Obama: Elizabeth Warren Is Simply Wrong On TPP

[Jim Lane]

93. Total straw man argument.

You capably refuted the argument that Elizabeth Warren is infallible. Too bad for you that I didn't make that argument.

Now, turning to what I actually wrote -- I notice that you completely ignore it. I looked at the available information and pointed out that it's totally inadequate to support what Obama said. It was on that basis that I called his comment a smear.

You have elsewhere defended the secrecy of the negotiations. My point is that you can't have it both ways. If everything's a secret (because these deals are always done in secret) and no one knows what the final will look like and the horrible drafts that have been leaked are merely drafts and the last couple months of negotiations might completely change the work of more than four years -- BTW, all of these points have been made on DU in response to criticism of TPP and TPA -- then there's no basis for saying that the final TPP will benefit the middle class or improve workers' rights in Asian countries or do any other wonderful thing.

The secrecy and nonfinality can't be a one-way street. Supporters can't tout the advantages of the deal but then suppress any discussion of disadvantages on the basis of the arguments I listed above.

And all of that would be true if Elizabeth Warren had decided ten years ago to move to New Zealand and raise sheep. It's not about her personally or about Obama personally.