Hillary Clinton Remains Silent as Trade Deal Nears Senate Vote

[Purveyor]

As trade authority advocates seek 10 Democratic votes, pressure is building on Clinton.

May 12, 2015 10:54 AM EDT

As Senate Democrats mull whether to vote for President Obama's trade agenda in a vote Tuesday, the leading presidential candidate from their party is maintaining her silence.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has not answered reporters' questions in 21 days, has wavered in her opinion on trade over the years. On the pending legislation, she has remained largely quiet aside from a statement several weeks ago.

In April, Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill issued a statement simply saying that any deal would need to protect American workers and strengthen national security.

“She will be watching closely to see what is being done to crack down on currency manipulation, improve labor rights, protect the environment and health, promote transparency, and open new opportunities for our small businesses to export overseas,” Merrill said.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-12/hillary-clinton-remains-silent-as-trade-deal-nears-senate-vote

[djean111]

1. "Watching closely" - same things as "we have to have a conversation" - those feints got old.

[upaloopa]

2. Is Hillary voting on TPP today? Is she the President

negotiating TPP this week?
What the hell else can she and every one of us do but watch what is happening?

[yurbud]

6. that's like the Bush admin excuse, "we can't comment on an ongoing investigation"

[cui bono]

7. She's running for president. She should tell people where she stands on something

of this magnitude, especially when she had a hand in crafting it. People should know what they would be getting with her.

If she doesn't want the public to know her stance or if she doesn't have a stance then she should reconsider running.

[upaloopa]

8. She is running her campaign as she sees

fit. There is no way in hell she is going to do what everyone and anyone wants at any given point in time.

[cui bono]

9. "running her campaign as she sees fit". EXACTLY! If that's the way she's going to run her campaign

I sure as fuck don't want her to be president! That way is not the way to gain the trust and support of the people. But then that may not be what she wants.

I can see you are a staunch defender of hers by your post, but do you really believe candidates should not state their positions on things of this nature? When they were SOS and helped craft something like this?

Seriously, pretend it was Rand Paul, would you defend his silence and secrecy regarding his position on something like this? Be honest.

[upaloopa]

13. Look you obviously are not a Hillary

supporter so you have nothing good to say
I am a supporter so we disagree

[cui bono]

14. No, I disagree with you thinking a candidate does not need to state their position

on a very important issue that will have a huge impact on a lot of people and the environment.

That's why I asked you if you would feel the same way if it were a Republican candidate. I feel the same way no matter who the candidate is. That's the whole point of a campaign, to let people know what you stand for and then let them decide if you are the candidate they want to vote for.

Why is that so unimportant to you? How can you possibly know you want to vote for someone if they don't tell you exactly where they stand on such a big issue?

[upaloopa]

15. Like I said, Hillary is running her campaign and I am sure when the time is right she will say where

she stands on this and every other issue. She is not a Senator voting and she is not the President. I am sorry her schedule doesn't fit with yours.

[cui bono]

19. So you don't want to discuss the topic of running a campaign without defending Hillary.

Fine.

Your rudeness is noted. Especially since you were giving me "advice" about living up to my candidate's example in another post.

[TheNutcracker]

3. So true. Only a candidate not ready could get away with this. Clinton will not.

[Maedhros]

4. Hillary's campaign can see which way the wind is blowing,

and right now it's blowing against the international trade agreement that their candidate helped craft and staunchly supports. So they have to lay low, lest a can of worms be opened.

[Hoyt]

5. Actually Clinton has stated her position clearly.

a statement Friday, Clinton's Democratic presidential campaign said she believes that any new trade measure should "protect American workers, raise wages and create more good jobs at home." The agreement should also "strengthen our national security," the campaign said.

Clinton thinks the U.S. should reject any final deal that does not satisfy those criteria, the statement said. "The goal is greater prosperity and security for American families, not trade for trade's sake," according to the campaign.

More specifically, the statement said, she will be "watching closely to see what is being done to crack down on currency manipulation, improve labor rights, protect the environment and health, promote transparency and open new opportunities for our small businesses to export overseas."

http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-cautious-obamas-pacific-trade-deal-210124099--election.html

I get many here would rather she beat up on Obama, but her statement is clear to anyone who is actually listening.

[cui bono]

10. Too bad the TPP does none of that so she should be able to express her opposition to it.

she believes that any new trade measure should "protect American workers, raise wages and create more good jobs at home." The agreement should also "strengthen our national security,"

You know, you really should change your user name to Hoot.

[Hoyt]

11. Something tells me you wouldn't know whether it does it or not.

[cui bono]

12. Something? Are inanimate objects speaking to you?

[upaloopa]

16. You should stick to the the issues and candidates. Insulting other DUers is not a way to

show us what a good person Bernie is. We know what a good man he is now live up to his example.

[cui bono]

18. That was hardly an insult. Sorry you have such thin skin.

You should heed your own advice of living up to examples. You're pretty rude yourself.

[geek tragedy]

17. Clinton refuses to make strategic blunder.

Getting involved in an intra-party food fight is not what her job is at this point.

If she were in office, of course it would be a different story.

[quadrature]

20. HRC needs to stay on the plantation

(sarcasm)

hey Hillary,
keep up the good work.

[woo me with science]

21. kick and rec

[Populist_Prole]

22. If she was against it, she would have already said so by now

Though I doubt she would proclaim support of it at this juncture.

Classic triangulation.