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Clinton v. Obama: The NAFTA Wars

It has been reported in the Canadian press that a senior economic advisor to the Obama campaign spoke with a Canadian government official to assure them that this was just campaign rhetoric. The Obama campaign has dismissed these reports as false over the course of the past two days, but the advisor in question has not yet issued a flat denial.

Today the Clinton campaign alerted reporters to a letter sent to Senator Barack Obama from two Ohio unions about the sincerity of the candidate’s campaign promise to renegotiate NAFTA as president. The letter from two union officials sent to Mr. Obama expresses surprise and disappointment that the advisor reportedly met in secret with the Canadian government.

“After a series of misdirections and half-truths, it’s time for you to come clean about your campaign’s communications with the Canadian government about NAFTA. Enough with the non-denial denials and the Washington double-speak,” the letter states.

The letter then asks Senator Obama five questions on the alleged incident and about his true intentions with NAFTA.

Later in the day, the pro-Obama union UNITE HERE fired off its own letter to Senator Clinton on the consistency of her position on the trade agreement. Obama spokesman Bill Burton forwarded the letter via email to reporters covering the Obama campaign.

“We were disappointed to see that you and your supporters continue to make desperate attacks against Senator Obama based on a story from a Canadian TV station that was debunked and retracted as fast as it was reported. Just as you know that this story is false and yet repeat it anyway, you also know that Senator Obama has consistently called for amending the flawed NAFTA agreement passed by the Clinton Administration – which you have called one of the most significant legislative accomplishments of the Clinton years.”

The UNITE HERE authors then ask Clinton two questions of their own, but are probably not expecting a response when they conclude, “We certainly wish it were true that you had been a critic of NAFTA from the very beginning – because if you had offered a single public criticism when it was being debated, or urged President Clinton to back away from it, you could have stopped NAFTA from happening to America. Sadly, the record of your long, strong and vocal support of this flawed agreement is painfully clear.”

Read both letters in full below the jump:

THE LETTER TO BARACK OBAMA:

March 1, 2008

Dear Senator Obama:

We were surprised and disappointed to learn that your top economic adviser reportedly had a secret meeting with a representative of the Canadian government where he dismissed your anti-NAFTA rhetoric.

According to Canadian news outlets, your adviser, Austan Goolsbee, told the Canadian Counsel General Georges Rioux that your criticism of NAFTA is “just politics” and should not be taken seriously.

After a series of misdirections and half-truths, it’s time for you to come clean about your campaign’s communications with the Canadian government about NAFTA. Enough with the non-denial denials and the Washington double-speak.

Many Ohioans are concerned about the issue of trade and we want answers to some simple questions:

1) Did you direct your top economic adviser - Austan Goolsbee - to tell the Canadian government that your speeches railing against NAFTA are just political rhetoric? If so, why?

2) Are you aware that Mr. Goolsbee held a secret meeting with the Canadian Counsel General Georges Rioux? Have you spoken with Mr. Goolsbee about that meeting and will you repudiate his comments?

3) Why has Mr. Goolsbee been unwilling to deny that he discussed your positions on NAFTA with Mr. Rioux? Why won’t your campaign disclose the full details about that meeting?

4) Given these reports, why should Ohioans believe that you will act on the campaign promises you have made about NAFTA?

5) Sen. Clinton has issued a comprehensive plan to fix NAFTA. Why haven’t you done so as well?

The people of Ohio are eager to hear from you - there’s too much at stake.

Sincerely,

Gary Dwyer, Secretary-Treasurer, Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council

Barry Pickett, Business Representative, Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 24

THE LETTER TO HILLARY CLINTON:

March 1, 2008

Dear Senator Clinton:

We were disappointed to see that you and your supporters continue to make desperate attacks against Senator Obama based on a story from a Canadian TV station that was debunked and retracted as fast as it was reported. Just as you know that this story is false and yet repeat it anyway, you also know that Senator Obama has consistently called for amending the flawed NAFTA agreement passed by the Clinton Administration – which you have called one of the most significant legislative accomplishments of the Clinton years.

As the people of Ohio prepare to vote on Tuesday, they deserve to know the answers to some important questions you have so far avoided:

1) During the recent Ohio debate, you made the surprising claim that you’d been “a critic of NAFTA from the very beginning.” If that’s true, why didn’t you ever voice a criticism of NAFTA when it would have mattered?

2) If you were against NAFTA from the start, why did you say it was “good for New York and America ?” Or that NAFTA had “proved its worth?” Or that it was “an important Administration goal?”

Almost 50,000 Ohioans have lost their jobs because of NAFTA, and many thousands more have seen their jobs shipped to China because of the special trading status you have supported giving to the Chinese.

We certainly wish it were true that you had been a critic of NAFTA from the very beginning – because if you had offered a single public criticism when it was being debated, or urged President Clinton to back away from it, you could have stopped NAFTA from happening to America. Sadly, the record of your long, strong and vocal support of this flawed agreement is painfully clear.

Sincerely,

Dallas Sells
Director, Ohio State Council, UNITE HERE

Noel Beasley
Executive Vice President, UNITE HERE
Manager, Chicago & Midwest Joint Board

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98 Responses to “Clinton v. Obama: The NAFTA Wars”

Comment by Moments Like This...

Engraved on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. are these words of our third president:

God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.

 
Comment by JR - Texas & Ohio for HILLARY

GO HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!REZKO Story coming next I hope - We sure aren’t hearing this story yet..hmmm.. March 3rd trial check out his connections with Obama, there is no change in any of his message…The media has finnaly hit this week on some of his dirty laundry (about time), let’s not stop here, because the media has to stop given him a free ride. Read the facts below on some issues…….

He started out as nice guy and showed how he was different now he constantly spending those millions defending and bickering as well - OBAMANIAHYPOCRITE.

On the issue of experience, Obama`s record/experience is a joke by comparison…Hillary`s been to no less than 80 countries…helping any way she could…in addition, here`s just some of All Hillary`s achievements/experiences as a US Senator:
In 2000, Hillary was elected to the United States Senate from New York. As Senator, Hillary has continued her advocacy for children and families and has been a national leader on homeland security and national security issues.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Hillary worked with her colleagues to secure the funds New York needed to recover and rebuild. She fought to provide compensation to the families of the victims, grants for hard-hit small businesses, and health care for front line workers at Ground Zero. And she continues to work for resources that enable New York to grow, to improve homeland security for New York and other communities, and to protect all Americans from future attacks.
She is the first New Yorker ever to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee, working to see that America’s military has the necessary resources to protect our national security. She has visited troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and at Fort Drum in New York, home of the 10th Mountain Division and other New York bases, as well as at Walter Reed Military Hospital. She has learned first-hand the challenges facing American combat forces. Hillary passed legislation to track the health status of our troops so that conditions like Gulf War Syndrome would no longer be misdiagnosed. She is an original sponsor of legislation that expanded health benefits to members of the National Guard and Reserves and has been a strong critic of the Administration’s handling of Iraq.
But Hillary has recognized that we can’t ignore our problems at home while we face challenges overseas. She has introduced legislation to tie Congressional salary increases to an increase in the minimum wage, because she believes if America’s working people don’t deserve a raise, neither does Congress. She has supported a variety of middle-class tax cuts, including marriage penalty relief, property tax relief, and reduction in the Alternative Minimum Tax, and supports fiscally responsible pay-as-you-go budget rules. She helped pass legislation that encouraged investment to create jobs in struggling communities through the Renewal Communities program. She has championed legislation to bring broadband Internet access, which is so important in today’s information economy, to rural America.
In the Senate, Hillary has not wavered in her work to expand quality affordable health care to more Americans. She worked to strengthen the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which increased coverage for children in low income and working families. She authored legislation that has been enacted to improve quality and lower the cost of prescription drugs and to protect our food supply from bioterrorism. She sponsored legislation to increase America’s commitment to fighting the global HIV/AIDS crisis, and is now leading the fight for expanded use of information technology in the health care system to decrease administrative costs, lower premiums, and reduce medical errors.
Her strong advocacy for children continues in the Senate. Some of Hillary’s proudest achievements have been her work to ensure the safety of prescription drugs for children, with legislation now included in the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, and her legislation to help schools address environmental hazards. She has also proposed expanding access to child care. She has passed legislation that will bring more qualified teachers into classrooms and more outstanding principals to lead our schools.
Hillary has been a powerful advocate for women in the Senate. Her commitment to supporting the rights guaranteed in Roe v. Wade and to reducing the number of abortions by reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies was hailed by the New York Times as “frank talk…(and) a promising path.” Hillary is one of the original cosponsors of the Prevention First Act to increase access to family planning. Her fight with the Bush Administration ensured that Plan B, an emergency contraceptive, will be available to millions of American women and will reduce the need for abortions.
Hillary is strongly committed to making sure that every American has the right to vote in fair, accessible, and credible elections. She introduced the Count Every Vote Act of 2005 to ensure better protection of votes and to ensure that every vote is counted.
In 2006, New Yorkers reelected Hillary to the Senate with 67 percent of the vote.
to begin with, in last week`s debate, there was the great ignorance Obama showed to the world when he told that story about the platoon, etc…displaying a great lack of knowledge about how the military is structured, etc…
in the last debate, he stated that he`d take action in Iraq…if intel indicated that Al-Quaeda was building a base there, etc., there…what?…wait a min?…this from a guy who stated that he was against the war from the start…
when the war started, the US had intel which indicated that Al-Quaeda had bases in Iraq…the very same condition which Obama states he`d take action over there…just like Bush did…
which means Obama was either LYING in the last debate or when he says he was against the war from the start.
btw, Hillary showed her superior experience, etc., by correctly answering this question…because a good Commander-in-Chief needs to know the facts before answering such questions…
she was also correct in pointing out that Obama wasn`t in the Sen. at the start to vote on the war…and he`s going to say what ever makes him look good…so, of course he`s going to LIE and say that he was against the war from the start…makes him look smarter than everyone else…especially to his followers…
and speeches, etc., aren`t the same…there`s a HUGE difference between giving speeches, etc., and voting with a constituency to answer to, nearly all of who were for the war at the time…
in fact, on and just after 9/11, very nearly every American, including Obama, was for going to war or dropping a bomb on who ever was responsible for what took place on 9/11…especially NYer`s…anyone who says differently is lying just like Obama is…as SHOWN above…
quite simply, Today`s world is too dangerous for a Pres. to be learning on the job…and openly negotiating without pre-conditions…with our enemies/terrorists…many of who HOPE every American drops dead this very moment…and would CHANGE the United States to something other than democracy…to think otherwise, like Obama, is extremely naive.

GO HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJYMgX4JuU
Obama and NAFTA
thanks for the link,,,,,i can,t beleive this,,,,,,its redicilous,,he is f,,,liar,,,,,,
The more I read about Obama, the more fearful I become. His record of drugs, association with criminals, the radical black only church and dirty politics. The worldwide support of every muslim group in the world with money and endorsement. Louis Farrakhan, with his Nation of Isalm is a real concern and Obama’s church endorsed him. Obama is not presidential material. His black only mentality is very troublesome and not right for our country. Both Obama and his wife received Ivy League education through affirmative action, but now they are finally proud of our country. Neither of the Obama’s had the grades or finance for the Ivy League college education, but the taxpayer got stuck with the huge expense. Don’t you get that warm and fuzzy feeling regarding the Obama’s. I didn’t use his middle name.
Thank God! People have snapped out of this trance, we want Hillary to stay in the race until Obama’s laundry all airs out…. and as you will find…there is just as much enthusiasm in learning about his faults and laundry that the media “especially” that media machine that CNN has exposed as to what I call a Hillary CNN Bashing Machine… CNN led to this unevenness in race and the truths of a real democratic race itself. I believe whether or not if you are a Christian or not, you should specifically make sure what the core beliefs of your church are…and I’m not into an all black belief based church that Obama represents. I want a church that believes for my core beliefs as well, especially if they are going to be president.. WAIT A MINUTE - Don’t forget they haven’t even got into the Rezko story yet,,,That starts March 3rd,,,,, however in the past week you have seen some good Obama Bashing and WELL DESERVED after all the Hillary bashing. They believe pretty much the same things but experience prevails as to who can accomplish what CAST YOUR VOT FOR HILLARY - THE CLINTON DAYS BROUGHT PROSPERITY TO ALL>>>>>>>>>>>>>

RIGHT ON TO BOYCOTTING CNN
However, it should be until the November elections, what do you really get from them but constant negative coverage against only one FEMALE PERSON Hillary R. Clinton.
SHAME ON YOU, CNN YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE
SHAME ON YOU, CNN FOR BEING BIAS
SHAME ON YOU, CNN FOR NOT BEING A GENUINE NEWS CHANNEL
SHAME ON YOU, CNN FOR BEING ANTI-IMIGRANTS FROM MEXICO
SHAME ON YOU CNN, FOR BEING THE BEST “Barack Hussein Obama’s” POLITICAL TEAM

 
Comment by Roz

The Obamazombies need to wake up right now!..Mr. Slick Obama talks a great talk, but that’s about it. Get ready for another four years of hell. If you think your wallet is whining now. Let’s see what happens after November.

 
Comment by Judie

Have any of you Clinton people ever sat down and figured out how much the Clintons have cost the tax paying people of the USA for all of the investigations and legal fees they have incurred by their questionable behavior. It started in Hope Arkansas many years ago and it continues today. They are negative people who cannot win at anything on their own merits. They can only win by trying to destroy other people. It seems as if they are not capable of accepting responsibility for anything they do. They are gossip mongers as this letter shows. They are not very honorable people. And then they cry that the news is unfair to them. Hillary should hang her head in shame. The only reason she won the New York primary is the good people of New York want to get rid of her and this is their way of voting her out of New York.

 
Comment by john201

If Obama is elected as President….expect him and his wife to travel the world…,..promising all these poor third world country money and support from the U.S….with our tax money….money I worked so hard to make, ….money which I expect should stay in our country to help us….. protect us………….Obama does not care about us…..he only cares about himself —- look how he got his house, …. he is cashing in….. and that is what all this is about to him……like a corrupted church……. he knows to prey on the masses for support….for money —all for himself……….expect him to do absolutely nothing if he wins……the calmness in his voice to me sounds more of indifference ——he will say anything to win, and when he does…….nothing will change EXCEPT for his own personal bank account……… google Obama/EXCELON—a good example of how he passes legistration.

 
Comment by Kiss My Grits!

JUDY —- WHAT?

 
Comment by Ray McDonald

This entire coverage is sad because both democratic candidates are aginst free trade. The facts are that since NAFTA was adopted, the US econonmy has grown by over 50% and since 1993 the jobless rate has dropped by 2%. the pathetic truth is that both of these unqualified contenders for the nation’s top office are simply pandering to unions. Unfortunately, the democractic votes must be brokered from unions and urban-based special interest groups and those of us who work hard and pay our bills must foot the bill. I would not be surprised to find one of these two candidates not only winning the office, but also rolling back most free-trade agreements to pay back those they bought votes from and charging the rest of us with an increased tax burden, higher prices, and run-away inflation. If the unions want to remain competitive in the world market, stop charging mangement $45.00 an hour to sit and rotate a nut onto a screw. My god, a monkey could be trained to do that for the cost of some bananas.

 
Comment by black fairy from the north (obama)

Do not worry people. I will sprinkle some of my fairy dust on you and everything will be okay! Our enimies will love and respect us again. When you hear the name osama bin laden, you will get a warm fuzzy feeling all over. No more wars, sickness, or bills! Everyone will have a job!

 
Comment by Walter Stous

john201, You really need to pay attention, Obama has passed into law one of the most sweeping government transpierency acts since white water, meaning that you can see where every penny goes too, with in the government, and is currently making that a searchable data base that you can see through “google” so that everyone is accountable for thier actions.

 
Comment by black fairy from the north (obama)

do not worry Ray McDonald,
everything will be okay. I have my fairy dust!

 
Comment by Mike

Good point Walter
And they talk like he did absolutely nothing. And would do nothing if elected when he’s done more on this front than anyone in congress.

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

judie,
Clinton investigations, because slick willy kick the republicans butt twice, cost us taxpayers $4 million. Found BJ. Republican war looking for WMD cost $4 TRILLION and counting, found nothing!

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Is that mike the morals man?

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Mike wants to get moral values from the catholic church. You know, the church that passed around the pedophiles!

 
Comment by Mike

Hey Black Hillarican
Thats the best response I think I’ve ever heard. Can’t stop laughing

 
Comment by Mike

and this isn’t mike the morals man

 
Comment by Mike

whoever that is

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Slick Willy beat daddy bush, then he beat the second comming of Ronald Regan (Bob Dole)! That is why so many people hate the clintons! Ronald Reagan is jesus to the republican party. Did you see their debates? I’m like Ronald Reagan….

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Sorry then mike!

 
Comment by Danny Boy

Clintons are the most investigated canidates in the history of the U.S., because they are the most crooked canidates in the history of the U.S., let’s see, Peter Paul, The arkansas stae police, renting out the white house, stealing memorabilia from the white house when they left office. i mean the list just goes on. and the sad reality of it all, how much did they get away with that we don’t even know about?
and just to show what kind of “up-standing ” canidate she is, she is putting out an e-mail to her people in texas to, get to the Cacusses early and take over the “cacuss packets” so they can control the out-come! sad very sad.

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Well Danny Boy,
In politics if they can not beat you, they investigate or fire you as George Bush did to the US attorneys.

 
Comment by Danny Boy

lol,,,true, sad but true

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

What about all the other caucuses the obama people took over in states like Idaho? Hmm!

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

I just read the other day that nancy is suing George Bush?

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

congress is tied up with steroids, video gate, and trying to impeach Bush!

 
Comment by Danny Boy

i really don’t think that idaho’s cacusses where in question, due to the popular vote,,,it was like 3-1 in favor of Obama

 
Comment by Ben Dover

HOW TO BE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD.

ELECT A US PRESIDENT NAMED HUSSEIN OBAMA!

 
Comment by Judie

Clinton Legacy

The Clinton Legacy - Most crooked cabinet and criminal convictions

As the Democrats’ torch (as well as their contributor lists and FBI files) is passed to Al Gore, we thought we’d bring you up to date on our Clinton scandal statistics. Please note that, much as with the Census, the collection of such data is a daunting task, made all the more difficult by the failure of the corporate media to show any interest in it.

Notes: Some of the data have not been updated recently and thus understate conditions. In certain areas, such as anomalous deaths, the Progressive Review has used an extremely conservative count. It is important in considering these incidents to bear in mind the following:

1. The fact that anomalies need to be investigated further carries no presumption of how a death actually occurred, only that there remain serious questions that require answers.

2. The possibility of foul play must be taken seriously in a major criminal conspiracy in which more than two score individuals and firms have already been convicted and more than 100 witnesses have pleaded the Fifth Amendment or fled the country.

3. If foul play did occur in any of these cases, that fact by itself does not carry the presumption that the White House was involved. Given the footprints of organized crime, drug trade, foreign espionage and intelligence agencies on the trail of the Clinton story, such an assumption would be ill advised.

The Progressive Review welcomes corrections and additions and plans to publish a more definitive version on the occasion upon the departure of the Clinton administration. It is also planning a list of those journalists and public officials who performed best and worst during this egregious period of American history. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Administration Records Set

- The only president ever impeached strictly on grounds of personal malfeasance

- Most convictions and guilty pleas

- Most Cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation

- Most witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify

- Most witnesses to die suddenly

- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions

- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad

Historical Context

- Number of independent counsel inquiries since the 1978 law was passed: 19

- Number that have produced indictments: 7

- Number that produced more convictions than the Starr investigation: 1

- Median length of investigations that have led to convictions: 44 months

- Length of Starr-Ray investigation (7/00): 67 months.

- Number of Starr-Ray investigation convictions to date (including one governor, one associate attorney general and two Clinton business partners): 15

- Median cost per Starr investigation conviction: $3.5 million as of 3/00

- Total cost of the Starr investigation (3/00) $52 million

- Total cost of the Iran-Contra investigation: $48.5 million

- Number of Clinton Cabinet members who came under criminal investigation: 5

- Number of Reagan cabinet members who came under criminal investigation: 4

- Number of top officials jailed in the Teapot Dome Scandal: 3

Crime Stats

- Number of individuals and businesses associated with the Clinton machine who have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes: 47

- Number of these convictions during Clinton’s presidency: 33

- Number of indictments/misdemeanor charges: 61

- Number of imprisonments: 14

- Number of congressional witnesses who have pleaded the Fifth Amendment, fled the country to avoid testifying, or (in the case of foreign witnesses) refused to be interviewed: 122 (9/99)

Smaltz Investigation

- Guilty pleas and convictions obtained by Donald Smaltz in cases involving charges of bribery and fraud against former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and associated individuals and businesses: 15

- Acquitted or overturned cases (including Espy): 6

- Fines and penalties assessed: $11.5 million

- Cost of investigation: $22.2 million through 9/99

- Amount Tyson Food paid in fines and court costs: $6 million

- Amount Tyson Food still has in annual government contracts: $200 million

- Reasons individuals other than Espy went free: Concealing knowledge of gifts to Espy and his girlfriend (1), providing illegal gratuities to Espy(4), illegally supplementing the salary of a government official (2), concealing receipt of illegal funds on behalf of Espy (1) (Espy’s chief of staff was sentenced to prison in this case)

Crimes for Which Convictions Have Been Obtained

Drug trafficking (3), racketeering, extortion, bribery (4), tax evasion, kickbacks, embezzlement (2), fraud (12), conspiracy (5), fraudulent loans, illegal gifts (1), illegal campaign contributions (5), money laundering (6), perjury, obstruction of justice.

Other Matters Investigated by Special Prosecutors and Congress or Reported in the Media

Bank and mail fraud, violations of campaign finance laws, illegal foreign campaign funding, improper exports of sensitive technology, physical violence and threats of violence, solicitation of perjury, intimidation of witnesses, bribery of witnesses, attempted intimidation of prosecutors, perjury before congressional committees, lying in statements to federal investigators and regulatory officials, flight of witnesses, obstruction of justice, bribery of cabinet members, real estate fraud, tax fraud, drug trafficking, failure to investigate drug trafficking, bribery of state officials, use of state police for personal purposes, exchange of promotions or benefits for sexual favors, using state police to provide false court testimony, laundering of drug money through a state agency, false reports by medical examiners and others investigating suspicious deaths, the firing of the RTC and FBI director when these agencies were investigating Clinton and his associates, failure to conduct autopsies in suspicious deaths, providing jobs in return for silence by witnesses, drug abuse, improper acquisition and use of 900 FBI files, improper futures trading, murder, sexual abuse of employees, false testimony before a federal judge, shredding of documents, withholding and concealment of subpoenaed documents, fabricated charges against (and improper firing of) White House employees, inviting drug traffickers, foreign agents and participants in organized crime to the White House.

Unexplained Phenomena

- FBI files misappropriated by the White House: c. 900

- Estimated number of witnesses quoted in FBI files misappropriated by the White House: 18,000

- Number of witnesses who developed medical problems at critical points in Clinton scandals investigation (Tucker, Hale, both McDougals, Lindsey): 5

- Problem areas listed in a memo by Clinton’s own lawyer in preparation for the president’s defense: 40

- Number of witnesses and critics of Clinton subjected to IRS audit: 45

- Number of names placed in a White House secret database without the knowledge of those named: c. 200,000

- Number of persons involved with Clinton who have been beaten up: 2

- Number of women involved with Clinton who claim to have been physically threatened: 5 (Sally Perdue, Gennifer Flowers, Kathleen Willey, Linda Tripp, Elizabeth Ward Gracen)

- Number of men involved in the Clinton scandals who have been beaten up or claimed to have been intimidated: 9

Arkansas Sudden Death Syndrome

- Number of persons in the Clinton orbit who are alleged to have committed suicide: 7

- Number known to have been murdered: 2

- Number who died in plane crashes: 11

- Number who died in automobile accidents: 3

- Number killed during Waco massacre: 4

- Number of key witnesses who have died of heart attacks while in federal custody under questionable circumstances: 1

- Number of medications being taken by Jim McDougal at the time he was placed in solitary confinement shortly before his death: 12

- Number of unexplained deaths: 3

- Total of above deaths: 31

- Number of northern Mafia killings during peak years of 1968-78: 30

- Number of Dixie Mafia killings during same period: 156

Arkansas Alzheimer’s

- Number of times Hillary Clinton said “I don’t recall” or its equivalent in a statement to a House investigating committee: 50

- Number of paragraphs in this statement: 42

- Number of times Bill Clinton said “I don’t recall” or its equivalent in the released portions of the his testimony on Paula Jones: 271

- Total number of facts or events not recalled before official bodies by Bill Kennedy, Harold Ickes, Ricki Seidman, Bruce Lindsey, Bill Burton, Mark Gearan, Mack McLarty, Neil Eggleston, John Podesta, Jennifer O’Connor, Dwight Holton, Patsy Thomasson, Jeff Eller, Beth Nolan, Cliff Sloan, Bernard Nussbaum, George Stephanopoulous, Roy Neel, Rahm Emanuel, Maggie Williams, David Tarbell, Susan Thomases, Webster Hubbell, Roger Altman, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton: 6,125

- Average occurrence of memory lapse by top administration figures while before official bodies: 235

Arkansas Money Management

- Amount of an alleged electronic transfer from the Arkansas Development Financial Authority to a bank in the Cayman Islands during 1980s: $50 million

- Grand Cayman’s population: 18,000

- Number of commercial banks: 570

- Number of bank regulators: 1

- Amount Arkansas state pension fund invested in high-risk repos in the mid-1980s in one purchase in April 1985: $52 million through the Worthen Bank.

- Number of days thereafter that the state’s brokerage firm went belly up: 3

- Amount Arkansas pension fund dropped overnight as a result: 15 percent

- Percent of Worthen Bank that Mochtar Riady bought over the next four months to bail out the bank and the then-governor, Bill Clinton: 40 percent.

- Percent of purchasers from the Clintons and McDougals of resort lots who lost the land because of the sleazy financing provisions: more than 50 percent

The Media

- Number of journalists covering Whitewater who have been fired, transferred off the beat, resigned or otherwise gotten into trouble because of their work on the scandals (Doug Frantz, Jim Wooten, Richard Behar, Christopher Ruddy, Michael Isikoff, David Eisenstadt, Yinh Chan, Jonathan Broder, James R. Norman, Zoh Hieronimus): 10

Friends of Bill

- Number of times John Huang took the Fifth Amendment in answer to questions during a Judicial Watch deposition: 1,000

- Visits made to the White House by investigation subjects Johnny Chung, James Riady, John Huang, and Charlie Trie: 160

- Number of campaign contributors who got overnights at the White House in the two years before the 1996 election: 577

- Number of members of Thomas Boggs’ law firm who have held top positions in the Clinton administration: 18

- Number of times John Huang was briefed by CIA: 37

- Number of calls Huang made from Commerce Department to Lippo banks: 261

- Number of intelligence reports Huang read while at Commerce: 500

Political Fallout

- GOP seats gained in House since Clinton became president: 60

- GOP seats gained in Senate since Clinton became president: 11

- GOP governorships gained since Clinton became president: 14

- GOP state legislative seats gained since Clinton became president: c. 500

- Democrat officeholders who have become Republicans since Clinton became president: 439

- Republican officeholders who have become Democrats since Clinton became president: 3

Reprinted with permission of The Progressive Review.

Clinton Legacy: Most Convictions, Crookedest Cabinet, 31 Deaths
The Progressive Review Saturday, Aug. 12, 2000

 
Comment by Danny Boy

Wow, Judie now thats detail !! the clintons represent everything that is wrong in our polotics!
and for this imature little kid that thinks saying the name Hussein is some how credible, i think you need to tell your mom you have been on the computer to long, i know you are probably gonna lose your bike for a week, but maybe you will learn a lesson, Faer tactics or steroetyping is of the past, grow up!

 
Comment by Sarah

Here’s the deal. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. For Obama voters who think he won’t do the same type of double-talk the rest of them do, go check out the campaign finance issue with McCain, or this issue with NAFTA.

Now say, since they are ALL politicians, which one is best qualified?

That’s why I’m voting for Hillary. I don’t work for her, I didn’t even know whom I wanted to vote for before, but it’s so obvious…all I did was think, hmm, who would I hire in my company? Who has the better resume? One can give a great speech but sheesh, they aren’t even his words.

Please everyone, stretch deep and think…use your brains…

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Jodie is an obama supporter,
you can tell by the long cult like posts that no one reads!

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

What do you get when America gives one of its citizens rockstar status? Britney Spears! obama?

 
Comment by Judie

Judie is not an Obama supporter.
I do not support any of the candidates.
I am not positivly impressed by any of them.
And I will not vote for the lesser of the evils.

 
Comment by Danny Boy

oh come don’t be jealous that america is finally had enough of the “Status Quo” i can not believe that woman of this great nation can not see the writing on the wall, if hillary was to become pres. it would be the last woman ever to be pres. in our life time, she will get nothing done. she hasn’t since she has been in the senate nor would she being pres.

Let’s take a closer look at who’s really qualified and or who’s really working for the good of all of us in the Senate. Obama or Clinton.
Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term - 6yrs. - and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law - 20 - twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years.
These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress http://www.thomas.loc.gov,

There you have it, the fact’s straight from the Senate Record.
Now, I would post those of Obama’s, but the list is too substantive, so I’ll mainly categorize.
During the first - 8 - eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced
233 regarding healthcare reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control,
6 veterans affairs and many others.
His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law, **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law, **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law, **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee, and many more.
And let’s not forget some other interesting facts, HRC “mandatory health care ” plan will garnish ones wages in order to pay for it. And the “gap clause” written within the bill, will pass uncollectable funds into tax qualifiers, which means you and me pay for the “gap”

 
Comment by JOHN

Reply to Danny Boy

Wow!!
With all 669 of those bills passed, living in Illinois must be like living in eden.
Sounds like Obama will make legislate this country into utopia.
I say let’s make him king!!!!

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Judie,
I did not see where the clintons were convicted? They were not? Then shut up with that BS republican propaganda!

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

John,
screw being king! obama is the Black Fairy of the North.

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

hey Danny Boy,
If obama did all that, then why is illinois in such bad shape?

 
Comment by Mike

understand this Danny boy
some people can’t be reasoned with. they’ve been brained washed and blinded by the candidate they support. anything you say will be wrong.or you don’t know what your talking about. they probably haven’t done one bit of research on their own, and just spout what others say.

 
Comment by Mike

I think any of the three candidates left would make a great president. just do your research a vote your own way. And keep trying. nice to see someone just state the facts.

 
Comment by Judie

Black Hillarican
I am not a republican.
What do you want to call me next?
You appear to take after your name sake.
When all else fails attack.
Innocent people are not targeted for investigations year after year after year.

 
Comment by j bates

Here is the report that I found on the Canadian TV site. Oh, and by the way, on this site the banner across the top is Oprah. How interesting. Looks like maybe this has not been put to rest yet. OBAMA is a liar.

Obama campaign mum on NAFTA contact with Canada
Updated Fri. Feb. 29 2008 12:32 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Despite repeated requests, Barack Obama’s campaign is still neither verifying nor denying a CTV report that a senior member of the team made contact with the Canadian government — via the Chicago consulate general — regarding comments Obama made about NAFTA.

Allegations of double talk on the North American Free Trade Agreement from both the Obama and Clinton campaigns dominated the U.S. political landscape on Thursday.

On Wednesday, CTV reported that a senior member of Obama’s campaign called the Canadian government within the last month — 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.

The Obama campaign told CTV late Thursday night that no message was passed to the Canadian government that suggests that Obama does not mean what he says about opting out of NAFTA if it is not renegotiated.

However, the Obama camp did not respond to repeated questions from CTV on reports that a conversation on this matter was held between Obama’s senior economic adviser — Austan Goolsbee — and the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago.

Earlier Thursday, the Obama campaign insisted that no conversations have taken place with any of its senior ranks and representatives of the Canadian government on the NAFTA issue. On Thursday night, CTV spoke with Goolsbee, but he refused to say whether he had such a conversation with the Canadian government office in Chicago. He also said he has been told to direct any questions to the campaign headquarters.

During a candidates’ debate Tuesday, both Democratic party leadership contenders — Obama and Hillary Clinton — suggested they would opt out of the North American Free Trade Agreement if core labour and environmental standards weren’t renegotiated.

The CTV exclusive also reported that sources said the Clinton campaign has made indirect contact with the Canadian government, trying to reassure Ottawa of their support despite Clinton’s words. The Clinton camp denied the claim. The story caught the attention of Republican front-runner John McCain on Thursday.

“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,” McCain said, referring to Obama. “I certainly don’t think that’s straight talk.”

On Thursday, the Canadian embassy in Washington issued a complete denial.

“At no time has any member of a presidential campaign called the Canadian ambassador or any official at the embassy to discuss NAFTA,” it said in a statement.

But on Wednesday, one of the primary sources of the story, a high-ranking member of the Canadian embassy, gave CTV more details of the call. He even provided a timeline. He has since suggested it was perhaps a miscommunication.

The denial from the embassy was followed by a denial from Senator Obama.

“The Canadian government put out a statement saying that this was just not true, so I don’t know who the sources were,” said Obama.

Sources at the highest levels of the Canadian government — who first told CTV that a call was made from the Obama camp — have reconfirmed their position.

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

obama says he is about the future. Then why is he talking about NAFTA? Hillary will sweep on March 4. Black history month is over!

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Talk about the great democratic turnout: Checkout 2004:
The 62 million votes cast for Bush were the most individual votes cast for anyone in history

 
Comment by Black Hillarican

Nominee George W. Bush John Kerry
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Texas Massachusetts
Running mate Richard B. Cheney John Edwards
Electoral vote 286 251
States carried 31 19+DC
Popular vote 62,040,610 59,028,111
Percentage 50.7% 48.3%

 
Comment by trouble

Don’t trust anything hear out of Canada on this subject. The government is run by a bunch of wannabe Republicans who would love to deep-six the campaigns of both Democratic Party candidates, especially because of NAFTA. That is why the original story reported the same thing about the Clinton campaign.

Now I know that you haters don’t care about the truth ’cause all you really want to do is smear but, just as you think this post doesn’t matter, well…

… perhaps a total of 12 people have seen yours.

 
Comment by Delmont Olds

MIKE HUCKABEE AS STAN LAUREL!!!

JOHN McCAIN AS OLIVER HARDY!!!

WATCH FOR THEM IN THIS SUMMER’S BLOCKBUSTER:

**** LAUREL & HARDY MEET THE OBAMA-ZOMBIES & ****
**** THE SHRILLARY FLYING FEMI-NAZI MONKEYS!!!! ****

SCARY, VERRRY SCARY!!!

 
Comment by Jeff

Here’s a good post for all you woman who think Hillary will be your savior!

Sen. Clinton accepts donations from troubled firm
Posted on Friday, February 29, 2008

http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/29/718285.aspx

Remember, her issues become whereever the money is coming from into her campaign. She’s an equal opportunity supporter, she supports whoever gives her money. Don’t believe me than read abovr where she took money and won’t return it from a firm that has an extreme history of sexually harassing women.

 
Comment by Character Counts

Has anyone else seen this on politico regarding the Clinton campaign?
—————————————————————-
The Dallas Morning News gets hold of Clinton caucus “training materials,” in which supporters are instructed to fight for procedural control of caucuses.

The materials say in part, “DO NOT allow the supporter of another candidate to serve in leadership roles.”

It goes on to say, “If our supporters are outnumbered, ask the Temporary Chair if one of our supporters can serve as the Secretary, in the interest of fairness.

“The control of the sign-in sheets and the announcement of the delegates allotted to each candidate are the critical functions of the Chair and Secretary. This is why it is so important that Hillary supporters hold these positions.”

Some of the moments on the ground in Nevada showed how crucial technical control can be, particularly when — there, as expected in Texas — nobody has any idea what the rules are. Really makes you love the caucus process.

 
Comment by Delmont Olds

OBAMA VS. CLINTON = “Thing One” vs. “Thing Two” scrapping over letting everyone know the other will cause the most damage.

In each of their own minds, that anyone else besides the other will cause even greater damage than both of them together is for now a given to be dealt with later.

 
Comment by Hillarican

Character Counts,
whose character. By whose standards?

 
Comment by Hillarican

Bunch of clinton haters posting here!!!!!!!!

 
Comment by Delmont Olds

@Hillarican

By anyone’s standards, they’re both characters devolving into caricatures!

 
 
 
Comment by sam

Watch this about Hillary!
Absolutely wonderful.
http://hillaryspeaksforme.com/

AND I LOVE HILLARY ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 
 
Comment by sam

I BET IF PARIS HILTON WAS RUNNING ,YOU WILL VOTE FOR HER ,,,,,FOR YOU LOOSERS ,,ITS LIKE HIRING CHEERLEADER,FOR GOD SAKE WE LOOKING FOR ,,PRESIDENT ,NOT SOME SPEECH WRITER OR ACTOR

 
Comment by sam

,,THX,,I M HILLARY FAN ,,,,THEY SAY WE ARE NOT EDUCATED

BUT YOU KNOW HOW ,,OBAMA SAY,S,,,,,,ITS THE JUDGEMENT THAT COUNTS,,,

SO I SAY ,,,,WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMON SENSE WITH RIGHT JUDGEMENT TO KNOW THAT FOR WHITE HOUSE ,,,WE NEED EXPERIENCED PERSON ,,,,,,,,NO TIME FOR ORIENTATION

 
 
 
Comment by babor

obama is big lair.vote hillary now

 
Comment by barbara

keep yours eyes on the Resko trial that starts on Monday the 3rd. This is the beginning of the end for Obama. Thank God and good riddance

 
Comment by Dan

March 1, 2008

Dear Senator Obama:

We were surprised and disappointed to learn that your top economic adviser reportedly had a secret meeting with a representative of the Canadian government where he dismissed your anti-NAFTA rhetoric.

According to Canadian news outlets, your adviser, Austan Goolsbee, told the Canadian Counsel General Georges Rioux that your criticism of NAFTA is “just politics” and should not be taken seriously.

After a series of misdirections and half-truths, it’s time for you to come clean about your campaign’s communications with the Canadian government about NAFTA. Enough with the non-denial denials and the Washington double-speak.

Many Ohioans are concerned about the issue of trade and we want answers to some simple questions:

1) Did you direct your top economic adviser - Austan Goolsbee - to tell the Canadian government that your speeches railing against NAFTA are just political rhetoric? If so, why?

2) Are you aware that Mr. Goolsbee held a secret meeting with the Canadian Counsel General Georges Rioux? Have you spoken with Mr. Goolsbee about that meeting and will you repudiate his comments?

3) Why has Mr. Goolsbee been unwilling to deny that he discussed your positions on NAFTA with Mr. Rioux? Why won’t your campaign disclose the full details about that meeting?

4) Given these reports, why should Ohioans believe that you will act on the campaign promises you have made about NAFTA?

5) Sen. Clinton has issued a comprehensive plan to fix NAFTA. Why haven’t you done so as well?

The people of Ohio are eager to hear from you - there’s too much at stake.

Sincerely,

Gary Dwyer, Secretary-Treasurer, Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council

Barry Pickett, Business Representative, Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 24

 
Comment by InspireThis

http://www.townhall.com/blog/g/a5b67b30-545d-442f-ace5-a483c3056ffd

For a long time I have believed that Hillary Clinton’s electability arguments were nothing more than sophistry. After all, I reasoned, John McCain would have an easier time defeating Hillary Clinton than Barack Obama for two reasons: 1. Hillary would actually turn-out the conservative base to defeat her, and 2. She would lose independent and swing voters to McCain.

However, I am now beginning to believe Hillary Clinton actually has a legitimate argument to make to the Democratic Super Delegates — that she is, in fact, the best chance the Democrats have to elect a president this year.

Let me explain …

The conventional wisdom that Obama is tougher to defeat is based on a false premise; that national popularity matters. In fact, rather than having a national General Election where national popularity might matter, we instead have fifty individual state elections in November. This, of course, is common knowledge, and not in any way a new or sophisticated argument. Still, it is profound in the sense that it is so often overlooked by those doing political analysis. How often are we given national polling numbers by the media to prove, for example, that Barack Obama would beat John McCain? Of course, these national polls are completely irrelevant, but they give them to us anyway.

This is where Hillary’s argument comes in.

Though Obama is, no doubt, more popular, Hillary has a legitimate argument to make that when the electoral map comes into play, she can actually win states that Obama cannot win.

While it is certainly true that Barack Obama has won many more states than Hillary, it is important to examine the “quality” of the states he is winning. For example, Obama won North Dakota, a state with few delegates that will be easily won by John McCain, in any event. It sounds harsh to say this, but it doesn’t really matter how popular Obama is in any Red State. He could have ten times more supporters in Alabama than Hillary, and it won’t matter because Republicans are going to win that state anyway. What matters are the big swing-states.

Obama has also excelled at state caucuses. One example of this is his victory in Maine (where fewer than 5,000 Democrats cast ballots). </