Why was Obama one of only 11 Dems to vote against pro-worker, pro-fair trade amendment?

Ever since the celebrities' polling told them trade is a big issue in Wisconsin and Ohio we have heard a lot about trade as they discover (let's "hope" they mean it. Let's see what they say after Ohio...) what John Edwards knew long ago. We don't hear anything about the record of one celebrity on trade, though. Simple question: why did St. Obama vote against this amendment? Axlerod slogans don't put food on the table, as Deval Patrick is proving. We need to know what lies behind the careful stage management.

“Sen. Obama opposed an amendment that would have prevented the weakening of laws that protect against unfair trade practices. (Hillary supported the amendment.) Sen. Obama also supports fast track authority.”
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=595...

Is this true? Yes. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/r...

YEAs ---39
Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coburn (R-OK)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Craig (R-ID)
Dayton (D-MN) Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (R-SC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Nelson (D-FL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)

NAYs ---60
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Frist (R-TN)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)

Vote Summary
Question: On the Amendment (Dorgan Amdt. No. 1665 )
Vote Number: 232 Vote Date: September 15, 2005, 12:17 PM
Required For Majority: 1/2 Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 1665 to H.R. 2862

Statement of Purpose: To prohibit weakening any law that provides safeguards from unfair foreign trade practices.
Vote Counts: YEAs 39
NAYs 60

Obama was one of only 11 Democrats (including then Democratic Joe Lieberman) to vote against this pro-worker, pro-fair trade amendment. Look at the other 11. DLC, DLC, DLC!

And certainly I won't take hillaryclinton.com at face value.
On a first read, it looks like a poor vote by Obama. I'm sure he has a few.
However, this is nothing compared with the IWR, Kyl-Lieberman, cluster bombs, flag burning.
Both Clinton and Obama have solid voter records, with a few exceptions. The difference is that the few exceptions in Hillary's case are entirely unforgivable.

Especially now that Obama is posing as a fair trading populist in light of Wisconsin, Ohio, and Pennsylvania? Do we not have a right to know that he is what he claims to be underneath the shiny Axlerod slogans?

And more liberal than Hillary by most accounts.
Is his voting record perfect? No.
Do you prove anything by combing his record until you find a poor vote? No.

We aren't talking about gun control votes here.

Hillary and Obama have the same voting records. There isn't a meaningful difference between them and based on what subjective criteria you use you can argue one is slightly more liberal. What is clear is Hillary is not a DINO to Obama being the second coming of Wellstone, which is the kind of spin Obama's netroots supporters put out.

His voting record is perfect according to Obamites. Words you will never hear from an Obamite: "Barack Obama was wrong on that issue."


Do you prove anything by combing his record until you find a poor vote? No.

Oh the irony!

Cluster bombs is not a substantial difference?
Not having sponsored a flag-burning bill is not a substantial difference?
IWR is not a substantial difference?

Most "Obamites" except the most obnoxious ones do accept that Obama is wrong on some issues.

Hillary has been historically a lot more pro-trade than Obama and has also changed her message to pander to part of the democratic electorate.

He chose to campaign that day and not vote.

Floor statements by Obama on K/L:
Press releases by Obama on it:
Obama's vote on it:
Statement by Obama on K/L during the debate the night of the vote when he was asked about Iran:

He co-sponsored a bill to designate the IRG as a terrorist groups before Kyle-Lieberman. He only began claiming he "opposed" it after he saw Edwards, who led on the issue, gaining traction from criticizing it.

Even if we accept the Obamite story on Kyl-Lieberman it shows appalling negligence on Obama's part. He would later call it a vote for war. Obama couldn't be bothered to take a stand on a vote for war? What kind of leader is he if we accept his story?

and it was only the second time that I actually criticized him. I was leaning towards supporting him, but when he attacked Clinton for voting for Kyl-Lieberman, it just didn't sit right with me. The first was when he called her bush/cheney light, & Donnie McClurkin speaking at his gospel tour was the final straw.

It went downhill from there.

It's kinda like voting present. It means nothing.

Isn't that one of the things Obama claims to be immune too, unlike most pols?

He just chose to lie about his position, or flip flop, in order to politically capitalize on the issue after he saw Edwards get traction for denouncing it.

How did Obama vote on the IWR?

A constitutional amendment to be flag-burning isn't a real issue. Trade is. People lose their jobs because of trade. Flag-burning is an academic issue and any amendment to ban it would only limit flag-burning. It isn't as if it is the first step to banning a free press.

No, let's put their records on the table. That is another myth the smoke and mirrors campaign is relying on. They are equally for "free" trade.

Can you give us some examples? I have never seen an Obama supporter every do that on a policy issue.

He said so.

That is what will hear if he, as he has done in the campaign both against Hillary and McCain, tries to make an issue out of Kyl-Lieberman. Obama also spoke of bombing Iran as early as 2004. Now he poses as a dove. He correctly points out Hillary can be attacked for changing on Iraq but the same thing can be done to Obama on Iran. Even worse, he didn't even take a stand on Iran and that would further fuel the perception of him as inexperienced and not a leader given his "present" record...

Or, hell, when has Hillary Clinton ever said she was wrong? It's been 5 years and counting since the IWR and she still hasn't apologized.

Don't be surprised that it didn't make headlines on the blogs.

No wonder I have that person on ignore.

I HATE the fact that she voted for it.

She wasn't my first choice, but she is my choice of the leftovers.

If he voted this way, then I think he was wrong on that issue. And I've been supporting Obama since Edwards dropped out.

So it seems we have a choice between two who support "free trade". I don't like it, but that's what we have. I'm not staying home on election day because of it.

:popcorn:

Good stuff

majority of the other "good guys", I'm always suspicious of their motives. Clinton on Kyl/Lieberman is an example.

Did Obama ever give his reasons for voting this way? At least Hillary did (even though I really didn't believe her explanation.)

Swinging for the fences until the end.

Nelson (D-NE)
Lieberman (D-CT)

:shrug:

Good to see you jackson_dem. :hi:

I am glad you are still here. Edwards is gone from the race but what he fought for remains! :hi:

I'd like to hear the answer.

and the others until he decided to run for President.