Clinton, Obama Claims Don't Hold Up
Facts are stubborn things as ABC News examines the candidates' dubious claims.
April 1, 2008 — -- Facts are stubborn things, but they often meet their match with politicians.
Campaigning in Pennsylvania, Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., continued to argue she has opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement since 1992.
"I did speak out and opposed NAFTA," Clinton told an AFL-CIO audience in Philadelphia. "I raised a big yellow caution flag. I said, 'I'm not sure this is going to work.'"
But if Clinton "spoke out" against NAFTA, she did so quietly and behind closed doors, and made no mention of it in her 2003 autobiography "Living History."
In fact, Clinton worked to sell NAFTA at a Nov. 10, 1993, meeting with business women detailed in her recently-released White House schedules.
Three attendees of that closed-door briefing told ABC News last month that Clinton's comments were supportive of the trade deal eventually signed into law by her husband.
Laura E. Jones, executive director of the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel, who was there, said, "There was no question that everyone who spoke, including the first lady, was for NAFTA. It was a rally on behalf of NAFTA to help it get passed. It's unquestionable. And there are many people out there who were there, who remember the incident, who work in this industry."
Julia K. Hughes, senior vice president of the same organization, is likewise incredulous of the Clinton campaign's claims.
"This is such a non issue to us, because, obviously, it was a pro-NAFTA group and a pro-NAFTA event," said Hughes. "It was a 100 percent pro-NAFTA event. No one suggested any inklings of doubt, since part of the agenda was to promote enthusiasm for passage of NAFTA."
Did that include then-first lady Clinton?
"Absolutely. She was the highlight of the event. She was absolutely the capper to the event. It was a positive rally. I assure you, if there had even been a hint of waffling from her — because we were in the last days before NAFTA passed, and it was a pretty hectic time — we would have freaked out."
"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 still a question about what was Hillary's position when she was first lady, she was totally supportive of NAFTA."
A second attendee recalled, "They were looking for women in international trade who supported NAFTA. Sen. Clinton came by at the end. And, of course, she asked for our support and help in passing NAFTA."
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