Boston Globe editorial: Obama wisely holds his ground

[ProSense]

Obama wisely holds his ground

November 22, 2010

WHEN PRESIDENT Obama failed earlier this month to conclude a free trade agreement with South Korea, he invited what’s emerging as a standard critique from right and left — that he is too eager to seek compromise and that his leadership style is just too soft. But in the case of the unconcluded Korean trade deal, the critics are dead wrong.

At the G-20 summit in Seoul, South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak apparently assumed Obama would be desperate to finalize any deal, even on terms less than ideal to the United States; Obama’s party had suffered a major setback at the polls earlier in the week, and Obama was under pressure to pump up job-creating US exports.

While a trade deal with South Korea would benefit both countries, Obama should keep holding out for a reduction of non-tariff barriers to US autos and beef in the Korean market. Thanks in large part to those barriers, South Korea exports 10 times as many vehicles to America as it imports from US carmakers. Unfortunately, a two-hour tete-a-tete between Obama and the South Korean president — which included 40 minutes on the trade pact — did not yield enough progress.

After his meeting with Lee, Obama reportedly told his chief trade negotiator, “I’d rather get this right than get it rushed.’’ In Seoul, he wisely held his ground.

[TheIdiot]

1. Two problems with this logic...

1) These deals are ALWAYS worked out in advance.

2) SK is our ally.

It's Amateur Hour shit like this that gives the RW their fucking ammo.

[ProSense]

2. What about the India deal?

Amateur hour?

[TheIdiot]

9. I didn't mean the President...

it's his staff who needs their ass kicked!

[Schema Thing]

3. no. reread till understood.

[patrice]

5. Since Sep 2008, a Fundamentally different environment than "ALWAYS"

With trade deals such as those which were "ALWAYS worked out in advance" who needs an ally like SK. Perhaps it is time for SK to rethink what being an ally means; I'm for that.

[babylonsister]

4. “I’d rather get this right than get it rushed.’’ In Seoul, he wisely held his ground.

That's the ticket; he's looking at the long game. I'm glad.

[patrice]

6. Yes. Longer and wider. What the hell kind of negotiation is it that starts out as a done deal.

[TheIdiot]

10. What kind...?

Just the ones that END in a done deal, that's what kind.

[impik]

7. He is tougher and stronger than all his critics combined

[donco]

8. I wonder what the deal would have

looked like if he said ok, we were looking for an excuse to pull our 37000 troops out any way.

[TheIdiot]

11. Even that would have been better...

than walking away with his hat in his hand. Makes us look like rookies. Shoulda sent Hillary.

[patrice]

13. Unless you know more about it than the rest of us, it's just as likely the opposite of

your characterization of it.

Make your case, otherwise, it's 50:50.

[TheIdiot]

15. 50:50...? Not even close!

Bill Clinton never once left this continent (as president) for a meeting of any significance unless everything had been worked out in advance by his staff. You would expect me to believe that Ms. Clinton has suddenly become LESS INTELLIGENT than she was when she actually lived in the White House and her husband was the goddamned president? Gimme a break.

[ProSense]

12. The AFL-CIO

was against it.

Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on South Korea Trade Negotiations

President Obama showed today that he is not willing to settle for an inadequate deal that doesn't address the very real concerns of working people and small business. Given the precarious state of our economy, President Obama is exactly right in holding out for a deal that puts working people's interests first. President Obama should keep fighting for a balanced and workable trade deal that will protect the interests of American and Korean workers.

[patrice]

14. In the panoply of issues this President has to integrate in one of the most hostile of political

environments from the right and from the left, I believe that Labor is one that he is trying to make room for, BUT HE WANTS IT TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF, so he doesn't get credit for keeping a place at the table for them.

[treestar]

16. He gets it from both sides

If he gets an agreement together, he "caved" on whatever point got lost with it. If he doesn't, then he "failed" to get an agreement. Sometimes it comes from the same people!