Candidates Claim Consistency on NAFTA

And we finally get to NAFTA, one of the most important issues here in Ohio.

Unfortunately, Clinton gets the question first and promptly has another "change you can Xerox" moment when she referred to the Saturday Night Live skit, suggesting they should get Obama another pillow. While there weren't significant groans from the crowd, the press room let out a round of them.

But onto NAFTA ... the candidates are clearly saying what they know Ohio voters want to hear. Both candidates have supported NAFTA in the past, as was pointed out earlier on MSNBC, and Russert is challenging both candidates on those points.

Unfortunately Obama's and Clinton's answers on NAFTA focus more on their supposed consistency on the issue rather than exactly what they would do about it and how they would like to see it renegotiated, as both expressed would be their first option.

Their continued claims that they have been consistent on this issue (clearly not true for either) are in sharp contrast to Sen. John McCain's brand of "straight talk," which could strike a chord with voters in the general election, especially with the hords of voters who are sick of the Bush administration's doublespeak. If the Democratic nominee continues to claim consistency to save face on this issue and others, he or she might find themselves in trouble.