>> first i would not tell that i worked for ustr for 30 years.[laughter] i think one of the points that ken made earlier, that's what i thought he he would go first, is let's look at the facts and let's have a review and let's look at what these agreements do and what they don't do. yoyou know, one of the unfortune things about tpp for example, if it was concluded and the middle of a presidential campaign season. that was not the plan. we were going to concluded a lot earlier but we were great negotiator and we knew the deal that was on the table to your earlier wasn't the one we were prepared to take on. so we waited, okay? we got the good you but, unfortunately, the timing was really bad and tpp kind of became the manifestation of everything that was wrong with trade and wrong with globalization. so when people were on the floor of the various campaigns with their anti-tpp posters, if you asked any of them what were in tpp, no one willing to a no one really cared. what i would recommend kind of take a step back, look at what's in this agreement

. >> first, i wouldn't tell them him i work for ustr for 30 years. i think one of the points made earlierearlier, that's what i tt he would go first, is let's look at the facts and let's have a review and let's look at what these agreements do and what they don't do. you know, one of the unfortunate things about tpp, for example, is that it was concluded in the middle of a presidential campaign season. that was not the plan. we were going to concluded a lot earlier but we were great negotiators and we knew the deal that was on the table two years earlier wasn't one we were prepared to take home. so we waited, okay? we got a good deal but a fortune the timing was really bad and tpp kind of became the manifestation of everything that was wrong with trade and wrong with globalization. so when people were on the floor of the various campaigns with their anti-tpp posters, if you asked any of them what was in tpp no one really knew and no one really cared. and so i think what i would recommend is kind of take a step back, look at what's in this agreement,

margaret: ustr really comes from a range. it depends on who the president's.sident obama's case, before going to ustr, playing this role. , it certainly helps, particularly in president-elect trump's case, to have someone with that private sector background, keeping not only with the tasks of ustr, but the ways you approach the entire cabinet selection process, but you tr is very heavily staffed is a veryhas -- ustr heavily staffed group. it has an ambassador level posting. it really depends on what president-elect trump wants to do, but with this position and on trade, but i think the symbolism cannot be overlooked. it is not as a she does not have skills and qualifications, but to say that symbolism, if in fact that is the direction in which he goes, is very important. anchor: in terms of the cabinet positions now yet to fill, we have some headlines today that there are some folks who met with president elect trump in florida as possible contenders to had the veterans affairs department, including the head of the cleveland clinic. what do we know in terms of

but apparently they're not doing a good enough job, at least according to the ustr.t is interesting to me, jim, based on our previous conversation prior to the break they would bring in the current political climate in their statement. you just have to wonder with peter navarro advising on china with so many other things that clearly are articulating a very different approach to china from the incoming administration. >> yes. >> what things are going to be like, whether it is for an alibaba or an apple to your previous point about having a lot of employment over the country, or nike, so many. this has to be a key consideration. >> that's why i've been calling it a risk factor. listen, here's a new risk factor you have to think. for instance, alphabet doesn't have that risk factor, they don't do business in china. you should give that a higher premium than a company that does a tremendous amount of china but doesn't make it there. a proctor & gamble, we got another downgrade on proctor, nothing in it about china. but i would say that's a very big risk. they have a ver

. >> the only thing i would say is that i would say that ustr has some of the best trade negotiatorsin the world. i know, if worked with a lot of them for a long time. that's it. >> we needed negotiating in front of us was indeed added an executive level and who is fully empowered. that works both ways. so we also from our partners. but you don't have a negotiator in every country so we have to adapt. >> hello. i'm right within said u.s. trade. tpp, t tip, these steels didn't seem to come to a halt or be put in the freezer as i believe the popular metaphor is for the most part because of downturn -- before that tpp the congressional fight was struggling before that. so what can be done with each of these different trade negotiations in the plural laterals to move them forward with a new administration other than just the education process. other parts that can be taken away whether it's japan bilateral. >> i guess people will take the question under advisement and come back. this'll probably be, this might be the last one. >> that name alone sets let's you know i'm coming to the ques

ustr worked it very diligently. i still think if we're serious about going after china on intell intellectual property and protections, then we ought to be aggressively pursuing and concluding a bilateral investment treaty with china. i would go straight toward that issue rather than play it on the sides or merely through the wto. that's one offense. i would take a second one. >> we will take questions from the audience. anything from the trade agreement? >> okay. good to see you, chairman. >> thanks. >> now that tpp is on hold for the future, we don't know how long, the obama administration still has some trade initiatives that they are negotiating or trying to finish by the end of this year. maybe you could comment on tisa and ega and where you see those going, even concluding maybe. also, do they need congressional approval? >> i hope they do conclude, i think the environmental goods agreements in closer to the finish line there. china still needs to step forward in a major way. europe has to as well to make sure

they have delegated that responsibility to the office of the president through the ustr.o matter what the president might do ustr still reports to both the house, weighs and means committee and senate finance committees and those chair men typically have a very strong say in the operation of that office. now, we worked hand in hand with our colleagues at the state department and at the department of commerce. but for whoever president-elect trump may pick the one thing all of our partners around the globe will look at is does this person have the president's confidence or are they having to work through commerce or state? >> a couple of picks apparently on the short list are david mccormick who we just named there and wayne berman along with a couple of others. these are private sector figures but i'm sure you would say it helps to have experience in the business world particularly one where you are doing business abroad to be able to be an effective trade rep. does somebody with more specialized interest need to hold this kind of position? >> there has been a mix of both

the ustr is not saying that alibaba hasn't tried. they're just saying it is not enough. caroline: bob, fascinating reading your bio. you've been on lists for the most influential tech analysts out there. are you thinking it could be politically motivated? bob: i think it is a little early to say that. the trump administration is not in office yet. given that, there's going to be some influence toward that. i think you have to look at the legitimate nature of the issue. in china, the idea of using other people's ip to make products is rampant and it has been. i'm not saying that alibaba is the culprit, but as the largest provider of goods through their bao store, they are participating in a climate of copyright infringement. caroline: how much do customers care? how much will that limit growth in the united states? bob: there are people who specifically look for low-cost knockoffs of major brands. owner,i'm a major brand i want to be somewhat in control of that. the situation you have with alibaba as they continue to grow their influence and try to make a big statement in

. >> he was ustr for george w. bush. he said i will run on policy. he was a gentlemen. he was one of the darkest figures we see coming out was when evangelicals who flies in the face. >> i think it was pew that came out and said morality marries. it was difficult for that faction of the right to have any moral? >> justice scalia is a small part. they knew what was on the ballot and the seat is vacant and they voted the interest, not that. >> does that mean without the opening? do you think then evangelicals would have been less supportive? >> absolutely. 100%. >> i disagree. >> that's fascinating. >> they supported him in the primary. >> they did, but scalia died in january, i believe. >> a lot of the evangelical voters, they knew trump was not one of them. they talked about the cracker, but he was a threat. they saw the state as a threat and he was a hammer to the state. someone who truly disrupted the state on religious liberty fronts and others. >> i don't think you can ignore that trump said he was going to ban all muslims and a lot of people responded to that. a lo

spicer: i've been at ustr. my wife, who is in the audience, was at the white house at the same time. i said, you know, how does one become the easter bunny? she said, sara armstrong is the head of the visitor's office and she decides. really? i emailed her and said, can i do the easter bunny? are you serious? i said, yeah. how cool would that be? she's like, yes. i said, can rebecca be the handler? she is like, yes. i will tell you all though that , the same costume that you see has been around i think since kennedy. mr. sherman: you're kidding me. mr. spicer: let's just say it need as little dry cleaning. you're going to want to get in early when you're the white house chief. the early morning shift is where it's at. because i will tell you, once the sun comes out, it is not the place to be. mr. sherman: we will leave it on that i think. ms. palmer: yes. thank you so much. mr. spicer: happy birthday. ms. palmer: for coming here. [applause] ms. palmer: coming to play. we appreciate your candor. and we want to t

joined the policy institute following three decades as a diplomat and negotiator in the office of the ustrand served as the acting deputy working on a range of u.s. trade negotiations and initiatives in the asia-pacific region. anabel gonzalez is with the world bank group and surface coaster rica's minister of foreign trade which led efforts to join the oecd on the major trade agreements to contribute to attracting over 140 new projects. her time has more than 15 years of service with the foreign trade which has various positions. damien levie is the head of the section of the european union delegation here in washington, d.c.. before coming here he was a member of the cabinet of the trade commission and also the head of the usa canada team of the director general fodirectort the european commission since 2001. bobby pittman is the managing director focused on africa most recently he was the president of infrastructure private sector and regional integration development bank from 2009 to 2012. he previously held the positions that the government agencies where he also worked on a variety o

this is a new recognition i can say through my years of working at ustr, there were at first throughhe years to really convey the benefits and a much more and a understandable form. from my perspective what is need and really talking about pacific plans, specific workers and getting small businesses out there and command the benefits in a much more tangible way. that is extremely helpful. i also think that the time is coming for the global trading system partners to kind of get together and just talk about this whole issue of globalization, share experiences , share information on adjustment programs that they are putting into effect the work, that don't work. the old social safety net issue really needs to be focused on and i think it is something that everyone could benefit from learning what others do. >> i think that when these suggestions very much made a point. i think deconstruct teen to globalization where bradley is important because if you look at what's going on in different regions, there are different aliment that are basis that the opposition. some of it is related beyo

i've been at ustr. my wife, who is in the audience, was at the white house at the same time. i said, you know, how does one become the easter bunny? she said, ar sa -- sara armstrong is the head of the visitor's office and she decides. really? i emailed her and said, can i do the easter bunny? are you serious? i said, yeah. how cool would that be? she's like, yes. i said, can rebecca be the handler? she said, yes. i will tell you, though, that the same costume that you see has been around i think since kennedy. let's just say it need as little dry cleaning. you're going to want to get in early when you're the white house -- the early morning shift is where it's at. because i will tell you, once the sun comes out, it is not the place to be. mr. sherman: we'll leave it on that, i think. ms. palmer: yes. thank you so much. mr. spicer: happy birthday. ms. palmer: for coming here. [applause] coming to play. we appreciate your candser. and we want to thank all of you here in the audience and in live stream for joining us and thank you again to bank of america for their continued pa