Colombia ends contract after flap with Clinton aide ( "The Colombian government considers this a lack of respect to Colombians)

DodgerDogs says on Apr 5, 2008, 11:53:

Colombia will be the loser , if one of these two win.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

robi666 says on Apr 5, 2008, 12:25:

The firm made a good job, indeed.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

DodgerDogs says on Apr 5, 2008, 12:27:

They sshould refund Colombia their money , as they basically lobbied against Colombia.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

Medellin Traveler says on Apr 5, 2008, 13:02:

DodgerDogs says, "Colombia will be the loser , if one of these two win."

At the end of the day, it's AMERICA who gets my support, not COLOMBIA.

We have more than enough problems to worry about before worrying about what's good for Colombia.

As if we haven't given them enough money and support in the last few years. Just ask Uribe, he wouldn't be were he is today if it were not for US support.

It's time America takes care of its own, FIRST!

Medellin Es Una Chimba! - www.medellintraveler.com

DodgerDogs says on Apr 5, 2008, 13:32:

MT: The USA is made up of people from all over, by helping other Countries , the USA helps it's self.
Plan Colombia was to help fight the war on drugs , and to imporve living conditions.
It caused the migration of refugees from Colombia to go down.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

DodgerDogs says on Apr 5, 2008, 13:35:

T.L.C with Colombia , will help with a fair import and export for many useful things.
Look how much more used cars and electric products are in Colombia vs the USA.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

Medellin Traveler says on Apr 5, 2008, 13:53:

I hardly doubt Colombia will benefit more than US big busines from any trade pact. Ask Mexico how well NAFTA has worked out for them.

America FIRST!

We need to get this once great country back on track, for the future of Americans.
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Colombia fires top Clinton strategist's firm
Firing comes after Mark Penn apologizes for meeting Colombian officials

WASHINGTON - The Colombian government said Saturday it has fired Mark Penn's public relations firm after the chief campaign strategist for Democrat Hillary Clinton apologized for meeting with Colombian officials pushing a trade deal with the U.S.

Colombian officials said they terminated their contract with lobbying and public relations giant Burson-Marsteller in response to a statement released Friday by Penn, the firm's chief executive, calling the meeting an "error in judgment." Clinton opposes the trade deal.

"The Colombian government considers this a lack of respect to Colombians, and finds this response unacceptable," government officials said in a news release. The government will continue its push for a free trade agreement with the United States, they added.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Penn had met with the Colombian ambassador March 31.

Penn regretful
Clinton advisers said the meeting was not connected to the campaign, but made clear the candidate was not happy to learn it. Penn later issued a statement expressing regrets.

"The meeting was an error in judgment that will not be repeated and I am sorry for it," he said. "The senator's well-known opposition to this trade deal is clear and was not discussed."

The Colombian government is trying to secure congressional passage of the agreement signed in 2006 by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and the Bush administration.

According to Justice Department filings, Colombia agreed last year to pay Burson-Marsteller $300,000 to help "educate members of the U.S. Congress and other audiences" about the trade deal and secure continued U.S. funding for the $5 billion anti-narcotics program Plan Colombia.

Clinton and Barack Obama, her Democratic rival, oppose the deal. Clinton told the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO this week that the United States needs new trade policies before it has new trade deals. "That includes no trade deal with Colombia while violence against trade unionists continues in that country," she said.

Penn's political consulting firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland, has been paid $10.8 million so far by Clinton's campaign.

Medellin Es Una Chimba! - www.medellintraveler.com

peteyw says on Apr 5, 2008, 14:39:

Clinton has paid this political consulting firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland $10.8 million to help her win the election and she's getting her butt handed to her.

So its no suprise that they didn't have much sway on behalf of Colombia which only paid them a 'paltry' $300K.

peteyw says on Apr 5, 2008, 14:44:

Maybe we should form a PBH consulting firm and try to get Colombia to pay us half as much, say, $150K to have all PBH members bombard their congressional and senatoral representatives with Pro-Trade Deal emails.

We split the cash 80/10/10. Ten percent to Peter, since its his site. Ten percent for me as its my idea. And eighty percent divided equally among all PBH members who join in the email campaign.

Our results couldn't be any worse than Penn, Schoen & Berland and for half the cost too.

DodgerDogs says on Apr 5, 2008, 14:47:

you could call it ( Peter, Pete and PBH )

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

peteyw says on Apr 5, 2008, 14:52:

Yeah, that works! Or.... PP & P

Medellin Traveler says on Apr 5, 2008, 18:01:

She has it rough.It's a tough campaign for this power-hungry witch.
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Clinton on defensive amid Colombia trade flap
By Ellen Wulfhorst

HILLSBORO, Oregon (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton found herself on the defensive over a top aide's meeting with Colombia on a trade deal, as she and rival Barack Obama courted voters on Saturday in Western states.

Mark Penn, chief campaign strategist to the New York senator, has apologized for meeting with Colombia's U.S. ambassador in his separate role as a lobbyist hired by the South American country to win congressional approval of the trade deal with the United States.

But the issue poses problems for Clinton for political reasons as well as diplomatic ones as she vies with Obama to become the Democratic nominee to run against Republican John McCain in the November election. Anxiety about free trade runs high with the working-class voters Clinton and Obama are courting and both oppose the deal with Colombia.

The president of the politically powerful Teamsters Union, Jim Hoffa, said Penn's meeting with the Colombian officials undermined Clinton's stance on labor issues as well as trade.

"How can we trust that a President Hillary Clinton would stand strong against this trade deal when her top advisor is being paid by Colombia to promote it?" he asked in a statement. He said the trade deal was "anathema to the labor movement."

The controversy also prompted an angry reaction from Washington's close ally Colombia, which took offense at Penn's statement in which he called his meeting with the country's ambassador "an error in judgment."

"The Colombian government considers this a lack of respect to Colombians, and finds this response unacceptable," the Colombian Embassy in Washington said in a statement on Saturday in which it announced it was ending a contract with Penn's firm, Burson-Marsteller Worldwide. The firm had been hired about a year ago.

A Clinton campaign spokesman said on Saturday that Penn's action was "independent of the campaign."

Clinton and Obama have both said they intend to vote against the deal with Colombia and she reiterated her opposition to the pact on Friday, when news surfaced of Penn's March 31 meeting with Ambassador Carolina Barco Isakson.

The two candidates have been sparring for months over the issue of trade, with each questioning the other's credibility in their pledges to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The flap over the Colombia trade deal could provide ammunition for Obama, not only in his attacks on Clinton over trade but also in his contention she has closer ties to lobbyists who might have too much say in shaping policies should she become president.

Obama's campaign has so far declined to weigh in on the Penn controversy.

Without mentioning Clinton by name, Obama criticized the influence of lobbyists in government, referring to the failure to overhaul the health care system in the administrations of both President George W. Bush and Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton. As first lady, Hillary Clinton led the failed 1993 effort to revamp health care.

OBAMA: INSIDERS SET AGENDA

"People don't feel like anybody is listening to them," Obama told a rally in Missoula, Montana. "They have a sense that the insiders, the lobbyists, the fat cats -- that they are the ones that are setting the agenda in Washington."

"Think about it -- we've been talking about health care reform for decades now through Democratic and Republican administrations. And yet year after year nothing happens," Obama said, blaming the inaction on the influence of drug companies and big health insurance firms.

Obama last month faced questions over his credibility on trade after his top economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, discussed NAFTA during a meeting with a Canadian official.

A memo leaked to media said the aide played down Obama's opposition to NAFTA, saying the candidate's comments were designed for a political audience. The Obama campaign said the memo mischaracterized the conversation but Clinton seized on the issue, saying it showed Obama was willing to say one thing in private and another in public.

There was a possibility Clinton and Obama could cross paths later. Both were scheduled to attend a Democratic party dinner in Butte, Montana.

Clinton spent the early part of the day campaigning in Oregon, which holds a nominating contest on May 20. Montana holds a primary on June 3.

McCain on Saturday went to the site in Prescott, Arizona, where another Arizona Republican politician, Barry Goldwater, announced his presidential run in 1964, and talked about the need for bipartisan cooperation.

(Writing and additional reporting by Caren Bohan and Jim Vicini; additional reporting by Tim Gaynor, editing by Jackie Frank)

Medellin Es Una Chimba! - www.medellintraveler.com

cali373 says on Apr 5, 2008, 18:26:

"Colombia will be the loser , if one of these two win. "

How will it lose? It is not like the trade deal is a winner for Colombia if it is passed. A trade deal is needed and colombia can benefit, but no more than current trade with the US.

"Plan Colombia was to help fight the war on drugs , and to imporve living conditions."

I have written at least three papers for school on different aspects of Plan Colombia and the above statement could not be farther from the truth. I can tell you this after Spending HOURS on plan Colombia. But I have to agree that it is sold as the war on drugs.

Smile if you are a thinker!

DodgerDogs says on Apr 5, 2008, 18:41:

Cali373: Read the proposed T.L.C.and show why Colombia would not greatly benefit.
Plan Colombia has seen many abuses, but Colombia today is a far safer place , si o no ?

Here is some hours of study on Plan Colombia for you to read.

http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/fs/2001/1042.htm


Study this , it is not hard to see ,how in the long run Colombia has much to gain with a
TLC with the USA.

http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/us-Colombia.asp

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

romy says on Apr 5, 2008, 20:03:

cali, what would you suggest was the purpose of Plan Colombia?

Rikito says on Apr 6, 2008, 05:07:

In Colombia the top 10% of the wealth earn 60 times more than the rest of the country. I totally agree with Cali's thesis...Plan Colombia would only make those people more wealthy and more powerful...it would do nothing else.

The Trade Agreements with Mexico and Canda have done little for either country. Why does the U.S. want a Trade Agreement? There is an old phrase used in negotiations, "do no unprovoked good!" It applies to the Trade Agreements.

It is not life that matters, but the journey.