McCain To Visit Colombia

Ariz. Senator Says He Wants To Show Support For Anti-Drug Efforts, Pending Free Trade Agreement

(AP)  Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Tuesday he wants to show his support for Colombia's anti-drug efforts and a pending free-trade agreement with the U.S. by visiting the South American ally.

In announcing the trip and citing his friendship with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, the Arizona senator sought contrasts with his Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

McCain said Obama opposes U.S. anti-drug aid for the world's largest producer of cocaine and also is against the free-trade agreement, despite having described himself as a proponent of free trade.

McCain said his campaign committee would pay for the trip south- specific travel dates were not announced for security reasons - just as it did last week when he flew north to deliver an economics speech in Canada.

His staff committed one mistake in announcing the trip, though, repeatedly misspelling the country as "Columbia."

Nonetheless, McCain cast his support for Colombia, its leaders and its people in the friendliest of terms.

"I have been to Colombia before and I know President Uribe and I know the struggle that nation has undergone," he said, noting past descriptions of the country as a failed nation.

"I want to thank him. I want to know how we can work more closely together. I want to assure him that I believe in free trade between our two countries, that I believe that our two nations can work together and fight back the scourge of drugs that has so much afflicted their country and ours," McCain said. "I consider him a friend and I consider the people of Colombia my friends as well."

An aide to McCain said the trip would be before the Fourth of July.

[zerato-2009]

It looks like mcbush likes to campaign outside the US. He goes to israel, to Iraq, to canada, and now columbia. someone need to tell him that they can''t vote for him I wonder if he will have some fundraisers at bogota.

[kansas1946]

I think that John is a little confused about what he is running for. He is campaigning in Canada, Mexico, and, now, Columbia, down there promoting this failed drug war. His wife is over in London campaigning for him. I think one of his advisors should tell him he is running for president of the United States, not king of the world. Oh well, let him totter around the world having fun. Obama can have an open field to campaign in. Poor John.

[tiredofthebs]

I think that John is a little confused about what he is running for. He is campaigning in Canada, Mexico, and, now, Columbia, down there promoting this failed drug war. His wife is over in London campaigning for him. I think one of his advisors should tell him he is running for president of the United States, not king of the world. Oh well, let him totter around the world having fun. Obama can have an open field to campaign in. Poor John.

Posted by kansas1946 at 10:09 PM : Jun 24, 2008

Thank GOD somebody is thinking of a GLOBAL MARKET. Even if they are REPUBLICAN. I think it''s an excellent idea on his part to get acquainted with other world leaders, and begin trade dialogues for goods & new technology. If American corporations don''t want to improve the quality of their services/goods and make their prices more competitive, I welcome the opportunity to purchase goods elsewhere.

[rowdywicca]

Thank GOD somebody is thinking of a GLOBAL MARKET. Even if they are REPUBLICAN. I think it''''s an excellent idea on his part to get acquainted with other world leaders, and begin trade dialogues for goods & new technology. If American corporations don''''t want to improve the quality of their services/goods and make their prices more competitive, I welcome the opportunity to purchase goods elsewhere.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by TiredoftheBS at 10:54 PM : Jun 24, 2008

Well said!

[hsinco-2009]

I think he is going for a cash infusion from the Cartels. They know keeping the war on drugs going keeps them in business. Mega dollars.

[ioweign]

Is Bush using again??

[zerato-2009]

"Thank GOD somebody is thinking of a GLOBAL MARKET. Even if they are REPUBLICAN. I think it''''s an excellent idea on his part to get acquainted with other world leaders, and begin trade dialogues for goods & new technology. If American corporations don''''t want to improve the quality of their services/goods and make their prices more competitive, I welcome the opportunity to purchase goods elsewhere."
Posted by TiredoftheBS

It is a great time to "get acquanted". A candidate for president makes a great "oppurtunity" to begin "trade dialogue".
NOT!!
This is a political photo op. Nothing more or nothing less

[wardoglrs]

McCain is a drug dealer no fuss no muss

[watcher269-2009]

Hey everybody - Bush and Cheney broke the LAW - Imagine that - where is this story on CBS NO NEWS?

WASHINGTON %u2014 Ivy Leaguers and other top law students were rejected for plum Justice Department jobs two years ago because of their liberal leanings or objections to Bush administration politics, a government report concluded Tuesday.

In one case, a Harvard Law student was passed over after criticizing the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. In another, a Georgetown University student who had previously worked for a Democratic senator and congressman didn''''t make the cut.

Even senior Justice Department officials flinched at what appeared to be hiring decisions based _ improperly and illegally _ on politics, according to the internal report.

"Individuals at the department were rejecting any of our candidates who could be construed as left-wing or who were perceived, based on their appearances and resumes and so forth, as being more liberal," Kevin Ohlson, deputy director of the department''''s executive office of immigration review, complained to Justice investigators.

The report marked the culmination of a yearlong investigation by Justice''''s inspector general and Office of Professional Responsibility into whether Republican politics were driving hiring polices at the once fiercely independent department.

[omaar-101]

America`s..

Total Imports of Petroleum Oil (Top 15 Countries)

(Thousand Barrels per Day)

Drill all You want, You can`t produce the Oil these Countries provide, nor will you see a drop in price at the gas pumps. Over 300 Million Americans,

The Demand is Too Great and it will take 7-10 years to bring this Oil on shore, by that time, Gas will be 15 $ per gallon an we`ll be riding Horse & Carriage.


If we were so Oil Rich, why hav`nt the past Presidents of the last 60 years, kept the USA Oil Independent ?

Because of the Over 300 Million USA Oil Supply & Demand..Pompous A$$ Thats Why..The Need & want are Too Great.

What did 2 Term President George Bush Jr. do to Overrule Bill Clinton`s Law against USA OffShore Oil Drilling..

Answer Nothing, When he could have !!


CANADA 1,952 1,795 1,902 1,909 1,846 +

SAUDI ARABIA 1,453 1,535 1,519 1,458 1,358

MEXICO 1,259 1,232 1,230 1,460 1,471

NIGERIA 1,115 1,154 1,105 891 1,089

VENEZUELA 1,019 858 990 1,182 1,070

IRAQ 679 773 693 562 488

ANGOLA 579 384 469 514 556

ALGERIA 393 247 300 530 495

BRAZIL 201 188 182 175 174

KUWAIT 176 199 218 126 187

ECUADOR 160 231 203 159 200

COLOMBIA 149 135 168 79 100

CHAD 133 101 110 80 76

RUSSIA 106 108 77 269 137

LIBYA 85 75 68 45 56

Country Apr-08 Mar-08 YTD 2008 Apr-07 YTD 2007

[omaar-101]

The Energy Information Administration: Estimated that oil from these sites would hit the market around (2017) and peak around (2027).

Rushing the process would likely only result in less supply. "The faster we try to drain the less efficient the drainage," said Dr. Ralph Byrns, Professor of Economics at UNC-Chapel Hill.

"If we drain it dry and still get 14 billion barrels of oil [the President has suggested 18 billion], that itself would still take 20 years."

[omaar-101]

"I think it would have an effect, just Not a Major effect.

The odds are you couldn`t get any significant amounts of crude from coastal areas within the next decade. Offshore rigs, if you want to go get one, tough luck.

They are all leased out.

Even if the infrastructure is there, it would be hard, but the Infrastructure isn`t there...

But markets react to future developments and even if the crude is not flowing, the project itself could have an impact on markets."

But the assertion that Offshore Drilling could have an Impact on Oil Prices by Placating Oil Speculators is itself a contested proposition.

And some analysts insist that it is wishful thinking that the market would SUDDENLY PERK UP because of the prospect of more supply.

[omaar-101]

I told You A$$ 4 Holes....

I Told You so !!!

Note: %u201CI think when you look at the good sources of information, were we to open up the California coast or the Alaska natural wildlife refuge to drilling, it would be...

Note: 12, 15 maybe 20 years before those resources came online and got to full production.

That%u2019s not going to impact the price of gasoline any time soon.%u201D


"I think it would have an effect, just not a major effect.

The odds are you couldn`t get any significant amounts of crude from coastal areas within the next decade. Offshore rigs, if you want to go get one, tough luck.

They are all leased out.

Even if the infrastructure is there, it would be hard, but the Infrastructure isn`t there...

But markets react to future developments and even if the crude is not flowing, the project itself could have an impact on markets."

But the assertion that offshore drilling could have an impact on oil prices by placating oil speculators is itself a contested proposition.

And some analysts insist that it is wishful thinking that the market would suddenly perk up because of the prospect of more supply.

[gkc99]

If McCain is so opposed to drugs, maybe he''d better divorce his moneybags wife Cindy.

All her money comes from the sale of one of the most destructive drugs in the world. Alcohol. How many lives has that ruined.

Yet prohibition of alcohol didn''t work any better than prohibition of other drugs is working now.

Not to mention that the federal (and state) governments suck in billions of dollars from the sale of alcohol and tobacco.

So who is the world''s biggest drug peddlar?

[abbe91]

"So who is the world''''s biggest drug peddlar?

Posted by gkc99 at 07:44 AM : Jun 25, 2008"

I think you are unfair with the bomber in chief ... he said he would veto every single beer !!!

[mcvet]

Well Why not! Give away a few million more American Jobs... Why shouldn''t our standard of living continue to fall... If this loser is elected folks we will find ourselves closer to competing with the 30 Cent a day labor because or standard of living has fallen that far. Sieg Heil McSame!!

[hungry1968]

So he''s pro-Iraq war, pro-NAFTA, pro-big oil, and says that "the market should correct itself" in reference to the housing collapse. And now he''s pro-CAFTA.


AND he''s trying to make the claim that he''s not Bush''s third term?

[ramos937]

McCain is making a very dumb move. All he will get is the mushroom treatment which is feed him XXXX and keep him in the dark. The powers-that-be will put on one heck of a dog-and-pony show for him. He will never be expose to the other side of the matter.

[terrapin78]

I think McSame is going to Colombia to get a cash infusion from the Cartels.

The Cartels know as long as the War On Drugs is going they will stay rich. And McSame is just the man to deliver that policy for them.

[mudrose-2009]

McCain has been to Iraq 4 times; he''s been to Canada and now he''s making a trip to support Columbia and their free trade agreements that Pewlosi has in her fat hip pocket because she feels it''s a good campaign issue to fool people into believing that free trade takes jobs away when in essence all she''s doing is making it harder for the little guy to sell his goods abroad because our exports costs us a tariff while our imports are free. But you buy the *********. McCain has been out of the country meeting with heads of state, etc. RamaLama hasn''t been anywhere other than the 57 states he''s campaigning in. Somone mentioned something about 57 states being a Muslim thing too. Our boy is gonna reveal himself ever so soon.

[watcher269-2009]

That''s because - Campaigning goes better with COKE!


Go McCOKE!

[king_quest]

A local woman asked him a question about gas prices, and McCain answered by making the case for his gas tax holiday. He then added this:

I also want to make sure that we will take concrete steps towards eliminating our dependence on foreign oil. And I am confident that uh, the, the conflicts that we are in in both Iraq and Afghanistan have also a bearing on THAT.

It''s not entirely obvious to me what exactly he was trying to say, but however you slice it, this is the most explicit connection McCain has made between our current war policies in Iraq and Afghanistan and OIL and gas prices.

Last month, McCain also connected war policies and oil, but his campaign dubiously argued he wasn''t talking about current policies, but rather past and future policies. The media largely accepted this interpretation -- an interpretation that his latest comments should cause them to reevaluate, especially in

[jersupporter]

Well Why not! Give away a few million more American Jobs... Why shouldn''''t our standard of living continue to fall... If this loser is elected folks we will find ourselves closer to competing with the 30 Cent a day labor because or standard of living has fallen that far. Sieg Heil McSame!! Posted by MCVet
-------------------------------
McWheelie, you will not even be alive when John McCain is President of the United States so do not worry. I really like how your boy DumbObama never has a plan for anuthing - all he does is say no when John McCain sahres his plan. How pathetic.

[endofempire]

In other news, Obama will very likely visit his coreligionist and nouveau-Communist Hugo Chavez, next door in Venezuela. They will probably attempt to see how many workers of the world (or Latin America) they can unite under the flag of extreme left Socialism, so they can help the proletariat break the chains that bind them.

[elsylee28]

Guys check out these great article:

"The Country I Lie To"
Obama LIES on his first general election ad! Also, a short background check on Obama''s VP adviser; Eric Holder.

wwww.savagepolitics.com/?p=800

"Tyrants or Children"
Kim Jong Il and his North Korean murderers endorse Barack Obama. Also, a short profile of Cindy McCain and her charity work.

www.savagepolitics.com/?p=805

[aj4321-2009]

Now that the only strategy left for McCain for winning the election is to hope for is a terrorist attack, why is he going to Colombia? Is he trying to recruit some colombian drug-dealers to do his dirty work?

[aj4321-2009]

McCain has been to Iraq 4 times

Posted by mudrose at 10:17 AM : Jun 25, 2008
------------------------

I wish he were amongst the american people who needs help - who are suffering for unemployment, loss of healthcare, flood, wild-fire, etc.

McSame should try to get the approval of the american people, instead of foreign regimes.

[noloyalisti]

Is McBush still running? He must be going to visit his fascist corporate and military friends in Columbia. This article is almost completely a joke. It talks about a "free-trade agreement". The whole free trade thing is a fix by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to benefit rich right wing corporations like Exxon, Chevron, Wal-Mart, AT&T, McDonalds, etc. And exploit the workers!!!!!!!!!!

Don''t these bozos know everyone is aware of this now?

[endofempire]

noloyalist: Colombia, not Columbia, you ignorant, pseudo-intellectual community college dropout. I guess you''d rather have nobody in South America to stem the tide of Bolivarian Communism Chavez is spreading through the region and is currently engulfing Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil. There, just like here, Chavez funded the electoral campaigns of every leftist candidate. No wonder why Obama wants "Private" funding. Chavez has the oil money to ensure his coreligionist over here gets elected by hitting us at all hours of the day with his expensive televised propaganda.

[briannorwood]

... Also, a short profile of Cindy McCain and her charity work.--elsylee28

Do you mean the charity "American Voluntary Medical Team" where she stole prescription drugs to support her addiction to barbituates?

Yeah. Great article!

[briannorwood]

If McCain is so against drugs, he ought to start with his druggie wife, Cindy!

[mcvet]

noloyalist: Colombia, not Columbia, you ignorant, pseudo-intellectual community college dropout. I guess you''''d rather have nobody in South America to stem the tide of Bolivarian Communism Chavez is spreading through the region and is currently engulfing Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil. There, just like here, Chavez funded the electoral campaigns of every leftist candidate. No wonder why Obama wants "Private" funding. Chavez has the oil money to ensure his coreligionist over here gets elected by hitting us at all hours of the day with his expensive televised propaganda.

Posted by endofempire at 12:59 PM : Jun 25, 2008
+ re

ROFLMAO RIGHT!! You are so full of it your eyes are turning brown! These Fascist ALWAYS resort to this when they can''t debate the issue''s! WE should NOT be sending any more American Jobs out of this nation. Our standard of living has fallen to LAST within the G-7 and continues to fall. American''s should NOT have to compete with 30 Cents a Day and YOU need to put away that swastika... or Hood as the case may be. It''s making you stupid. Ready?? Let Shooter hear ya!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! SIEG HEIL McSAME!! GOOD bootlicker!!

[mcvet]

elie, you will not even be alive when John McCain is President of the United States so do not worry. I really like how your boy DumbObama never has a plan for anuthing - all he does is say no when John McCain sahres his plan. How pathetic.

Posted by JERSupporter at 12:01 PM : Jun 25, 2008
+ report ab
Why go through that Pathetic "I''m Superior" garbage. Why not just come out and TELL people what they can already see. YOU don''t care about the Workers in this nation, you don''t care that these flawed and failed Policies have forced our standard of living to the Bottom of the G-7. You just don''t care as long as YOU got yours... Why be so dishonest swastika breath??? Now let the people know that it''s the "Party" that''s really important here... SING it out! SIEG HEIL Bush!! Come on!! You did so much better at the Cross Burning last weekend didn''t you??? Let''s hear it!! SIEG HEIL MEIN FUHRER!! Thatta boy!!

[mcvet]

I wish he were amongst the american people who needs help - who are suffering for unemployment, loss of healthcare, flood, wild-fire, etc.

McSame should try to get the approval of the american people, instead of foreign regimes.

Posted by aj4321 at 12:27 PM : Jun 25, 2008

Yeah that would be nice! We just had ANOTHER plant here close down just last week, moved to a Third World Country. It would be nice if he visited THOSE workers who''s jobs he''s handing over to these greedy sob''s!! SIEG HEIL McSame!!

[noloyalisti]

Columbia is the most dangerous place in the world now to speak up for workers rights. No wonder Bush and McSame love it so. They can use the right wing wacko government of that country to set up their depraved, murderous right wingnut CEO buddies to strengthen fascism. Like they have done in America and are trying to do in Iraq.

By the way, Chavez won an election in an actual democratic country (unlike this one) by 60% of the vote. Don''t confuse capitalism or communism with democracy.

[realpatriot1]

JERSupporter,

Obama has a plan. In a nutshell, it''s to reverse the Bush plan.

That''s good enough for me.

[realpatriot1]

McCain has been to Iraq 4 times and still doesn''t know the difference between Sunnis & Shiites.

What more proof do we need that he''s senile?

[nelson5714]

Magoo visiting Colombia to discuss further drug supplies t to his drug addict wife

[pensacola88]

John McCain was born in Panama. Panama was territory that was formerly Colombia. When Colombia didn''t want to sell any land for the "Grand Canal" A.K.A. Panama canal, the USA and France sponsored a revolution that created Panama and recognized it into statehood as a country. After that, the Pamana canal was pursued and abandoned by the French, and later reattempted by the USA successfully.

The drug trade was the result of abandoned economic and trade agreements that left countries orphaned and forced populations to fend for theirself. While other countries were executing drug users, and incarcerating them without parole, the USA outlawed the drugs and made them more lucerative for dealers. The refrain from cruel executions used in other countries permitted a social problem to gain strength until the root cause - foreign economics and trade was addressed. It was cheaper to pay Colombia to stop the trade as much as possible, than to treat addicts in this country, but the economic loss had to be addressed on both sides.

American isolationism prevailed in the early 1900''s and accelerated conditions that created WWI & WWII.

[Gary Kempf]

Nelson5714
Come on, Cindy has a right being wealthy, to expect pure uncut drugs.