McCain Touts Free Trade In Colombia

Ariz. Senator Was In The Country When U.S. Hostages Were Freed

(AP)  John McCain hailed the economic benefits of free trade to Colombians Wednesday, raising the possibility of an eventual hemispheric-wide agreement even though a weak economy at home has soured many U.S. voters on trade agreements.

The GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting also toured Colombia's largest port by speedboat to review the country's U.S.-backed drug interdiction programs, a day after he praised President Alvaro Uribe for Colombia's anti-drug efforts but pressed him to improve the government's record on human rights.

McCain was in the country when Colombia freed Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors from leftist guerrillas, but he didn't learn of the rescue until he was aboard a flight to Mexico. Uribe called McCain to inform him of the success.

"He told me some of the details of the rescue, the dramatic details," McCain told reporters. "It's a very high-risk operation. I congratulate President Uribe, the military and the nation of Colombia."

The Arizona senator got in several plugs for a proposed U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, opposes, suggesting the tariffs imposed on American goods now exported to Colombia would disappear under the agreement - creating jobs in the United States instead.

McCain was also promoting NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he has said would benefit the U.S. economy over time. Such agreements have been deeply unpopular in several general election swing states like Ohio and Michigan.

And he said such trade agreements should be broadened to include other countries.

"I would like to see a hemispheric free trade agreement," McCain said at a news conference here. "I would like to see our continued assistance to countries like Columbia."

Protectionist sentiment at home is worrisome "because history shows that isolationism and protectionism has very unpleasant consequences," McCain said.

But he added: "I am committed to getting every single American displaced from his or her job because of foreign competition ... a new job and a better future."

Obama, who was speaking in Las Vegas to the United Steel Workers annual conference, said trade should work for all Americans and that it was a mistake for the U.S. to open its markets without asking other countries to open theirs.

In remarks aimed at McCain's trade stance, Obama said: "It's not change when he offers four more years of trade agreements that are written by and for corporate lobbyists, agreements that don't protect our workers, don't protect our environment, and ignore the plight of workers abroad. That isn't change."

McCain wrapped up a visit to Colombia and was headed to Mexico on a two-day Latin American swing he insisted was not intended to be political.

McCain began the day visiting a Naval hospital, where he handed out awards to soldiers wounded by improvised explosive devices.

Touring the Port of Cartagena, McCain rode a boat operated by the Colombian Navy but paid for by U.S. funds under Plan Colombia, a ten year, $5 billion effort to stem the flow of cocaine and other drugs out of the country. The fleet of boats, dubbed the Midnight Express, patrol the port day and night, intercepting other boats suspected of carrying illegal drugs out of the port.

"There is a long way to go to stem the flow of drugs into the United States of America," McCain said. "The progress I've seen since previous visits here has been substantial and positive, while recognizing that in human rights and other issues, progress still needs to be made."

He also reviewed Plan Colombia-sponsored efforts to search cargo containers suspected of smuggling drugs aboard large ships coming in and out of the port.

The Arizona senator is accompanied on the trip by his wife, Cindy.

[jtyler271]

****** News Flash ***************

After rigorously campaigning in Columbia, Canada, and Mexicao, McCain has surged ahead of Obama in those countries. He has also had a bump in the polls in England after his wife Cindy campaigned there.

Obama has focused on the US, and has risen in the polls there. Obama said that he has no immediate plans to campaign in Columbia because McCains lead is still within the margin of error.

Posted by kansas1946 at 07:17 PM : Jul 02, 2008

Quite possibly the funniest thing I have read all week.

[samsel3]

Let''s see........a new plane for the campaign, and a trip to Colombia and Mexico with his side kick Joe " The Weasel" liebermann.

Maybe they needed to stock up on Colombian cocaine & Mexican marijuana for the party............

[samsel3]

I understand that McCain can''''t stand the sound of Rattling Keyes. It''s supposed to set him off....

Ever notice how even tempered he is now as compared to before his run for office.

Maybe he''s taking Prozac. It sure looks like they have him medicated.

[DCropp]

Senator McCain, anyone who supports free trade with Colombia is a traitor in my book.

Colombians make less than a thousand dollars a year. They are not going to buy American products.

However, Colombians will be happy to see American businesses close factories in the US and open new ones in Colombia. They will be happy to sell their goods in the USA.

It''s time we call these proponents of free trade what they really are. Americans have not been this betrayed by our government since before the Revolution.

If McCain wants to continue King George''s policies of sending our jobs elsewhere, he better be ready for the Revolution. Support of free trade is the equivalent of Benedict Arnold.

[jmurrieta1]

Maybe Budweiser wants to start selling Coca-Cola, with real coca!

Then Cindy would be worth $200 mill, and she and John could buy even more votes.

[samthetvcat]

-----"I would like to see a hemispheric free trade agreement," McCain said at a news conference here. "I would like to see our continued assistance to countries like Columbia."-----

ha ha ha - this guy''s a walking talking gaffe machine . . . please tell me they got this on video because it''s a moveon.org ad just waiting to happen. Aren''t people just fed up to here of politicians caring more about the needs of the citizens of other countries rather than digging in and working on the tough issues here at home - like soaring gas prices, affordable healthcare, job losses, and declining housing prices in the suburbs?

This is the guy who thinks he ought to be elected because he saved a couple of bucks outsourcing our military contracts to France.

[sleepyric]

Er...pardon me John, but shouldn''t you be HERE instead of Columbia?? We want to hear what you are going to do HERE...not in Columbia.

[mswolfestock]

McCain has not lost touch with middle America (or everybody else who''s not a rich republican) so much as he has never been in touch in the first place.

[ronald56_98]

We do not need anymore job destroying trade deals, particularly with countries like Colombia, considering their record of human rights abuse.

Considering the adverse impact these trade deals are having on American families -- millions of jobs lost -- McCain appears to have lost touch with the heartland.

Please forgive my derogatory remark but McCain has a rich wife. McCain does not have to worry about skyrocketing gasoline prices, skyrocketing food cost, mortgage foreclosures and a host of other economic problems families in the heartland are confronted with daily.

[kissamaarse]

He touts free trade with Colombia because his chief advisor, Charlie Black, is a lobbyist on the payroll of the Colombian government. The elitist, pathologically hypocritical Double Talk Express is in full swing.