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Friday, February 29, 2008
Obama lies, protectionists cry?
While many observers, including The Economist and US News, have noted inconsistencies with both Hillary Clinton's and Barack Obama's critiques of NAFTA, it seems like Obama may now have been caught in some direct double-talk. On the stump campaigning for the tightly contested Ohio primary, both Democratic candidates have been attempting to gain points by playing to economic insecurities threatening that they would pull out of NAFTA if not able to renegotiate terms. Here's where it gets interesting: the CTV, relying on "sources at the highest levels of the Canadian government," reports that Austan Goolsbee, Obama's Chief Economic Adviser who has a taste for technocratic policies based on behavioural economics, spoke to the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago "saying that when Senator Obama talks about opting out of the free trade
deal, the Canadian government shouldn't worry. The operative said it
was just campaign rhetoric not to be taken seriously."
After the Obama camp and the Canadian Embassy in Washington put out denials, CTV continues to insist on the reliability of their sources and named Goolsbee as the unspecified campaign adviser in their original report. It's clear that there has been a lot of posturing on this issue by Obama, and the threats of withdrawal from NAFTA have set off a media flurry in Canada placing on the front page of both national newpapers and soliciting a reaction from Prime Minister Stephen Harper, so it's plausible that if the comments really were only overblown rhetoric and populist pandering that the campaign might reach out to reassure Canadian government officials.
I'll be watching this developing story, already unoriginally dubbed Goolsbee Gate which has been picked up all over the American media in the last couple days. CTV will be under mounting pressure to further corroborate their claims. The story is unlikely to die soon as McCain has now mentioned it and turned it into a campaign issue, telling reporters "I don't think it's appropriate to go to Ohio and tell people one thing
while your aide is calling the Canadian Ambassador and telling him
something else... I certainly don't think that's straight talk."
Posted by Kalim Kassam on February 29, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink
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Comments
Is Obama the American Mandela? Obama brings a message of hope and change to a country at the crossroads. It is choice between the past and the future. But is Obama the American Mandela who could inspire Americans to a better future at home? And a future where America takes it rightful place at the global table? Is he the one? The question of whether Obama is the American Mandela is discussed in my blog Angry African on the Loose at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/is-obama-the-american-mandela/
Posted by: AngryAfrican | 29-Feb-08 6:33:43 PM
AA,
"Obama brings a message of hope and change to a country at the crossroads."
Crossroads? I hope this is just rhetorical flourish.
"And a future where America takes it rightful place at the global table? "
I wasn't aware she had been dining elsewhere. More rhetorical flourish.
The US will go on tomorrow mostly like it went on yesterday. One day at a time.
Geesh!
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 29-Feb-08 6:50:41 PM
"Is Obama the American Mandela?"
No, but he might be the American messiah: http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Kalim Kassam | 29-Feb-08 7:00:13 PM
Who's going to ask why CTV intially reported contact being made with Canadian Ambassador Micheal Wilson and have since altered their story to contact being made with Canadian Consulate General in Chicago Georges Rioux? So far, CTV is the only one who's been caught with a glaring inconsistency.
There's a reason why this non-story is going nowhere and it's because mere hearsay means diddly squat in the real world.
Posted by: Arrow | 29-Feb-08 7:02:49 PM
Kalim
"No, but he might be the American messiah:"
I can't help myself. I can only hear the voice of Edward G. Robinson in "the 10 Commandments"
"Where's your Messiah now?"
snicker.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 29-Feb-08 7:05:35 PM
Obama is the great white hope. For self-immolation.
Posted by: philanthropist | 29-Feb-08 7:44:59 PM
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