To the Point

Democratic Debate and the Free Trade Argument

Last night-s debate was a California affair in style as well as location, with four candidates and three panelists seated around a table with no rules against interruption, personal comments or physical touching. One of the issues raised was free trade, and with millions of jobs going overseas, Democratic candidates are holding the Bush administration to blame. But the globalized economy looked great during the Clinton years, and economists insist that free trade will create jobs, even if that takes a long time. John Kerry and John Edwards want -fair trade,- a formula to change the rules of free trade without losing the benefits. Are they walking a tight rope between good populist politics and good economics? We hear several viewpoints from pollsters, political analysts and an international investment banker from Goldman Sachs Making News: Deal Reached to End Grocery Strike Some 70,000 grocery workers have been on strike in Southern California for the past 5 months. Yesterday, John Kerry walked a picket line at one of 852 markets where business has been disrupted. Last night, there was word that settlement had finally been reached. Kent Wong, director of the Center for Labor Research and Education at UCLA, has more on what is expected to be a two-tiered settlement that will likely have national implications. Reporter's Notebook: Dark-Horse Candidate Dennis Kucinich Getting a major political party's presidential nomination is all about winning delegates to the nominating convention. In the Democratic race thus far, John Kerry has about 675, John Edwards 200, Howard Dean, who's dropped out, has 188. Al Sharpton is still in with just 15 or 16, and Dennis Kucinich's delegate total is 8 or 10. Why is he still in the race? We speak with dark-horse candidate Dennis Kucinich about his politics and his platform.