From Politico:
Democrats expect California Congressman Xavier Becerra to fill the slot of United States Trade Representative, JMart reports.
Here's more from CQPolitics.
ADDED:
From Bloomberg.
Also, James Pethokoukis of U.S. News and World Report says:
More to come, but at this point it looks like Becerra is in the Democratic mainstream that has turned its back on the Clinton-era free trade policies.
I think "turned its back" is a bit strong. Arguably, what Democrats like Becerra (and Obama) want to see is some tweaking of the system. But, of course, we'll have to wait and see just how extensive this tweaking is.
More from Bloomberg, and something from ABC News.
David Sirota, a trade critic, likes the choice:
Getting a U.S. Trade Representative who is on record against the NAFTA trade model and with votes against CAFTA and Oman is a huge change from both the Bush administration and the Clinton administration. And it's not just a good pick because it's a change from really bad Trade Representatives, the selection itself is good - and way, way, way better than what it could have been. The selection suggests Obama is serious about reforming our trade policies, and it should be applauded.
I'm not sure why he says it's "better than what it could have been." Was there a candidate out there he didn't like? I'm not sure who he has in mind.
From BusinessWeek:
The news, which has not been officially confirmed by either Becerra’s office or Obama’s, brought mixed reaction. Though he has served for many years on the powerful House Ways & Means Committee, which has oversight over trade issues, he was not known as a strong voice in that area. Even many who follow trade closely had little inkling of who he is or that he was even in the running. “I certainly would not have cited him as a top pick,” says Joanne Thornton, a research analyst who follows trade for institutional broker the Stanford Group. “It’s not a name one generally associates with trade.”
What little is known about his record has raised concerns among business sources and other free trade advocates. “We’re pretty concerned about some of the past statements he’s made on issues such as Nafta,” says one well-plugged in business lobbyist.
...
... not everyone is worried. Robert Vastine, President of the Coalition of Service Industries argues that the pick is very astute politically. He believes Becerra is essentially a free trade advocate who has supported many key trade issues, and that his positions on enforcement, environmental and labor issues fall clearly within the mainstream of the Democratic party now.
MORE:
Apparently, there is a non-trade related controversy around Becerra:
The California congressman in discussions with President-elect Barack Obama to become U.S. trade representative played a role in President Bill Clinton's commuting the prison sentence of a cocaine dealer.
I have no idea if this is anything serious in political terms.
ON CUBA:
From The Hill:
President-elect Obama’s expected choice as trade representative voted to end the trade embargo with Cuba and butted heads with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus after a meeting more than a decade ago with Fidel Castro.
MEETING OBAMA NOW:
From MSNBC:
Democratic sources say California Rep. Xavier Becerra (D) is in Chicago today to meet with President-elect Obama.
FROM THE LA TIMES:
The LA Times does not like the choice:
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) could become the administration's point person on international trade. He's a terrible choice, ... . Becerra is a leader of the Democratic Party's protectionist wing, which opposes NAFTA, the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement and most other trade deals.
A "leader" of the "proectionist wing"? That seems like a bit of an exaggeration.
FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL:
The Sentinel does not like him either:
A protectionist as U.S. trade envoy makes about as much sense as a pacifist as U.S. defense secretary.
Mr. Becerra's selection would be especially unfortunate for Florida, where hundreds of thousands owe their jobs to trade.
It seems to me that people are throwing the word "protectionist" around a bit casually.
MORE CRITICISM:
Would someone who favors tariffs, backs subsidies and opposes free-trade pacts be the best face to put forward as U.S. trade representative? Not in this case.
Becerra is from the Democratic Party's protectionist wing. He has railed against Canada's film industry, which has wooed some producers from his home district in southern California.
