Bill Clinton: “Well, we are ready to do business with the democratically chosen leaders of any nations who are willing to deal with us…”

“Well, we are ready to do business with the democratically chosen leaders of any nations who are willing to deal with us on honorable terms consistent with international law. And we are certainly ready to do business there. Let me say that--you may know that my Secretary of Commerce has identified 10 nations which he estimates will be growing rapidly and will provide great economic opportunities for the United States in the years ahead. Both Brazil and Mexico are on that list. And we know that if people govern with an eye toward the interest of their people, they can govern well coming from a wide range of democratic parties. If you look next door in Argentina, when President Menem was elected, coming out of the Peronist legacy, people said, ``Oh, my goodness, what will this Menem do?'' Well, he got the economy straightened out, he opened up the economy to trade, he maintained a strict adherence and support to democratic principles, and he's largely been quite successful by bringing the sort of left and center together, if you will. So whatever decision the people of Brazil make is fine with me as long as we can have that kind of working relationship when the election is over.”