There's little question that the 2008 U.S. Presidential election will have a significant impact on future U.S. trade policy and bilateral/multilateral trade negotiations in general. Here's what the three leading Democratic candidates (listed alphabetically, to avoid any suggestion of favoritism) have had to say, or had said about them, recently. I haven't come across much on the issue from the main Republicans, but will post on it if I see it.
[Clinton] also addressed the NAFTA agreement, saying President Bush has mishandled the economy, and that the nation needs a new approach to negotiating trade agreements, including the addition of labor and environmental standards.
Edwards, who asserted himself as a strong union supporter, said repealing the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and strengthening negotiation rights for employees on strike will benefit American workers.
In the biggest trade vote during his Senate tenure, Mr. Obama voted against the 2005 Central American Free Trade Agreement, along with many other Democrats. But aides said Mr. Obama isn't planning to campaign on antitrade rhetoric, as some Democrats did in the 2006 congressional elections.
