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Bill Clinton backs/backed Colombia FTA |
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Written by Stumo
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Tuesday, 08 April 2008 |
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Bill Clinton met with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on June 23, 2005. This was said publicly:
"We need your help to expedite the signing of the Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) with the EU is very important to give a clear signal of
what the relations between the two countries should be," President
Alvaro Uribe said yesterday to the former president of the EU Bill
Clinton, during Expogestion 2005.
"I will raise your point when you return to the United States," Clinton
replied. "I am in favor of the free trade agreement and it is my hope
that we will find the right formula to reach the agreement."
The story also reports that Clinton received a two-minute standing
ovation after "applauding Colombia's perserverence for the progress
made in the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United States."
A Clinton spokesman confirms Bill's support for the deal, and distances Hillary from that support:
[Clinton campaign spokesman] Carson said Hillary Clinton disagrees
with her husband on free trade with Colombia, and said Bill Clinton's
support for it has been public since 2000.
"Senator Clinton is the candidate for president and she is a clear and
firm opponent of the Colombian free trade agreement. Like other married
couples who disagree on issues from time to time, she disagrees with
her husband on this issue. President Clinton has been public about his
support for Columbia's request for U.S. trade preferences since 2000,"
Carson said. "Yawn."
And apparently Mark Penn is not really leaving the campaign. On the question of whether he is really out of the strategic planning loop:
Not so, say friends and critics.
"Reports of Mark's death are greatly exaggerated," said a Penn confidant.
"You don't break a circle like that easily and quickly," a senior Clinton adviser agreed.
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