The 3rd presidential debate was on October 15, 2008.  I don't like to watch them, for some reason, so I didn't watch. But the transcript is available.

McCain and Obama did discuss trade agreements.  McCain reiterated his support for all free trade agreements... without exception.  Nothing new.

Obama expressed opposition to the pending Columbia and South Korea FTA's.

On the good side, Obama said:

We've got to have a president who is going to be advocating on behalf of American businesses and American workers and I make no apology for that.

On the bad side, Obama said:

I supported the Peruvian Free Trade Agreement which was a well-structured agreement.

*** transcript of debate regarding trade *** 

OBAMA: Now I just want to make one last point because Senator McCain mentioned NAFTA and the issue of trade and that actually bears on this issue. I believe in free trade. But I also believe that for far too long, certainly during the course of the Bush administration with the support of Senator McCain, the attitude has been that any trade agreement is a good trade agreement. And NAFTA doesn't have -- did not have enforceable labor agreements and environmental agreements.

And what I said was we should include those and make them enforceable. In the same way that we should enforce rules against China manipulating its currency to make our exports more expensive and their exports to us cheaper.

And when it comes to South Korea, we've got a trade agreement up right now, they are sending hundreds of thousands of South Korean cars into the United States. That's all good. We can only get 4,000 to 5,000 into South Korea. That is not free trade. We've got to have a president who is going to be advocating on behalf of American businesses and American workers and I make no apology for that.

SCHIEFFER: Senator?

MCCAIN: Well, you know, I admire so much Senator Obama's eloquence. And you really have to pay attention to words. He said, we will look at offshore drilling. Did you get that? Look at. We can offshore drill now. We've got to do it now. We will reduce the cost of a barrel of oil because we show the world that we have a supply of our own. It's doable. The technology is there and we have to drill now.

Now, on the subject of free trade agreements. I am a free trader. And I need -- we need to have education and training programs for displaced workers that work, going to our community colleges.

But let me give you another example of a free trade agreement that Senator Obama opposes. Right now, because of previous agreements, some made by President Clinton, the goods and products that we send to Colombia, which is our largest agricultural importer of our products, is -- there's a billion dollars that we -- our businesses have paid so far in order to get our goods in there.

Because of previous agreements, their goods and products come into our country for free. So Senator Obama, who has never traveled south of our border, opposes the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. The same country that's helping us try to stop the flow of drugs into our country that's killing young Americans.

And also the country that just freed three Americans that will help us create jobs in America because they will be a market for our goods and products without having to pay -- without us having to pay the billions of dollars -- the billion dollars and more that we've already paid.

Free trade with Colombia is something that's a no-brainer. But maybe you ought to travel down there and visit them and maybe you could understand it a lot better.

OBAMA: Let me respond. Actually, I understand it pretty well. The history in Colombia right now is that labor leaders have been targeted for assassination on a fairly consistent basis and there have not been prosecutions.

And what I have said, because the free trade -- the trade agreement itself does have labor and environmental protections, but we have to stand for human rights and we have to make sure that violence isn't being perpetrated against workers who are just trying to organize for their rights, which is why, for example, I supported the Peruvian Free Trade Agreement which was a well-structured agreement.

But I think that the important point is we've got to have a president who understands the benefits of free trade but also is going to enforce unfair trade agreements and is going to stand up to other countries.  ...

MCCAIN: Well, let me just said that that this is -- he -- Senator Obama doesn't want a free trade agreement with our best ally in the region but wants to sit down across the table without precondition to -- with Hugo Chavez, the guy who has been helping FARC, the terrorist organization.

Free trade between ourselves and Colombia, I just recited to you the benefits of concluding that agreement, a billion dollars of American dollars that could have gone to creating jobs and businesses in the United States, opening up those markets.

So I don't -- I don't think there's any doubt that Senator Obama wants to restrict trade and he wants to raise taxes. And the last president of the United States that tried that was Herbert Hoover, and we went from a deep recession into a depression.

We're not going to follow that path while I'm -- when I'm president of the United States.

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A play of Words that Sounds Good but Misleading, SunTzu "The Art of War".
written by Theresa SeaMist , October 18, 2008

I am a conservative however I DO NOT agree with McCain on the Free Trade issue, and must admit Obama has (in this area more sound ideas on Trade). That said I wish to point out that either way we Lose and the entire Trade Problem is being "juggled with Jargon Language" that in reality has no Real Value or real benefit to us since the WTO ends up having more Power than any individual Nation that is a Member of the WTO (World fake Free Trade Organization). The TWO has its own Legislative, Judicial and executive governing body acting itself like an individual more powerful Nation with the concentrated bits of other countries compromises given up at their memberships. So, this quoted statement, "But I think the important point is wev'e got to have a (Predident)who understands the benefits of (Free Trade)but also is going to stand up to other countries"... during debate by Obama is impossible to TRULY honor either by McCain or Obama since neither one of them ends up having more Legislative/Executive/or Judicial Power over the WTO for it has its own bureaucracy serving as the rulers or possible enforcers that are not going to just by benevolency or kind hearts help the United States have fairness in the Trade deals, (after all the whole idea for Traders is profit) not the common good of people's in Wyoming, Detroit, Atlanta, Colorado or whatever other US city.
So, like Sun Tzu wrote in the book The Art of War, use confusion etc. to take over the goal or in the book's case the Enemy or Nation.
One candidate may take us into National Socialism in 4 years and the other in 7 years but surely it is leading us there but then again this is what those so called superhighways are being built for perhaps a North American Union which only Adds more problems and disadvantages for us in the mix with total bureacracies running, profiting, taxing and maybe even killing Americans with bad foods and poisons for Profit. I hate to write it this way, but I must be honest and to the point for this is serious business and a matter of future life and death for all of us and our Families. We have been not perfect as a Nation (wheeling and dealing behind the scenes) however we had the most Just, balanced and mostly fair to all people form of government. I believe that in the world of so call "globalization: the world will be set to be ruled and managed by bureacracies that in history always end up hurting the People
and the best form is that of true representation of local areas needs with the harness on potential abuse by the People's input. So, its not so much up to the Stateman or the military but it Will be up to Us the American People to Take Action and decide which course to take and in my opinion we are running very late in saving what may be left of our beautiful Constitutional Republic. Our Corporate bought media Televison and radio does not help, too bad that we lost honest informative media that helped preserve the common good of our Nation. http://www.eagleforum.org/psr/...mar96.html

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