Jim Geraghty, National Review's "Campaign Spot"
John McCain may not have a completely spotless record in the eyes of economic conservatives, but boy, I hope they appreciate his guts. How many other politicians would try to pitch the benefits of free trade in Youngstown, Ohio?
"Here, in Youngstown and across America, obviously the answer to our problems is not the siren song of protectionism," McCain said during a stop at Fabart, a rusting steel-fabricating plant that has only five remaining workers. "Protectionism and isolation has never worked in America's history."
According to USA Today, a former AFL-CIO official told McCain that in that region, NAFTA is a "four letter word."
McCain's response? "Jack, I am prone on occasion to make mistakes, but the last time I checked, NAFTA is five letters."
I'm originally from Youngstown, and the local culture is definitely hostile to free trade. Back in 1985, I bought a Honda Civic, and I got more than a little guff from UAW-types (and my sister!) about my supposed lack of patriotism for not buying a domestic nameplate. My father was in politics, and I remember he rejected a whole press run of campaign literature because the printer had forgotten to put a printer's union "bug" (logo) at the bottom--had people started thinking he was using a non-union shop, he'd have lost the election. |