Apr 9, 2008 2:30 am US/Eastern
Clinton Denounces Colombia Trade Deal
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, speaks during a major economic speech at the University of Pennsylvania, March 24, 2008, in Philadelphia
William Thomas Cain/Getty Images
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized her opposition to a proposed free trade agreement with Colombia, two days after her chief campaign strategist was forced out of her campaign for his role in supporting the deal.
"As I have said for months, I oppose the deal, I have spoken out against the deal, I will vote against the deal and I will do everything I can to urge the Congress to reject the Colombia free trade agreement," the New York Democrat told a Washington gathering of the Communication Workers of America.
On Sunday, Mark Penn left his post as top strategist for Clinton's presidential campaign after it was reported he had met with Colombia's ambassador to the United States to discuss passage of the agreement. Colombia was a client of Penn's large public relations firm.
Many labor unions, including the CWA, oppose such trade deals, saying they displace U.S. jobs and encourage abuses of workers and the environment in other countries.
Clinton's Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, also noted his opposition to the Colombia deal when he spoke to the CWA group moments after Clinton left the stage. He said he opposes the treaty "because when organizing workers puts an organizer's life at risk, as it does in Colombia, it makes a mockery of our labor protections."
President Bush on Monday sent the proposed Colombia deal to Congress, which has 90 days to ratify or reject it. The administration says it would help the United States by eliminating high barriers for U.S. exports to Colombia. Most Colombian products enter the United States duty-free under existing trade preference laws, the administration says.
Obama did not mention Penn in his 25-minute speech to CWA activists. But his campaign scheduled a conference call with reporters to discuss Clinton's TV ads and Penn's "role in her campaign."
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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