Bill Clinton: “It weakens our ability to get a GATT agreement by the end of the year because--well, let me back up and say I think most…”

“It weakens our ability to get a GATT agreement by the end of the year because--well, let me back up and say I think most farmers know we're worked real hard to open up more European markets and other ag markets. As I said earlier, we're working hard to make some progress in the Asian markets, in Japan, especially, with some of our products. The GATT agreement is critical to that. If we beat NAFTA, then other countries who are reluctant to support GATT will say, ``Well, look at America. They're becoming more protectionist. Why shouldn't we?'' On the other hand, if we pass NAFTA, it will dramatically increase our credibility in the GATT negotiations. And it will reinforce our commitment and, I think, give a lot of courage to people in the European countries who want to do the same thing. The truth is that we've had so many hard economic years that nearly everybody thinks we're in a sort of a win-lose situation, that there's no such thing as a win-win trade agreement. But no wealthy country, whether it's the United States or the European countries or Japan and Asia, can grow and increase incomes unless you increase the volume of world trade. That's the only way we can do it today. So we need the GATT agreement. It will help us in the short run, in terms of jobs, even more than NAFTA because it involves so many more people. Over the long run, NAFTA's going to help us because it will bring in all of Latin America. But if we don't adopt NAFTA in November, it's going to be hard to get the GATT done in December. And I can't promise that every country is going to agree in December, regardless. But we will have a much, much better chance to pass that GATT deal if Congress will adopt NAFTA. And that's a huge thing for America's jobs and incomes.”