March 6, 2008

"An unassuming foreign country has injected itself into the U.S. presidential race."

"What, exactly, was the Canadian government trying to do?"

IN THE COMMENTS: John Lynch said:
So, when Bush gets criticized by other countries it's his fault for alienating the world. But when a Democrat is catching it the foreigners are meddling. Got it, loud and clear.

27 comments:

save_the_rustbelt said...

Now that the primaries are over Ohio is three feet deep in manure - good grief.

Keep in mind:

Neither candidate really intends to do much about NAFTA or trade - IMHO.

It it too late for Ohio anyway, many of the factories are closed, the workers dispersed, and many of the remaining factory jobs are headed for Mexico or China, especially auto parts.

So whatever Goolsbee said or didn't say really doesn't matter much.

What does matter is the lying. Does anyone think Goolsbee just dropped by the consulate for tea? Does anyone thing the consul general is in the business of giving tours? Gimme a break.

Peter V. Bella said...

They're a nasty, unprincipled bunch, who are incompetent to boot," Bob Rae, foreign affairs critic and member of the opposition Liberal party, wrote on his blog. "



It is wonderful to see that the Liberal Party members in Canada are just as immature, insulting, demonizing, and angry as the Democratic Party members have been here.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

So, when Bush gets criticized by other countries it's his fault for alienating the world. But when a Democrat is catching it the foreigners are meddling. Got it, loud and clear.

George M. Spencer said...

Who are "Jim" and "Tucker"?

Found in the laptop of the dead Columbian terrorist leader, says the AP...

"References to U.S. diplomatic overtures are scintillating, if vague.

In a Dec. 11 message to the secretariat, Marquez writes: "If you are in agreement, I can receive Jim and Tucker to hear the proposal of the gringos."

Writing two days before his death, Reyes tells his comrades that "the gringos," working through Ecuador's government, are interested "in talking to us on various issues."

"They say the new president of their country will be (Barack) Obama," he writes, saying Obama rejects both the Bush administration's free trade agreement with Colombia and the current military aid program."

Sloanasaurus said...

It it too late for Ohio anyway, many of the factories are closed, the workers dispersed, and many of the remaining factory jobs are headed for Mexico or China, especially auto parts.

It's not too late for Ohio. Many of Ohio's manufacturing jobs are not moving to China, but are moving to states like Texas where there is no income tax and right to work laws. The federal government won't be able to save Ohio, but Ohio might be able to save itself.

Alas, human nature is to avoid change before it collapses on you. Ohio will be a new and fertile ground for business in the year 2050 when they finally decide to make the state attractive for business after everyone has left.

paul a'barge said...

Riiiiight. The Canadians held a gun to the chief economist on Obama's campaign and forced him to meet with them. Riiight, it was those pesky Canadians that made Obama bash NAFTA.

Please help me here. How dirt stupid are the mutts over at TNR that they would peddle this kind of hogwash. Wasn't Beauchamps enough?

MadisonMan said...

I suppose it is futile to point out: the notes are not what was said -- but how the listener interpreted them. The person relaying the information was not Obama himself, but an advisor. There are many ways a message could be garbled. The beauty is that someone following this story is free to interpret it to suit their needs.

You are all too quick to accept what is reported to have happened as the truth.

Brian Doyle said...

John Lynch -

Foreign countries tend to (but don't all) hate George Bush because he invaded a country on false pretenses and is kind of the stereotypical ignorant, arrogant American jackass. I think at least the former criticism is fair.

This is a case of a foreign official putting out a story with the goal of helping the Republican Party in the upcoming election.

Do you have any analagous cases where the same thing happened to Bush when he was running (either in '00 or '04)?

My guess is that you don't, and you're just too lazy to come up with anything better than a complaint about some media double standard.

But of course nothing is too stupid for Ann to frontpage if it comports with her dim view of Democrats and the liberal media that loves them.

Characteristically pathetic.

Brian Doyle said...

Although... credit where it's due for noting the story.

Balfegor said...

The person relaying the information was not Obama himself, but an advisor. There are many ways a message could be garbled. The beauty is that someone following this story is free to interpret it to suit their needs.

All fair points. Notes and memos of a meeting aren't necessarily the best indicator of what was said in a meeting. But they're awfully persuasive compared to self serving justifications offered up by a politician who appears to have been caught out in a bald-faced lie.

That said, my preferred interpretation focuses on the fact that Goolsbee is merely an adviser. I think the garblement occurred at the Obama => Goolsbee interface, viz. that Goolsbee is mistaken about his candidate's real views on economic policy. And that, consequently, an awful lot of people who looked at Goolsbee and thought, "that candidate is spouting utter drivel, but if a sensible chap like Goolsbee backs him, his economic views can't actually be that bad" are going to be disappointed, if their man ends up as President.

tituspirouette said...

Another nasty aspect of this was while Hillary was railing against Barack about this her campaign was speaking with Canada and saying the same thing.

Canada makes me horny. Montreal was where I had my first taste of foreign hog. I was 15 in 1986 and traveled there to a drum corps show. We went to a club in Montreal and it was the first time I heard Abba's song The Visitors. I danced in a crowded club while a guy was blowing me-absolute heaven.
Old Montreal, St. Catherine Street, french speaking hog-absolutely lovely.

Toronto-fabulous. The NYC of Canada. Biggest Gay Pride Parade in the world. Lots of hot hog everywhere. Very international. Very cheap for a large city.

Quebec City-delish-lovely fortress surrounds the city. Very Euro. Absolutely romantic and cute. Also, good gay bars.

Vancouver-beautiful-the Seattle of Canada. My company has a meeting at Whistler every year. Large Asian influence-very eastern feel to the country.

Calgary-growing and a big Oil Production city. Lots of money there. Lots of Blue Collar hog.

Halifax-lovely. Good gay scene for a small city. The boat trip from Portland Maine to Halifax is oh so special. Be sure to spend one day/night in Portland, Maine which is quaint, good restaurants, and charming walking city.

Winnipeg-The Minneapolis of Canada-very pretty-many parks.

I am horny just thinking of Canada right now.

tituspirouette said...

Also, a couple of years ago I did my fist Muzzie hog which I always find the most exotic.

Not the gay westernized Muslim-those Muzzies are boring.

I mean the religious fanatics who hate gays but on the side do gays and feel really guilty about it.

If they ware wearing a sheet it is even more exotic and a turn on.

While I was doing him I was secretly hoping he might ask me to strap on a bomb.

I love that kind of hog.

Joe M. said...

Harper called the leak regrettable and "blatantly unfair" to Obama's campaign

Hah!

It's "blatantly unfair" to expose the lies of other politicians. They have the right to deceive the public without any interference by pesky foreigners.

Anonymous said...

This is a case of a foreign official putting out a story with the goal of helping the Republican Party in the upcoming election.

Stephen Harper's going to get himself appointed editor of the Lancet if he doesn't watch out.

John Stodder said...

This is a case of a foreign official putting out a story with the goal of helping the Republican Party in the upcoming election.

Oh, please. This is the dumbest left-wing meme I've read this week.

Let's take a little less America-centered view of this story, shall we? CBC is Canadian media. The candidates' positions on NAFTA bear directly upon Canada's interests. Hence, a story shedding light on Obama's position on NAFTA is an important news story, if you're a Canadian. The fact that he declared he would pull the US out of the treaty if he didn't get what he wanted from Canada and Mexico was news, so certainly the fact that his top economic advisor signaled to the government that he might not really mean what he's saying is also news.

The left's anti-Canada reaction seems like the kind of chauvinistic myopia of which Bush is regularly accused. They don't see how this story could possibly have any meaning other than how it affects them. Unbelievable.

Peter V. Bella said...

While I was doing him I was secretly hoping he might ask me to strap on a bomb.

I love that kind of hog.



That would be your last hog too!

hdhouse said...

It is unfortunate that the commentator can't see the difference between a candidate and the elected leader of the United States. Obama could advocate the bombing of Toronto and we would think he was just crazy. if Mr. Bush tossed a snowball it would be a big deal.

I love the GOP on/off switch. Perpetual black and white worlds.

Fen said...

It is unfortunate that the commentator can't see the difference between a candidate and the elected leader of the United States.

Lame rebuttal. Obama claims he will "repair" our relationship with the world, yet manages to piss off mere Canada before he's in the Oval Office. If anything, it shows he's not ready for prime time.

SGT Ted said...

I just love the left hallucinating that every nasty thing revealed about Obama or Hillary in the DEMOCRAT primary is the fault of Republicans. Because Democrats are never say nasty things about their political opponents oh no not ever.

Spare me.

Roger J. said...

Separation of Powers/Procedure question: NAFTA is now a trilateral treaty, correct? Can the President unilaterally abrogate that treaty? I think the President had so-called "fast track" authority to negotiate within NAFTA, but how about the treaty itself? And doesnt the Congress have the final say on the treaty? In short, can Obama/Clinton even do what they suggested they were going to do?

Fen said...

Oh, you should see the moonbat comments over on ABC's page re the bombing of a NYC military recruiting center this morning.

They insist its a false-flag op. Couldn't be the anti-war peeps because they are so "peaceful".

save_the_rustbelt said...

Sloanasaurus:

The move to Texas allows for lower wages, lower benefits, union busting and age discrimination, so there is very little Ohio can really do. The train has left the station.

This is not jsut a geographical shift, but a major shift in what happens to blue collar workers in the US. And it ain't good.

Someday the workers in Texas will get dumped, without pensions or healthcare, because there is always somebody cheaper and less regulated. They will have no protection.

That is the new American work force. Get used to it.

Steven said...

"Can the President unilaterally abrogate that treaty?"

Yes. NAFTA's provisions specifically include a six-months notice withdrawal process, so the President can pull the U.S. out without Congressional permission.

AlphaLiberal said...

This is dumb:
"So, when Bush gets criticized by other countries it's his fault for alienating the world. But when a Democrat is catching it the foreigners are meddling. Got it, loud and clear."

Here's the thing. Bush is elected and conducting foreign policy. His actions have cratered our international prestige.

The interference from the conservative Canadian PM is directly in our election. He's reacting to things candidates are saying.

Yeesh!

BTW, latest news is that Clinton's camp told the Canucks not to sweat NAFTA criticism. Not Obama!

How's that saying go? "A lie goes around the world while the truth is still putting it's sneakers on."?

The Drill SGT said...

Sloan said...The move to Texas allows for lower wages, lower benefits, union busting and age discrimination, so there is very little Ohio can really do. The train has left the station.

I'd say the same about Michigan. As I understand it, auto production/assembly has never been higher in the US. lots of VW's toyotas, saturns being built in Tennessee for one. Just not being built by the UAW in those anti-business states.

blake said...

So, a lot of Obamites seem to feel that the Canadians are out-of-bounds because they're speaking against someone who hasn't yet been elected.

By this logic, if John McCain said he wanted to invade Canada, the Canadians should just shut up, because he's just a candidate.

I presume they'd allow the Canadians to beef up their border defenses, or maybe that would be insulting?

I guess what I don't get is, should they ignore it because it's just campaign rhetoric and politicians are all liars? Or because it's none of their damn business? Lousy Canucks.

Fen said...

He's reacting to things candidates are saying.

He's reacting to things Obama is saying. Because Obama has marketed himself as a different kind of politician, the type that means what he says on the campaign trail.

These are the policies candidate Obama will enact when he is President Obama.

Ya know, its sometimes painful to watch you liberals go through their mental gymanstics.

Tell us again how sexual assualt in the workplace is "just about sex". That one was priceless.