Obama campaign downplays Canadian meeting

Ah yes. True Politics in America. Say anything, as long as the cattle believe!!!

PLEASE no more bush/clinton/bush/clinton

if you want vision, vote obama

if you want experience, vote mccain

but if you want DI-vision and a BAD flashback, then by all means vote clinton - because that is what your country will get

These advisers should simply keep their big mouths shut!

Meh. There should be a rule against posting duplicate posts in every thread.

NAFTA isn't the problem. Failure to adapt to a better economy is. Get the state of Ohio or the feds to subsidize education for more technical jobs, if anything.

Again, if you are going to stand and deliver speech and inspiring speech about how YOU are different and how YOU can be believed-this is extremely relevant to the debate.
Obama just got impeached. Canada don't fear-believe what he says-believe what I say???
The audacity!

Wow really shocking. You mean a politician will say anything to get elected. Obama is no different than any other politician. Everyone knows that except for his sheep like Tom above. The article points out a flaw in Obama and he responds by saying "vote Obama" Wow that is a great retort for your chosen one. Obama is worse than most hypocritical pols. He pretends to be different while ALL of his actions point to business as usual. He is just another do as I say not as I do politician.

I am having a Clinton fatique.

Please Vote for Barack Obama because he has been very nice to Hilary while Hilary has been nasty in her campaign toward barack.

Obama '08 please.

He will be one of the greatest leader of our time and make America and the world a better place for us and our children's children.

"Tainted Truth" writes "Obama just got impeached."

Huh?

The Canadian government denied the story. It seems people are going to automatically believe or not believe this based on whom they support.

I don't think it will change any votes as there isn't any proof and the Canadians denied it.

Seeing as I read the memo and nowhere does it specifically state that Obama changed his position? The memo says much of the NAFTA debate was posturing. Of course the memo was written by one party, and did not say it was quoting what the Obama supporter said. Of course the memo also said that Obama didn't want to get out of NAFTA, but instead wanted to renegotiate the environmental and labor standards. Last time I checked that is EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID IN THE DEBATE. A politician that says the same thing in private meetings and in public, what a breath of fresh air.

It seems that Hillary is doing whatever she can to win and i respect it but I trust Obama. (scary to trust a politician) and since this articles states that the Canadian Embassy releases a report that supports Obama's version of the story in contradiction to Clinton's feisty tactics then i think the trust is easily well founded.

Jacob/venice

No one can fool all of the poeple all of the time. The Rezko connection was a "boneheaded" mistake. The malicious duplicity in the message about NAFTA transmitted to the Canadians was a "misinterpretation", the plagiarism was nothing - just normal borrowing of someone else's ideas. And the guy claims "good judgement"!!!
I see not only lack of experience but also an inclination to knowingly lie to the American people

juat another "who me?" response when confronted with something less than up front...oblama has learned well from his fellow illinoisian's in politics...oblama & blago are cut from the same cloth...I'm just sayin'

Hillary steals experience from a timeframe when she has no official service. She is put up to bat as first lady on Healthcare and she strikes out (but she is ready on day 1). She is put up to bat to take care of the interest of new york workers and promises a stipulated number of jobs and she strikes out (but somehow she will be ready on day one hit a home run for Ohio's workers. She was put up to bat again to vote for or against the IRAQ war and guess what she struck out again although she had sufficient information...and somehow the public is to believe that she is ready on day one (are you kidding!). Just face it she is a political flunky without the ability to make a hit. If she has had no successful hits, how in the world will we ever believe she will make a home run. There is no way that I am putting this woman up to bat for me.

Huh. Busted. Let Rezko eat you alive.

The Clinton campaign is desperately trying to make something out of this, but here is what the Canadian government said about the report.

“In the recent report produced by the Consulate General in Chicago, there was no intention to convey, in any way, that Senator Obama and his campaign team were taking a different position in public from views expressed in private, including about NAFTA. We deeply regret any inference that may have been drawn to that effect."

End of story.

BARAK HUSSAIN OBAMA ( WHO IS'NT AS ISLAMIC AS HIS NAME), CONTINUES TO RESTATE THAT EVERY ONE MISSTATES WHAT HE SAYS(NOW NAFTA) YET AGAIN, AND AGAIN OBAMA WONT SAY WHAT HIS REAL POSITION IS. OBAMA WE IMPLORE YOU WITH TEAR FILLED EYES PLEASE STOP JIVE TALKING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

BARAK HUSSAIN OBAMA ( WHO IS'NT AS ISLAMIC AS HIS NAME), CONTINUES TO RESTATE THAT EVERY ONE MISSTATES WHAT HE SAYS(NOW NAFTA) YET AGAIN, AND AGAIN OBAMA WONT SAY WHAT HIS REAL POSITION IS. OBAMA WE IMPLORE YOU WITH TEAR FILLED EYES PLEASE STOP JIVE TALKING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

"Please Vote for Barack Obama because he has been very nice to Hilary while Hilary has been nasty in her campaign toward barack."
"He will be one of the greatest leader of our time and make America and the world a better place for us and our children's children."

You are a Hillay supporter pretending to be a stupid Barak Obama suporter right?
You are trying to make Barak Obama supporters look like morons right?

Yeah, PatJ, gee I'll vote for Obama because he's nice? I'm sorry, but I'm supporting Clinton 'cause she's COMPETENT!

Pat, maybe you should just vote for Edwards? He's still on the ballot and he really does seem like a nice man!

"The latest round of questions Follows an Associated Press report today that focused on a Canadian government document that suggested that Goolsbee had told officials that Obama's rhetoric on opposing the North American Free Trade Act should not be taken too seriously."

Its not the only thing you shouldn't take too seriously with this mans campaign. The idea that he is an agent of change, committed to transparency and accountable government? With the Rezko trial starting, Democrats through out America should stop taking seriously that this man can deliver on his promise to change things - he didn't in IL - he obviously isn't going to in Washington. He was not part of the gang of 14, he hasn't worked on any contentious issues that demonstrates he has the courage to stand up to the liberal wing of his party, he sights his four years as a child and one foreign trip to Kenya as the necessary experience in military and foreign policy experience (while belittling the many diplomatic trips that Senator Clinton has made by saying she had tea in an embassy).

Let us be honest. If this man wasn't black, no one would take him seriously. Why should this latest example of empty rhetoric be any different than the rest of his platform. It is all hat, and no bull.

He isn't going to change NAFTA, he isn't going to change our health care system, he isn't going to be any more ethical than any of the other corrupt pols dominating Washington, he isn't any more transcendent than anyone else.

HE IS UNQUALIFIED TO BE PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF OUR ARMED FORCES.

Obama's campaign has just issued a forceful statement in response to the CTV story. Here it is:

"The news reports on Obama's position on NAFTA are inaccurate and in no way represent Senator Obama’s consistent position on trade. When Senator Obama says that he will forcefully act to make NAFTA a better deal for American workers, he means it. Both Canada and Mexico should know that, as president, Barack Obama will do what it takes to create and protect American jobs and strengthen the American economy -- that includes amending NAFTA to include labor and environmental standards. We are currently reaching out to the Canadian embassy to correct this inaccuracy," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.
On balance, I'm strongly inclined to believe the Obama camp on this one. He's a guy who has said he's been against NAFTA since he was a candidate for the Senate, and has taken heat for it. The Canadian officials quoted are conservative, pro-NAFTA politicians with an interest in tamping down the push to reform our trade policies. And the article itself is very thinly sourced. My guess is Obama's campaign at some point contacted the Canadian embassy as a courtesy, and that was spun into this story - without direct quotes, of course - claiming his rhetoric would not be followed through on.

Bottom line, however - this story, though likely inaccurate, highlights the need for us all to keep the pressure on both candidates, and ultimately, on the new Democratic administration and Congress in 2009. If we want to reform trade policy, we're going to have to really hold all politicians' feet to the fire.

: From the Politico's Ben Smith - a repudiation of the story now from the Canadian embassy:

A spokesman for the Canadian Embassy to the United States, Tristan Landry, flatly denied the CTV report that a senior Obama aide had told the Canadian ambassador not to take seriously Obama's denunciations of Nafta.

"None of the presidential campaigns have called either the Ambassador or any of the officials here to raise Nafta," Landry said.

He said there had been no conversations at all on the subject.

"We didn't make any calls, they didn't call us," Landry said.

"There is no story as far as we're concerned," he said.

Vote for Obama because he knows all the words to Kumbayah, and everyone in America will get a cute puppy if he's elected! Time for a change - of your diapers.

I am a Canadian that has been following your Primary Elections. I find your process very interesting, and a true test of a PRESIDENT of the United States of America!
However, I would like to advise your readers that we have a Minority Conservative Government in Canada that is very close to the Republicans in the U.S. Who initiated the meeting and for what purpose? Embassy Representatives are not supposed to interfere with the internal electoral processes of the U.S.A.
This meeting was unnecessary and premature and meant to produce negative publication for Senator Obama. Canada has had its own negative experience of NAFTA with the Timber crisis in British Columbia, and NAFTA's negative Economic and Environmental effects on our water, land use and our Aboriginal People. Great Candidates America, great Candidates this year! Let the best person for America and the World WIN!!

The Canadian Embassy issued the following statement today: "The Canadian Embassy and our Consulates General regularly contact those involved in all of the presidential campaigns and, periodically, report on these contacts to interested officials. In the recent report produced by the Consulate General in Chicago, there was no intention to convey, in any way, that Senator Obama and his campaign team were taking a different position in public from views expressed in private, including about NAFTA. We deeply regret any inference that may have been drawn to that effect.

- 14th paragraph in a story about nothing

This is a joke and John McCormick should be embarrassed for writing this story in this way for the SWAMP.

Most SWAMPEES look at the headline and run with it. You have to get to the 14th paragraph to realize that the Canadien government is disavowing any truth to the rumor.

What's next, "OBAMA CAMP FIGHTS OFF STORY ABOUT AN AFFAIR WITH A WHITE WOMAN"?

Please. John McCormick, turn in your credentials. You're an embarrassment.

Fellow Obama supporters! Please get up early tomorrow nice and fresh because your vote is needed for our leader Obama to seal his nomination tomorrow. Go and vote !

If only the Obama zoombies could really see and hear themselves!

Ok, sort of related:

According to the Trib, here is a list of all who voted for an increase in cook county taxes:

VOTING "YES"

E. Collins (D-Chicago)

R. Steele (D-Chicago)

J. Butler (D-Chicago)

W. Beavers (D-Chicago)

D. Sims (D-Chicago)

J. Murphy (D-Crestwood)

J. Moreno (D-Cicero)

R. Maldonado (D-Chicago)

J. Daley (D-Chicago)

L. Suffredin (D-Evanston

Question, which one of these did Obama not help get reelected?

Ans: This is a microcasm of what your senator from Illinois is going to do on a national scale. Watch out pocket book.

I AM A RABID RIGHT WING TROGLODYTE AND DON'T LIKE OBAMA BUT CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY BECAUSE MY ONE BRAIN CELL DON'T UNDERSTAND AND I'M REALLY PISSED OFF THAT HE'LL WIN AND PROVE ME WRONG SO I WRITE IN ALL CAPS.

There is only one thing worse than a hypocrite, a hypocrite who pretends to be about CHANGE and YES WE CAN when the reality is he's the biggest con artist on the scene. Say what you want about Clinton or McCain, at least they're not preying on the stupidity of the American public.

Hillary is pathetic. This is a smoke screen to keep the voters from embracing change. If Canada says there is nothing to this, who should we believe-the Clintons or Canada? Have we figured it out yet? The Clintons will do or say anything to destroy Obama. He is in the way of their power and they will not rest until they have destroyed the hopes of millions.

if Mr. Obama says this economic advosor had a conversation with these folsk in Canada without him knowing about it, that's not hard to believe, because why would Mr. Obama send anyone from his Campaign to talk with a Right Wing Canadian Gov't? especially sending them the message that he's being disingenuous about NAFTA? that'd be throwing the election!

Eight years of hosting dinners at the white house and kicking off the easter egg hunt doesn't constitute experience ...

Yet another example that for every one step forward we take in this country, no matter who it is, we always end up taking a step back. There is always this kind of back room secret stuff going on that makes me feel like in order to be president of this country, you have to double speak, and behave dishonestly, or at least have to address these issues. There is a singer named David Ford, that made a video about this on youtube, and this is pretty much how I'm feeling right about now, anyone else?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=M0wOkiOMlDE

"Canada will not interfere in this electoral process."

Sorry, you just did-STUPID.

This is a campaign that denied that any meeting took place, and only changed its story once the consulate released its memo.

This is a guy who only two weeks ago, after not disclosing it for over a year, acknowledged that he, Obama, and his life-long political patron toured the home and property that is the center of controversy in their relationship.

I can't wait till the media starts looking into the veterans support that Obama has failed to deliver in IL. He obtained a $5 million grant to the IL Department of Employment Security as the Blagojevich Administration was reclassifying jobs and moving them into counties with few veterans in order to circumvent the states hiring preference laws. The grant provided just over $106 per veteran seeking assistance, and this was during the debate in Washington to provide $100 rebate checks to Americans for the rising price of gas was dismissed by Democrats as "token" support. I don't think $6 is substantially different. His support towards veterans has been token support - he likes to talk about a few free meals and phone cards to our injured vets, but he hasn't provided any substantial reform here in IL. 9 veterans died last year at a VA Hospital due to substandard care, while Obama was busy missing important votes to further his own career.

This guy is a joke - and the press needs to disclose just how disingenuous he is.

I cannot believe the blind eyes of the Obama people, I would think that it was the George Bush fiasco again. Red flags, red flaga!
1. Exelon Incident, where Obama took $289,000 for presidental campaign. Oh, a bill was buried because Obama rewrote it. IT was just the bill that mandated that nucluer waste leaks had to be reported to the public.
2. Lobbiest money, how about the Excelon money? Just had the executives give it, another 527 move.
3. www.jewishpress.com
This one, does not pass my commonsense. Giving money to PLO, and being friends with someone that was an American terrorist - he also gave to Obama campaign.

I am not stupid, I will not vote for Obama.

Now this little tidbit, does the earth have to swallow up these Obama people, are they so stuck on rhetoric? Good grief

I am not stupid, I will not vote for Obama.

Now this little tidbit, does the earth have to swallow up these Obama people, are they so stuck on rhetoric? Good grief

Posted by: Pam | March 3, 2008 7:59 PM

Enough Pam. Just like you're not gonna change how you vote. I'm assuming you've already wasted it on that mudslinging sea hag Hillary. We sane people are going to vote for Obama. We know him to be what he is a leader with considerable talent and we know what he isn't. insert Clinton dissembling pretense here. Look the Clintons have shown themselves to be what they really are, politically opportunistic charlatans.

Can you dig it!

Clinton is a classical case of a polarising, divisive politician. She does not give a damn that her style is going to hurt her own Democratic Party. This is a professional politician -- either "I" or we all go to hell. The Democratic big shots have failed to stand up to her. She is now the "Nadar factor" in the 2008 election. McCain must be laughing. McCain will beat her easily, if she wins the nomination.

In the beginning was the word...

Obama told America this would not be a campaign of "business as usual."

He has lived up to that premise.

This may be the first ever campaign to elect a dictator in America.