NPR: First Lady Schedule: Support for Free Trade?

First Lady Schedule: Support for Free Trade?

Sen. Hillary Clinton says she is not pleased with the North American Free trade agreement. She has already said that she would tell the Canadian and Mexican governments that she would want changes in the agreement if she was elected president.

But in a tidbit from the schedules of her duties as first lady from 1993-2001 there is a sign of her one-time support for husband's efforts to win Congressional approval for the agreement.

On Nov. 10th, 1993, she gave remarks at a "NAFTA Briefing Drop By." Approximately 120 people were expected to attend in a session that was closed to the press. While no press were there, it's hard to image that the then-first lady would have told those in attendance 'I'm not in favor of NAFTA" when her husband was trying to win its approval.

And in another interesting example of past associations, on January 13, 1998, one of the people who gave opening remarks during a visit by the first lady to a CURE fund raiser dinner in Chicago was David Axlerod - currently the Obama campaign manager. But another politician giving opening remarks that night was then Rep. -- now Governor -- Rod Blagojevich, whose name is "repeatedly coming up," as the Chicago Tribune says, at the Tony Rezko corruption trial ... which only shows that guilt by association is really a silly concept.
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Update: Jake Tapper at ABCNews reports that the network got in touch with two of the people who were at that closed door NAFTA briefing in 1993.

"It wasn't a drop-by it was organized around her participation," said one attendee. "Her remarks were totally pro-NAFTA and what a good thing it would be for the economy. There was no equivocation for her support for NAFTA at the time. Folks were pleased that she came by. If this is a still a question about what Hillary's position when she was first lady, she was totally supportive if NAFTA."

And apparently the two attendee, neither of whom are affliated with the campaigns, are apparently not too happy with Clinton's switched position on NAFTA

"For people who worked hard to pass NAFTA and who support the importance of markets opening for the economy in the long term, they're very upset," said one woman. "A number of the women who were there are very upset. You need to have some integrity in your position. The Clintons when Bill Clinton was president took a moderate position on trade for Democrats. For her to repudiate that now seems pretty phony."

Recalls a second attendee, "they were looking for women in international trade who supported NAFTA. Senator Clinton came by at the end. And of course she asked for our support and help in passing NAFTA."

4:35 PM ET | 03-19-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

So, it turns out that Senator Clinton actually was involved with NAFTA. Does this really suprise anyone? It's ludicrous for Senator Clinton to try to take credit for the positive aspects of her husband's administration, but then turn around and try to claim that she had nothing to do with decisions from her husband's administration that are now politically inconvenient for her, such as NAFTA. She can't have it both ways!

Sent by Steve Ferrell, Houston Texas | 5:36 PM ET | 03-19-2008

Like her opponent in the primary, it seems Mrs Clinton will say anything and everything to pander to whomever seems to be in earshot at the time.

Shocking.

Sent by deek | 10:05 PM ET | 03-19-2008

You've got to be kidding me. NPR has completely gone off the rails with their Obama support. Yes, Hillary advocated for NAFTA on behalf of her husband, President Bill Clinton. In private she is known to have told him, "You shouldn't be doing this, this is gop economics." And she has said, all along, that because some trade agreements are not working they need to be renegotiated and NAFTA is one of those. This is the sign of a responsible and flexible president and candidate. If you want to cover NAFTA concerns examine Obama's naive and embarrassing and illadvised tactic of sending Goolsbee to speak to a Canadian Consulate and telling him to ignore Obama's anti-nafta rhetoric, it's just campaign talk. Then cover the fact he lied to the press and the American people about it.

The press has become shameful in its biased coverage.

Sent by Ann | 11:09 PM ET | 03-19-2008

ok..I was reading this person's comment on CNN about MONICA LEWINSKY'S relationship with President Clinton...

"IF MONICA WAS IN WHITE HOUSE ALL THAT TIME THEN SHE SHOULD BE RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES TOO"

Ironically very funny...............

Sent by MAHITT MANDEEP SINGH | 3:49 AM ET | 03-20-2008

It does seem that Hillary Clinton will say and do what she needs to leverage support without necessarily inspiring it. She hasn't had a moment like Obama's recent discussion on race, where he didn't take the most politically expedient position, but instead took a difficult position and explained it in a larger context in a heartfelt way. I haven't seen that leadership quality in her, and I think NAFTA and her changing positions on the war reinforce that perception.

Sent by Lars | 8:15 AM ET | 03-20-2008

So much for integrity. If she would just be honest with the American people she wouldn't have to be worrying about these "gotcha moments." The next thing from her campaign will be "who are these two attendees, find out and try to discredit them." For once Hillary, just the truth.

Sent by Roger | 9:02 AM ET | 03-20-2008

Could NPR do a piece on the pros and cons of NAFTA? From what I have been reading, it has more negative results then positive ones. It needs to be looked at in reality now that we have had 10 years of it. For a person to change or readjust their thinking on a topic after all the facts are in is a good thing. We do not need another stubborn president.

Sent by Barbara Mitchell | 9:10 AM ET | 03-20-2008

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