Bill Clinton's biggest ally in fight to boost China trade? Tom Delay

In light of Hillary's claims that the GOP undermined her husband's economic agenda, it's worth recalling what was going on when Bill was pushing for permanant trade normalization with China.

Our old buddy Tom DeLay.

This was one of those bills that paved the way for the hollowing out of the American economy. It is just one reason that Hillary's current posturing seems disingenuous, at best.

Unlikely Alliance Is Formed To Pass Bill on China Trade
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01E6D81038F93AA35756C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1

By ERIC SCHMITT
New York Times
Published: May 9, 2000

After a bill-signing ceremony at the White House a few weeks ago, President Clinton pulled aside an unlikely ally in his fight to win approval for a decisive trade measure with China, the administration's top foreign policy goal.

''We talked about what each of us has to do and we gave each other some advice,'' said Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, the House majority whip and perhaps Mr. Clinton's most venomous critic on Capitol Hill, who refused to divulge details of the private chat in his rare visit to the Oval Office.

With the vote just two weeks away, Mr. DeLay, who led the charge to impeach Mr. Clinton, now finds himself in the improbable role of the president's chief water-carrier in an all-out battle to grant China permanent normal trading privileges.

If the China measure succeeds, and right now the vote is too close to call, it will be largely with the support of Republicans, who are expected to deliver about 150 of the 218 votes needed to pass it. The measure would allow American companies to benefit fully from a market-opening accord that paves the way for China to enter the World Trade Organization. Approval by the Senate appears more certain.

That's why Mr. Clinton needs Mr. DeLay, who as the chief Republican vote-counter brings the power of his vaunted House whip operation as well as his own widely acclaimed -- and feared -- brass-knuckle tactics that have earned him the nickname ''The Hammer.''....

.....Mr. DeLay has even gone out of his way to praise the president's efforts to rally support for the measure. Mr. DeLay's chief of staff, Susan B. Hirschmann, consults regularly with the chief White House lobbyist, Charles M. Brain.

''They've done a good job, and the president's done a very good job,'' Mr. DeLay said. ''He's done exactly what a president should do in getting his points across.''

Administration officials say they are pleased, and relieved, that the bitter rivalry has turned to temporary truce. ''Even though it may seem a little strange, based on other battles we've had, there have been a few flurries of bipartisanship in seven years,'' Commerce Secretary William Daley said today.....

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But at least he's been sent to political Siberia