Obama Going Negative? Mailer Hits Clinton On Trade

Sen. Barack Obama's camp is sending out mailers in Pennsylvania directly taking on Sen. Hillary Clinton for her position on trade.

The piece, which was obtained by The Huffington Post, tiptoes the line between position contrast and general attack, as the Obama campaign cites several news items and quotes that are subject to different interpretations.

For example, the mailer cites a Newsday article from September 2006 concerning Clinton's perceived support for NAFTA. Aspects of that article, however, were retracted because it included the since-discredited line that the Senator said the trade agreement was a "boon." The Obama mailer didn't include the "boon" quote, but even Newsday offered that the use of their piece in a political context could be misleading.

In addition, the mailer criticizes Clinton for supporting permanent normal trade relations with China, citing a 2000 quote she made to CNN: "But on balance, I've looked at this, I've studied it. I think it is in the interests of America and American workers that we provide the option for China to go into the WTO."

Obama, however, has a similar quote from the Illinois Farm Bureau, albeit one with greater caveats and stipulations. "So I think it is important for us to negotiate our trade agreements recognizing that the global economy has shifted," he said in September 2004. "What that means then is that when the Chinese government devalues its currency by 40%, we've got to make sure that we bring China before the WTO. The same way that we get brought before the WTO if other countries think that a disadvantage, that they are being disadvantaged by our existing trade policies."

Beyond these quips, however, is a bigger question. Does this sully the Obama campaign's attempts to paint Clinton - who is running a slate of negative advertisements in Pennsylvania - as the only candidate to go negative?

As David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager said of Clinton on a conference call on Thursday: "It is a relentlessly negative campaign here in Pennsylvania running negative ads around the state... her campaign can really be defined as an attack strategy day after day, trying to destroy Senator Obama."

Here's the complete mailer:

Comments

[entopticon]

Really lame article by Sam Stein. Hillary has her own PR people to spin the facts for her, they don't need Mr. Stein doing their job for them.

The facts in Obama's mailer are unassailable. If anything, the mailer goes extremely easy on her considering the facts that Hillary's first lady records revealed that she convened over at least 5 meetings to strategize the passage of NAFTA, she was the keynote speaker at an important NAFTA lobbying event, and she fought to block opposition from labor and environmental issues.

Stein could have mentioned that. Instead, he did his best to lift the arguments directly from the Clinton campaign's playbook. Really shameful Mr. Stein.

It was especially ludicrous for Stein to conflate the Obama campaign's mailer that brings attention to her actual record on NAFTA to Hillary's despicable, Rovian, guilt-by-association muckraking. Leave the Hillary propaganda to Hillary's people Mr. Stein.

[mikeinvail]

When it came time for Hillary to choose a whiskey. She chose Crown Royal,a Canadian whiskey.
I wonder if the workers in Kentucky will remember that when the primary comes to the land of bourbon?

[ChimpmasterDJ]

Ah yes, Crown Royal... marketed as a "premium" booze... it ain't scotch, it ain't "premium" in anything but price. It's basically "liquid ignorance". How apt!

[TN]

Good for him. Facts are Facts.

[dadele]

If I were Obama I would've looked directly into the camera and said," The American people will never have to explain sex acts to their children when I am President. I will be focused on America's problems and not creating my own problems that would waste the country's time when I am president."
He needs to forget being a gentleman, which is what he has been to this point. She wants to take it to that level, he should go there too.
You can't be a feminist and be Tammy Wynette "standing by your man", the two worldviews are not compatible. Someone needs to point out the hypocrisy every day.

[spaceman3838]

big phony obama telling lies and trying to fool to voters into forgetting how pathetically weak he is

[ellenolenska]

He's not pathetically weak; he has integrity and genius....as the front runner Obama doesn't want to destroy the democratic party by hitting Clinton hard. I predict that once he runs against John McCain he'll take off the gloves.

[iLogos]

A negative attack is an attack, something that seeks to damage or harm that is either not based on the truth AND not based on policy. When it is an issue outside of the realm of the candidates positions or statements concerning the issues, then it is going negative.

Just because something is not flattering, but true in regards to the candidate, does not make it a negative attack ad.

An ad talking about Pres. Clintons affairs is an attack ad and saying it reflects back on Sen. Clinton's ability to manage people. A flier showing pictures of Chelsea drinking a lot and dressed provactively saying it shows loose morals on Sen. Clinton's part. THESE are attack ads. So would be ads or pictures showing Sen. Obama dressed in ethnic ceremonial garb and attempt to use it as an example that he is anti-American and a Muslim. So would ads that take three seconds of an answer out of context, ignoring the full context and later clarifications and charge your opponent with being elitist, especially when you have professed those exact same views.

[ChimpmasterDJ]

It's about time Obama called her on her lies. And this is really just a factual reminder of her inconsistencies, not twisting her words like she likes to do to him.

I hope every blue collar worker that got screwed by the Clinton pandering to Republicans for political gain, will read this pamphlet and draw the correct conclusions.

[JHCowboy]

Unfortunately many of the blue collar workers have been brainwashed by the system and will not protest loudly enough but only allow the GOP machine or the Hillary Clinton GOPesque machine to divide and conquer them on Identity politics issues. Those Identity political issues are exactly what Barack was talking about in San Francisco (the guns and God Identity politics) which Hillary called his "bitter" comment causing her to started running around lying about his intentions stirring people up to fear yet again and acting like "Annie Oakley" and talking like she was religious yet she had only been to Church for Easter. Why do people fall for her despicable lies?

[sjpeyote]

After watching the debate we should be worried about her getting us into WWIII if elected. She has always been a hawk and her present policy on Iraq is just political. She voted for the war, she voted to label Iran's military as terrorists giving Bush the right to attack them, she would easily be for staying in Iraq if it was politically advantageous. I have voted Democratic all my life, first one was Carter, if Hillary gets the nomination I will vote for the Green Party candidate. Why her comment about putting the Middle East under a security umbrella and that the US would send a massive attack against Iran if they attack any of those countries wasn't front page news is beyond me. This is even right of what the neocons have proposed!?!? The middle east has been fighting in one war or another since I can
remember, there is no doubt that there is a high probability that Iran could attack one of its neighbors in the near future, they just got done with a ten year war with Iraq in the 80s. Now Hillary wants us to
get us involved when Iran attacks anyone in the middle east who will sign up for our protection,
I wonder if anyone has a brain out there sometimes, the general American public is stupid, but for the mainstream press to have ignored this is beyond me, I have not seen one story about this on the news today.

[ellenolenska]

I agree sjpeyote....this should have been front page news. The corporate mainstream media wants John McCain to win....it benefits their pocketbook. We're not only fighting against John McCain and his party, we're fighting a war against the corporate media as well. All this nonesense about the press being unfair to Clinton was just part of their campaign strategy....she's gone `conservative because she knows that the corporate media would support her.

It's now being reported that Ed Rendell is threatening his mayors that if they support Barack, they can kiss any funding for their districts goodbye.

[LAcarlito]

Hillary's "umbrella security" position, or whatever you call it, was a total joke. In an earlier debate, Obama got roasted for his foreign policy positions that were far less inflammatory (on talking to dictators). How this position is not getting torched by the press remains a mystery to me.

I hope Obama spends some time addressing this point in speeches this weekend. It is time for him to move the issues forward.

[Prophesy]

Let's hear more about this, please:

Case Number: BC304174
PETER F PAUL VS WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON

Filing Date: 10/14/2003
Case Type: Fraud (no contract) (General Jurisdiction)
Status: Pending

Future Hearings

04/25/2008 at 08:31 am in department 47 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Further Status Conference

Documents Filed | Proceeding Information

Parties

CLINTON HILLARY RODHAM - Defendant/Respondent

CLINTON WILLIAM JEFFERSON - Defendant/Respondent

[noneIn2008]

Good thing he stays to his promise and not throwing mud. Is this how he will handle his other promises? Which ever way the political opportunity wind blows.

[BinAgain]

This isn't mud throwing. He has been very patient with her,like a man dealing with a histerical female throwing knives at him ,he catches them all and say's "now ,now ,calm down you are being irrational" and she being the hysterical female of course doesn't settle down,so he haves to give her a "little" slap.

[brooklinme]

I really don't like your analogy. I despise Hillary Clinton but saying "giver her a little slap is troubling.

[terragazelle]

Sen Obama has a tightrope to walk...if he becomes angry and shows his anger...he is that fearsome thing...the angry black man, and he loses. If he sucks it up, he is said to be a wus and can not fight, and he loses.

He is not throwing mud..he is handing out facts...sometimes facts hurt, specialy when it is someone you trust and believe in. If what is in those flyers is true, it is not slinging mud. When Obama, in Ohio claimed that Hillary was for NAFTA...she held up those fliers and called him a liar..shame shame, she said. But he told the truth then and now.

Should Obama say nothing? Do nothing to stand up for himself, no matter what she does or says? How do we call Hillary a liar...? Why does she bring up Ayers...Obama was 8 years old, Ayers is a Professor and served on the same Charity with Obama...so did other people. Are they also tarred with the same brush?

[Ontariocentric]

NAFTA did a number on the Great Lakes Region (Canada & U.S. both). It made it harder for smaller companies to compete. It made local industries less profitable. It made industries in both countries seek out China, and neglect the homeland. It caused widescale economic integration, that sent a ripple effect thru the whole private and public sectors. Now our borders are more backed up. Our manufacturing sector has collapsed. But..both countries have generated more revenue and have maintained our strong positions on the global market. However we've gone into more debt.

I grew up post-free trade, so I always hear about the good old days. Before our cities went to dirt (Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Rochester, Hamilton) when strong industrial towns had a flourishing middle class. It's not like that anymore for a number of reasons, NAFTA no exception.

But the North American Free Trade AGREEMENT was an agreement, and we all voted in favour of it. We elected conservative governments to support it (Mulroney-Reagan/Bush), and then elected liberal governments to implement it full-swing (Chretien-Clinton). And now we're stuck with it. Everyone is bitching it's not fair. But no one dares to suggest we backpeddle on NAFTA. Senator Clinton represents New York, where NAFTA has obliterated Western-rural New York State but it has also sprinkled star dust on Wall Street NYC.

[BDunne]

OK -- borders an attack but factual.

[RhondaT]

I have to say I am truly disturbed by how contentious this debate has gotten between the supporters of both candidates on this blog. Why all the name calling? Why all the hostility? And this from people who complained about the tenor of last night's debate? I'm for Obama, but I think why should he complain about the tenor of the debate when this seems to be what is in the blogosphere, AND he should be prepared to deal with it. I actually think he did fine last night, but then again, I'll vote for whatever DEMOCRAT is nominated in the fall. Isn't that the point, this is only the primary folks! Maybe dems need to tone down some of their own rhetoric on this one.

[TN]

Sorry, after the last seven years, we are bitter (pissed).

[BinAgain]

Yeah but...there is only one democrat running. Obama.
The other 2 are neocons.
If Hillary is allowed to be the nominee a 3rd party will do well.

[DoninJoisey]

Here's Hillary in her own words....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exsmFDYyK4U

[GuyInNC]

Obama supporters amaze me. They all complain about Clinton's lies all the time.

Obama LIED at least two times last night directly to the voters. But, Obama'slies don't seem to matter.

[Shelly1970]

If you can resurrect a viable candidate for us that doesn't lie one way or another, let us know. You would be the hero of the world.

[DoninJoisey]

What on earth are you talking about?
Clinton has the record on lies...

[Mattie]

but, but, but, but Hillary did it too!

[Plowboy]

OK, Guy, what were those lies?