Obama, AFL-CIO Convention, Hoffa on Clinton and NAFTA

Obama told the AFL-CIO gathering that he will oppose pacts that threaten U.S. jobs. "What I refuse to accept is that we have to sign trade deals like the South Korea Agreement that are bad for American workers," Obama said.

Speaking to the same unions a day earlier, Clinton said as first lady she had forcefully battled the agreement President Clinton labored hard to win. "I did speak out and oppose NAFTA," she said. "I raised a big yellow flag and said, 'I don't think this will work.'"

Teamsters president James P. Hoffa, who is backing Obama, disputed her claim. "No one who was around in the time of NAFTA remembers her doing that," Hoffa told The Associated Press during a telephone interview. "Let's face it, she's tied to NAFTA no matter what she says."