Politico Quotes Senior Advisor Gregory J. Mastel on Obama Trade Agenda
Senior International Trade/Tax Advisor Gregory J. Mastel was quoted in the Politico article “President Barack Obama Amps up Personal Trade Pitch.” The article outlines President Obama’s efforts to push his trade agenda. Mr. Mastel notes that President Clinton may have set the standard when he was working to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement. “I honestly don’t think it could have passed without his concerted effort,” he said. “By that I mean he called members personally, talked to them one-on-one and in groups. He must have spent a couple hundred hours personally rounding up votes, which is a whole lot of time for a president.” Mr. Mastel also commented on what Obama will have to accomplish, noting that, “The number I’ve heard is [Obama] needs to get 40 Democrats in the House. That’s a piece of work. Not impossible, but far from easy,” Mastel said.
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