Last April, then-Sen. Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton addressed a “Presidential Candidates Forum on Manufacturing” hosted by the AAM in Pittsburgh. 

Both candidates offered their views on U.S. trade policy, including a discussion of China’s illegal currency manipulation. Pittsburgh TV station KDKA filmed the event, and subsequently posted the footage online.

In remembering that frigid spring afternoon in Pittsburgh, ManufactureThis notes President-elect Obama’s strong rhetoric regarding China’s mercantilist trade practices—which have claimed more than 2.3 million U.S. jobs since 2001.

Specifically, at 32:48 into the video footage, the President-elect directly addresses U.S-China trade relations:

“The problem is that, for all the tough talk of George W. Bush, he is a patsy when it comes to negotiating these agreements.  And what we need to do is to just be better bargainers and say look, here’s the bottom line, you guys keep on manipulating your currency, we are going to start shutting off access to some of our markets.”