I'm inclined to go with Elizabeth2 on this point. Clearly, the Obama campaign didn't know that the Canadians had taken Goolsbee's casual statements in the way they did. Certainly they didn't know that the memo existed. I've met Goolsbee, and he's a voluble and friendly guy, so it's no surprise he'd be having warm and casual conversations with anyone (Canadians included).

Obama's position on NAFTA has been both critical and consistent, but has never involved "scrapping" the trade deal.

The more interesting political point here is that Obama's campaign didn't really know how to react when a wrench got thrown into the works. But, sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you. The first story, one about "Obama calling the ambassador" was clearly a lie. Naturally, it was denied. The memo then surfaced, making the denial look bad. Not sure how they could have done better, given that they didn't know what was to come.

Really, Clinton couldn't have orchestrated it better. Did she? Probably not. I think that's giving her too much credit! Right now, her campaign org look like the Keystone Kops. She's fundamentally reactive, which is part of why I think she'll be a bad commander in chief.

Posted at March 7, 2008 9:21 AM in response to So Obama was telling the truth on NAFTA-Gate after all...

*IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT MI 'CAUCUS'*

Anyone complaining about the MI caucus plans is either uninformed or dishonest.

What they're talking about is a "firehouse primary" style caucus, which isn't really a caucus at all. This is what was done in New Mexico, which Clinton narrowly WON.

Clinton knows this! However, she seeks to gain points by protesting vigorously about how "unfair" caucuses are.

Posted at March 7, 2008 9:04 AM in response to Hillary: "I Would Not Accept A Caucus" In Florida And Michigan