25 million jobs and Canada more than 4 million," McCain said.
In an unmistakable reference to Obama, he added, "Demanding unilateral changes and threatening to abrogate an agreement that has increased trade and prosperity is nothing more than retreating behind protectionist walls."
Aides said that was a reference in part to comments the Illinois senator had made in a Feb. 26 debate during the primaries.
"I will make sure that we renegotiate in the same way that Senator Clinton talked about," he said at the time. "... I think we should use the hammer of a potential opt-out as leverage to ensure that we actually get labor and environmental standards that are enforced."
In his speech, McCain expressed his appreciation for Canada's deployment of 2,500 troops to Afghanistan, and skipped lightly over Iraq, where the government declined to send forces.
"... This nation has done all that those differences would allow to help the Iraqi people. In characteristic form, Canada has given generous humanitarian aid and development assistance," he said.
Later, at a news conference, he said he hoped officials from the two countries could resolve the issue of Omar Khadr, a young Canadian citizen who is imprisoned at Guantanamo as a detainee in the war on terror.
"I have always opposed torture and any interrogation technique that would be constructed in any way as torture," McCain added, unprompted.
McCain has made several trips outside the United States since he became a presidential contender, including European and Middle Eastern countries.
He arrived in the Canadian capital aboard his chartered campaign jet and was greeted on the tarmac by Wilkins. The senator said it was not a political journey, yet told reporters he did not feel it was appropriate to have U.S. taxpayers pick up the cost.
McCain was still on Canadian soil when the Democratic National Committee filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the State Department seeking information about possible violations of federal law in connection with the trip. Under the law, federal officials are limited in their ability to undertake political activity.
Aides said in advance McCain would come to Canada to highlight trade, and there has been widespread speculation that he will soon travel to Mexico and perhaps elsewhere to make the same point as he made before his lunchtime audience.
"Last year alone, we exchanged some $560 billion in goods, and Canada is the leading export market for 36 of the 50 United States," the Arizona senator said.
"This country stands as America's leading overall export market, and America is Canada's leading agricultural market. With 60 percent of all direct foreign investment in Canada originating in the United States — some $289 billion in 2007 — our economies draw strength from one another."
He also said improvements are needed.
"Complying with NAFTA's rules of origin can be cumbersome and costly. Border delays can pose a serious impediment to trade, the equivalent of a tariff," he said.
©MMVIII, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 86 CommentsPosted by kansas1946
I think it''s rather Presidential of McCain to speak to Mexico and Canada about NAFTA a treaty that has done more good than harm. Obama''s policies are protectionism. If we stop trading in a global economy, whatever we produce here will not get to the markets. It will hurt workers here more. But Obama panders to the unions, like Pewlosi does with the Columbia trade agreement in her fat hip pocket. See, they get to import their products free of change while we get to export our products with a tariff imposed on them. That''s why RamaLamaObama proposes. Making us poorer in the long run. Figures.
Posted by johnmcsame
Yup, you said it. He''s a slick fkkker and he''s got the backing of the slickest of the slick. The Sierra Club, Unions, George Soros and he''s afraid of being smeared. Yeah, he''s got that base covered too. If you attack any of this premises, you are a racist. Who''s this jackass kidding.
Obama wasn''t in the Senate at the time liar!
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Poor John. He is off campagning in Mexico and Canada. Someone should tell the poor fella'' that Mexicans and Canadians can''t vote in November. With Americans terrified about their jobs, I am sure this pandering to Canada and Mexico on NAFTA should really boost his poll numbers.
He should keep his mouth shut!
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Posted by realpatriot1 at 02:53 PM : Jun 22, 2008
So did Barak Obama! Let''s put his mouth on a camel and watch him ride back to Chicago!
He should keep his mouth shut!
The racist NBPP is led by notorious extremist, Malik Zulu Shabazz, and is a registered team member and blogger on Obama%u2019s campaign website.
Barack Obama and The New Black Panther Party
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DQAOZlNrO8
Snarling at the White Man
Leaders of the New Black Panther Party, unlike those of its namesake of the 1960s and 1970s, speak of ''white devils'' and ''bloodsucking Jews''
Khalid Muhammad.
Muhammad, who first appeared publicly as the new Panthers'' leader at the Jasper demonstration in 1998, had long been known as the leading spokesman for the black separatist Nation of Islam. He lost that post after Nation leader Louis Farrakhan was widely criticized for Muhammad''s violently hateful speeches.
He has blamed slavery and even the Holocaust on the "hooked-nose, bagel-eating, lox-eating, perpetrating-a-fraud, so-called Jew."
He has launched repeated diatribes against his enemies: "white devil crackers," "bloodsucking Jews" and "*******."
Muhammad had clear ideas for dealing with whites who did not leave immediately: "We kill the women. We kill the babies. We kill the blind. We kill the cripples. We kill them all. We kill the *******. We kill the lesbians. ,,, When you get through killing them all, go to the ******* graveyard and dig up the grave and kill them a-*******-gain, because they didn''t die hard enough" the first time.
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Obama gave three different stances on Venezuela in two days
Obama pissed off a whole nation by calling them typical white people
Obama pissed off rural people by basically calling them ignorant
Obama pissed off half the country by insinuating everybody the criticizes him are racists
Obama lied about his ancestors, his stances on half the issues, his associates and mentors, his legislative prowess which is NIL
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Obama pissed off half the voters by buying the nomination and threatening his opponent into backing him or else
Obama''''''''s grumpass wife hasn''''''''t done anything for anybody but herself, says she''''''''s never been proud of her country, and calls America mean...what the hell?
Obama''''s just pissed because McCain suggested a solution before he got to it...I mean that''''s what his oil and energy people PAID him to do...
I mean how many passes are Obama supporters going to give this idiot before they wake up!!!???
Xbama. test.
FROM HIS OWN MOUTH
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MALCOLM-O-BAMA LAUDS MALCOLM-X
HUSSEIN THE MARXISTS
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There''s only two kinds of white folks, there''s only two kinds, bad white folks and worse white folks. That''s the only two kinds of white folks there are. Malcolm X, used to say, from the teachings of the nation of terrorislam founder Elijah Muhammad, that all white folks are bad. He said if you find one good, kill him first before he turns bad. Because he''s only faking.
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Posted by Mycomment at 02:25 PM : Jun 21, 2008
With NewsWeek''s poll of 6/19 showing Obama leading McCain 51% to 36%, it doesn''t appear that the opposition is a "vehement" as you would portray it to be.....
Want to talk about fraternizing - just look at Bush/McCain they''re the ones that were buddies with Hussein!
Posted by King_quest at 12:26 PM : Jun 21, 2008
But respectfully sir, isn''t that what Clinton supporter are being asked to do....vote with the party even when they are vehemently opposed to Obama?
Bad Idea campaigning in Canada who is the prime befifactor of Jobs stolen from the Great Lakes region
Posted by King_quest at 10:42 AM : Jun 21, 2008
Sir, please tell the rest of the story.....
Not enough, though, to keep him from joining the McCain bandwagon today shortly after Cochran''''s first choice in his party''''s presidential race, Mitt Romney, folded his tent."I am supporting John McCain for the Republican nomination for President.
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Posted by Mycomment at 12:04 PM : Jun 21, 2008
That is my point, you have a bunch of McBush Disciples out their! sell their souls for a win, how can conviction be so easily flip flopped like John on Bush tax cuts, and Cocharn on his morals, what happens when Johnny goes haywire on the trail?
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