A whole lot of campaign promises were made....
in states like west Virginia to impose a steel tariff. Seemed to work too ;-)
Bush dug himself a hole with that one and really is in a no-win situation.
Either defend your principles, of which free trade was one, or pay the piper for your political promises.
On the other hand, much of the steel coming into the country is cheap because it is state subsisided, so it aint exactly free trade anyway.
Tony