By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt says Senator John Kerry has the best credentials on trade issues of all the Democratic presidential candidates.
In a conference call with reporters today, Gephardt said despite Kerry's yes' vote on the North American Free Trade Agreement a decade ago, Kerry has a stronger trade record than his chief rival, Senator John Edwards.
"As somebody who's been consistently outspoken about NAFTA and these other trade agreements, I didn't hear a peep out of John Edwards on these issues while he was in the Senate until a few months ago," Gephardt said.
Gephardt said mainstream Democrats have gradually come to embrace free trade, but want protections for workers and the environment.
Gephardt plans to campaign for Kerry next week in Ohio and other Super Tuesday states with March 2 primaries.