BACKING NAFTA: Republican John McCain said the desire by Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement would jeopardize crucial military support from Canada. McCain used a town hall-style meeting Friday at Dell Inc. headquarters in Texas to emphasize his support for NAFTA. The effects of the trade pact are still debated, but studies indicate the deal has resulted in record exports from Texas to Canada and Mexico.
OFFICER REMEMBERED: Sen. Hillary Clinton was among the thousands of people who attended funeral services Friday in Plano, Texas, for Senior Cpl. Victor Lozada, 49, the Dallas police officer killed Feb. 22 as he helped escort Clinton’s motorcade.
HUCKABEE’S PITCH: Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee was in Ft. Worth on Friday trying to woo Texas voters ahead of Tuesday’s primary. Although Texas Gov. Rick Perry is urging him to get out of the race, Huckabee said that is a non-factor. Perry is backing presumed GOP nominee John McCain. “They didn’t get me in the race, so they can’t get me out of the race,” Huckabee said.
BOOK MANIA: Sales have exploded for the books by Sen. Barack Obama. According to Nielsen BookScan, which tracks about 70 percent of the industry’s sales, combined sales for the Democratic presidential candidate’s “Dreams From My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope” were averaging more than 35,000 a week in late February.
