Bikers For Obama Hit McCain on "Buying American"

BIKERS BACK OBAMA

AT ISSUE: Obama's support of requiring the government to purchase American-made motorcycles, like those produced by Harley-Davidson. Area bikers chastised John McCain for calling that "Buy American" policy "disgraceful."

***FACT CHECK***: McCain DID in fact call a requirement for the federal government to buy American products "disgraceful" . . . FROM POLITIFACT . . . "McCain has repeatedly voted and spoken against requiring the government to buy American-made products. He argues that such a requirement hurts trade and doesn’t guarantee the lowest prices for taxpayers."

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Springfield State Representative Sara Lampe, join area Teamsters/bikers, Bryan Emory and John Cook in lambasting McCain's position.

**PLUS: MUST-SEE VIDEO**

LAMPE RIDES A HARLEY

**WATCH IT BELOW**

Nixon vs. China

Watch the KY3 News @ 10 Report HERE.
Jay Nixon says Congressman Kenny Hulshof's vote on free trade with China in 2000 has cost Missouri 45,000 jobs, including 400 in Rolla. But Springfield businessman Tim Rosenbury, who says he'll vote for Nixon, argues that international trade has bolstered his architectural and engineering firm and thinks candidates should acknowledge that the loss of manufacturing jobs is painful, but inevitable.
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"Permanent Normal Trade Relations status made it easier to move jobs to China," reads a Nixon release. "Workers at Briggs & Stratton in Rolla, received trade adjustment assistance after the U.S. Department of Labor, in 2006, determined that the 'decline in employment,' was due to 'a shift in production of vertical and horizontal Intek engines and quantum engines to China.'"
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HULSHOF CAMP RESPONDS:
"Kenny believes American workers can compete with anyone, so long as the playing field is level. That's what free trade agreements are designed to accomplish. Kenny agrees with Sen. Claire McCaskill that America will benefit from strong and fair trade relations with China. Kenny is focused on attracting new jobs and has a detailed plan to do so. Once again, Jay Nixon is short on details," said Hulshof spokesperson Scott Baker. "As to driving jobs out of Missouri, if you ask anyone who is in the business of creating a job-friendly climate, they will tell you that potential employers look at things like tort reform and workers comp laws when they are looking at a state in which to set up shop. Jay Nixon is wrong on both of those issues, which means he is pathetically positioned when it comes to job creation," Baker added. "It is also worth noting that Jay Nixon favored NAFTA, which was one of the largest free trade deals in the history of our nation. That's the definition of hypocrisy," he said.
ON NAFTA, NIXON ACKNOWLEDGED his feelings have changed. "We were hoping it would work and it didn't. I mean, it hasn't added jobs here in Missouri the way a lot of people thought it had the opportunity to do."
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ALSO TUESDAY. . .
In Springfield, Hulshof announced a plan to increase government accountability through the Missouri Accountability Portal. Hulshof said his plan would make it easier to track state budget bills through the legislative process so taxpayers can monitor proposed spending. He would make this portal available to city and county governments. "The taxpayers of our state deserve to know where their money goes," Hulshof said.

Hulshof Camp Says Nixon Is Hypocritical on Trade

TEAM HULSHOF ATTEMPTS TO DEVELOP FLIP FLOP THEME

Kenny Hulshof's campaign for Governor is responding to Jay Nixon's latest television advertisement with the "flip-flop" charge on the issue of free trade.

In the 30-second ad running now, Nixon criticizes Hulshof for voting for "unfair trade deals."

Hulshof voted for CAFTA in 2005, a trade agreement with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Democrats argued these types of agreements hurt American jobs by giving companies better opportunities to move offshore for cheaper labor.

In the ad, Nixon doesn't specifically mention NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), but on Monday that's how the Hulshof camp decided to respond.

"In his most recent television ad, Nixon criticizes Kenny Hulshof for supporting free trade agreements. However, in a 1998 Vote Smart survey, Nixon said he favored one of the largest free trade agreements in history - the North American Free Trade Agreement," reads the Hulshof release.

"Jay Nixon’s memory can’t be that faulty," said Hulshof spokesperson Scott Baker. "Clearly he is trying to mislead Missourians about his own record and is willing to say anything to get it done."

Baker said that Hulshof is the most qualified candidate to "strengthen Missouri's job climate," and charged that Nixon "has said that his priority is to increase the ranks of labor unions."

Blunt Drums Up Support For Colombian Trade Deal

Rep. Roy Blunt said a vote against a pending Colombia free-trade agreement would signal support for anti-American Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Democrats vehemently oppose the trade deal because they contend the Colombian government has not done enough to reduce violence against union leaders there.

Blunt said Republicans will frame the debate in terms of national security and whether members support Colombian President Alvaro Uribe or Chavez, whose government has been accused of supporting rebels in Colombia. "Uribe is working with the United States, cooperating with the United States and trading with the United States," Blunt said.

Blunt also hinted that he's using some back channels to win over Congressional Democrats on the measure. You can read more about it HERE.

The trade measure is expected to be sent to Congress next week.

Blunt, Bond, McCaskill to China

Gov. Matt Blunt and Sens. Kit Bond and Claire McCaskill are heading to China this week to focus on new trade opportunities.

The three are leading a high-level delegation of government, business and civic leaders from the St. Louis area in an effort to boost the state's trading partnership with China.

“Missouri businesses have shattered export records every year since I took office in 2005,” Gov. Blunt said. “This bipartisan trade mission to China, one of our most important trading partners, will help strengthen business relations and help continue Missouri's outstanding job growth.”

Emerson: With Fidel Out, Review Cuba Policy

With the resignation of Fidel Castro as Cuban president, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson is among 104 U.S. House members calling for a fresh look at the United States' economic policy towards Cuba.

A complete review of U.S. policy is in order" in light of Cuban's new leadership, Emerson and other House members recently told Secretary of State Condolezza Rice in a letter.

The letter says:

"Our policy leaves us without influence at this critical moment and this serves neither the U.S. national interest nor average Cubans, the intended beneficiaries of our policies," the members said. A complete review "would send useful signal to the Cuban people that we intend to engage with their government in new and positive ways and also provide a new hearing for U.S. policy in many places around the region.