DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Hillary Rodham Clinton is distancing herself from President Barack Obama over a contentious trade proposal, encouraging the president to address concerns raised by congressional Democrats and negotiate a better deal with 11 Pacific Rim nations.
The Democratic presidential front-runner told Iowa Democrats Sunday that Obama should seek more concessions as a way to improve the Trans Pacific Partnership and suggested she’d drive a harder bargain than Obama. She is campaigning Monday in New Hampshire.
Clinton has declined to take a firm stance on the trade deal that has split Obama from House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and rank-and-filed Democrats.
One of her chief Democratic rivals in the 2016 race, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, says Clinton should take a stand for or against the deal.