SPONSORED BY:

What's Wrong with Edwards' Mini-Ads

factcheck.org
 

Email To A Friend

Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.

Separate multiple addresses with commas

SPONSORED BY
 

Narrator:Which Democrat opposed NAFTA and other trade deals that send American jobs overseas? John Edwards is the only one.
John Edwards: I'm John Edwards and I approve this message.
The ad titled "Deal" says that "John Edwards is the only one" among Democrats who opposed NAFTA and other trade deals. Of course, none of the current Democratic candidates, Edwards included, was even in Congress when NAFTA was implemented, so such a pronouncement rings a bit hollow.

Edwards has been an outspoken critic of the agreement for some time, but he may be forgetting one of his Democratic counterparts. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio is also a strong opponent of NAFTA, and yes, he's still running for president, even though he hasn't been included in some of the recent debates. He even promises on his Web site that, if elected president, he "will end America's participation in NAFTA and the WTO."

Edwards doesn't go quite that far. He condemns NAFTA strongly on his Web site but stops short of saying he'd end it. Instead he promises to be a "tough negotiator" on any future trade agreements. In early January, he told an Iowa trade coalition of labor, environmental and consumer groups that he would look into changing NAFTA and other trade agreements, but Obama and Clinton made similar promises to the group as well.

Brevity can be the soul of wit, as Shakespeare noted. In these two ads, it's the purveyor of half-truths.

Sources:
Swanson, Ian. "Top Democrats ponder changing NAFTA." The Hill, 1 Jan. 2008.
 CNN Opinion Research Poll, 11 Dec. 2007.
 CNN Opinion Research Poll, 13 Jan. 2008.

Reprinted with permission from Factcheck.org.

© 2008

Discuss

Sponsored by

Member Comments

  • Posted By: Missouri stubborn Jennie @ 01/30/2008 11:48:49 AM

    I understand how you fell boxed out by the press/media. I watched a news cast were Fox had a reporter at B.O.'s campaign stop and at yours the only had a camera person. I DON'T want the media CHOOSING my vote. I CHOOSE you. Some may say I will waste my vote on Super Tues. if you bow out (your name is on the ballot) but I feel I still have the right to CHOOSE WITHOUT PRESSURE FROM GROUPS THAT WANT TO RUN OUR Country.

  • Posted By: dmortell @ 01/28/2008 9:37:48 PM

    Factcheck article by Justin Bank is just a little bit half-truth. At the time the mini-ads were made, the most "recent" CNN poll did show that Edwards beat all Republicans. I think when you have a column called "Factcheck" you should be doing what it implies -- checking the facts. Mainstream media think they can shape this race - even "select" the next Democratic nominee by ignoring John Edwards. Please don't insult the intelligence of the American people. Remember, it is "We the People" who will make the selection, not you.

  • Posted By: dmortell @ 01/28/2008 9:34:52 PM

    Factcheck article by Justin Bank is just a little bit half-truth. At the time the mini-ads were made, the most "recent" CNN poll did show that Edwards beat all Republicans. I think when you have a column called "Factcheck" you should be doing what it implies -- checking the facts. Mainstream media think they can shape this race - even "select" the next Democratic nominee by ignoring John Edwards. Please don't insult the intelligence of the American people. Remember, it is "We the People" who will make the selection, not you.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse

View All Comments »

Newsweek on Digg

Powered by Digg