Bhagwati on Kerry’s trade positions

While fellow free trader Daniel Drezner says he’s leaning towards Kerry (and has zero probability of voting for Alan Keyes), his latest blog notes a couple of places where Jadesh Bhagwati has expressed concern about John Kerry’s rhetoric on trade and outsourcing. Dan asks the following question of Kerry supporters who also are for free trade:

if Kerry were to actually get elected, would he prove to be a prisoner of his own protectionist rhetoric, or be able to tack back towards a more trade-friendly position because he burnished his protectionist bona-fides with his campaign rhetoric?

As a free trade Democrat, I have to admit that’s a very good question.