The media and politicos are ready to move right past the vital issue of U.S. relations with Colombia now that the internal U.S. political issue is resolved. That shows a sad sense of national priorities.
Mark Penn, top advisor to Sen. Clinton, as we know, was thrown overboard--the latest sacrifice of many in the major campaigns this year--because of this high crime: He met with Colombian officials who are supporting a free trade agreement with the United States.
Sen. Clinton supposedly opposes such an agreement, so Penn had to go.
Actually, we all suspect that Sen. Clinton, given her past positions, would like to support the agreement. Colombia is one of our strongest and most exposed allies in Latin America and a bulwark against the far left wing Hugo Chavez in next-door Venezuela. If we want to defeat narco-fascism, South America style, we need to be close friends with Colombia. They have suffered greatly to be our friends. Abuse friends like that and we won't have many others. Mrs. Clinton knows that. Barack Obama knows that.
But union leaders key to the nominating process don't care about it. Their self-interest is regrettable, but understandable. What is more regrettable, and not acceptable, is the reckless position of the two contending Democrats who are putting intra-party posturing ahead of national security. Also not very edifying is the supine media reaction so far. Is politics all that matters now? Is all the news just shadow-boxing?
The story should not be the impropriety of Penn (whatever his own business interests) in meeting with the Colombians, but why Senator Clinton and Senator Obama do NOT back this totally reasonable treaty that is very much in the security interests of the United States. Other than politics, what's their excuse?
