I just spoke very briefly to Austan Goolsbee, the Obama campaign economic advisor who CTV has identified as the aide who purportedly suggested to the Canadian government officials that Obama’s harsh rhetoric against NAFTA was less than heartfelt. I asked Goolsbee if any such meeting or call had taken place.
“It is a totally inaccurate story,” he said. “I did not call these people and I direct you to the press office.”
The Obama campaign, and Obama himself, have also said the story isn’t accurate, but have mostly avoided specifics about the call itself.
The Clinton campaign, correctly sensing an opportunity to make hay of this in labor-centric Ohio, is apparently unsatisfied with those denials, and will have a conference call on the CTV report at noon.
