JU Economics Prof. Hassan Pordeli comments to media about President Obama’s Jacksonville visit

Hassan Pordeli, Jacksonville University professor of economics and finance, offered perspective to The Florida Times-Union on President Barack Obama’s visit to the JaxPort cruise ship terminal Thursday, July 25.

Dr. Hassan Pordeli

Obama is championing his economic proposals in a national tour, and Pordeli told reporter Drew Dixon that presidents often push economic campaigns. He noted that Obama’s focus on business could help bolster the current economic recovery.

The publicity for Jacksonville can’t be overlooked, either, Pordeli said.

“Anytime a president visits a community and a city, it is definitely important,” he said in the article. “This trip is an encouraging sign that he may be very supportive of JaxPort and the city. Although Jacksonville’s recovery is doing better than the state or the country.”

Obama won Florida in the 2012 election, and Pordeli said a little presidential payback might be expected.

“I know Florida was very instrumental in his re-election,” Pordeli told Dixon. “So he came back to this state to see if he can reciprocate.”

Read the entire article here.