PITTSBURGH — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton told manufacturers and union workers Monday that her husband made mistakes related to the North American Free Trade Agreement that she plans to fix.
Her comment came in response to a question by a union worker at a summit sponsored by the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The worker said President Clinton had tricked them when he championed NAFTA during his presidency.
“As smart as my husband is, he does make mistakes,” Clinton said. She said she would fix problems that have led to job losses or would tell Canada and Mexico that the United States is pulling out of the agreement.
Clinton also emphasized her work as a New York senator helping manufacturers in her state. She promised to step up enforcement of trade laws and stand up to China.
Union workers picket DNC headquarters
WASHINGTON — Union workers picketed outside Democratic National Committee headquarters on Monday to pressure party leaders to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida at the party’s convention.
About 40 members of the Michigan and Florida Building and Construction Trade Councils and other unions wore signs and handed out leaflets. The union members did not prevent anyone from entering the party’s offices. The picketers later met with DNC officials.
The DNC stripped Florida and Michigan of their convention delegates, a total of 366, for holding primaries too early in violation of party rules.
Witness says Obama attended party of indicted fundraiser
CHICAGO — The government’s star witness at the fraud trial of Antoin “Tony” Rezko testified Monday that Sen. Barack Obama and his wife attended a party four years ago at the home of the indicted political fundraiser.
Stuart Levine said the party in April 2004 was held to honor Iraqi-born Nadhmi Auchi, a London-based billionaire.
Rezko, 52, was a major fundraiser for Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and the trial has been closely watched because of Obama’s presidential campaign. But very little has been said about the senator thus far.
Neither Blagojevich nor Obama has been accused of wrongdoing.
The Obama campaign has given to charity nearly $150,000 in contributions received by Obama’s House and Senate campaigns that came from Rezko, his employees, his associates and his family. Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said Monday that the senator “does not recall meeting Nadhmi Auchi at any time or on any occasion” and that Obama and his wife do not remember attending the party.
Obama chides Clinton on trade deals
PITTSBURGH — Democrat Barack Obama on Monday questioned rival Hillary Rodham Clinton’s opposition to free trade agreements that some voters contend have eliminated thousands of U.S. jobs and mocked her weekend visit to an Indiana bar as pandering to the working class.
“Around election time, the candidates can’t do enough for you,” Obama told a meeting of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “They’ll promise you anything, give you a long list of proposals and even come around, with TV crews in tow, to throw back a shot and a beer.”
Obama also chided Clinton about NAFTA and the Colombian trade deal. Despite her opposition, he noted that the North American Free Trade Agreement was passed under her husband’s watch.
