Remember NAFTA-gate in '08? A similar political smooth move by the Clinton campaign.

[AtomicKitten]

Looking forward to the independent audit of the faulty DNC data firewall.

Clinton's role in Nafta-gate: It was Clinton's camp that downplayed its own trade bashing, reports the Canadian media
Richard Adams
Thursday 6 March 2008

A storm of reports in the Canadian media say that the Nafta-gate flap last week involving Barack Obama was started by a key aide to Canada's prime minister - who told journalists that Hillary Clinton's campaign - not Obama's - had contacted the Canadian government to play down its Nafta-bashing.

The Canadian Press wire service - the equivalent to AP - reports that Ian Brodie, chief of staff to Stephen Harper, was talking to journalists last week: "Brodie was asked about remarks aimed by the Democratic candidates at Ohio's anti-Nafta voters that carried economic implications for Canada." It quotes a witness who reported Brodie's remarks:

"He said someone from (Hillary) Clinton's campaign is telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt ... That someone called us and told us not to worry."

Here's today's splash in the Globe and Mail, which begins: "The leak of a confidential diplomatic discussion that rocked the US presidential campaign began with an offhand remark to journalists from the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Ian Brodie." It goes on:

Mr Brodie ... stopped to chat with several journalists, and was surrounded by a group from CTV.... The conversation turned to the pledges to renegotiate the North American free-trade agreement made by the two Democratic contenders, Mr Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton.

Mr Brodie, apparently seeking to play down the potential impact on Canada, told the reporters the threat was not serious, and that someone from Ms Clinton's campaign had even contacted Canadian diplomats to tell them not to worry because the Nafta threats were mostly political posturing.

Edited for link: http://www.theguardian.com/world/deadlineusa/2008/mar/06/clintonsroleinnaftagate

[questionseverything]

1. i miss keith o

[AtomicKitten]

11. me too

[merrily]

2. I had forgotten that one. So many unpleasantries emanated from the Clinton

campaign and its surrogates during that primary!

[libdem4life]

3. Come back Keith...take a little less money, K? We need your sharp analysis.

Moving right along ... here comes another "dropping shoe". Political junkies may think this is old news, but the events up right now...not good. And with video and internet, I'm pretty sure there is a lot more to come. Hopefully sooner (before the primary) than later (during the GE). Because it is going to come out.

[BlueStateLib]

4. Goolsbee & Canadian government memo

Monday, March 3: The Associated Press reports that a Canadian government memo describes Goolsbee as telling officials of the consulate in Chicago on Feb. 8 that much of Obama’s rhetoric on trade may seem protectionist but "is more reflective of political maneuvering than policy." The AP also quotes Goolsbee as saying the memo misquotes him: "I certainly did not use that phrase in any way."

The AP said that the memo "was widely distributed within the Canadian government" and describes an "introductory" meeting with Canada’s consul general in Chicago, Georges Rioux. It was written by Joseph DeMora, a consulate official who also attended. According to The AP, DeMora wrote 1,300 words describing many topics covered, including this about NAFTA:
http://www.factcheck.org/2008/03/the-facts-about-nafta-gate/

[AtomicKitten]

7. From the same link, it originated from the Clinton campaign.

Wednesday, March 5: The Canadian Press news agency reports that the whole controversy originated with a remark to several journalists by the prime minister’s chief of staff, Ian Brodie. He allegedly said that a representative of the Clinton campaign had called the Canadian embassy in D.C. to say her anti-NAFTA comments shouldn’t be taken at face value.

The Canadian Press: "Quite a few people heard it," said one source in the room. "He said someone from (Hillary) Clinton’s campaign is telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt. … That someone called us and told us not to worry."

No details of the alleged Clinton contact were given, and while the anonymous source said several people heard the comment, no one else was quoted in the story. Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Harper announced that he had asked an internal security team to begin finding the source of the leaked memo mentioning Goolsbee’s visit.

Source: Alexander Panetta, "‘NAFTAgate’ began with remark from Harper’s chief of staff," The Canadian Press 5 March 2008.

[BlueStateLib]

8. Seeing that Obama never did re-negotiate NAFTA gives alot of credibility

to Goolsbee statements made at the "introductory" meeting with Canada’s consul general in Chicago

[AtomicKitten]

10. Neither have credibility on NAFTA, but that's not the point.

The Clinton campaign perhaps concerned that their wink-wink to Canada might be revealed did a Rove Double Lutz, blaming the Obama campaign for what they did.

That maneuver smells familiar to the current brouhaha.

[Faux pas]

5. Kickin'

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, AtomicKitten.

[FlatBaroque]

9. Can someone make a GIF of a couple of rats copulating?

[AtomicKitten]

12. k

[Segami]

13. Kick