Chafee accuses Clinton of ‘flip-flop’ on trade deal

by Jesse Byrnes - 10/08/15 4:17 PM ET

Democratic presidential candidate Lincoln Chafee on Thursday accused rival Hillary Clinton of changing her position on a major international trade deal.

“I guess I’m the only Democratic candidate for president standing strong with President Obama on this issue,” Chafee, a former governor of Rhode Island, said during an appearance on CNN.

{mosads}”Yes, it is a flip-flop,” Chafee added of Clinton’s opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), saying voters were interested in “your character and if you can stand strong on an issue.”

Chafee’s remarks come ahead of the first Democratic presidential debate Tuesday, where he and Clinton will share the stage, along with the three other declared Democratic candidates.

Clinton on Wednesday announced her opposition to the TPP, a trade deal between the U.S. and 11 other nations, in a major shift to the left for her campaign.

Democratic rivals including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley also highlighted Clinton’s move to oppose the deal after indicating support while she was secretary of State.

Labor unions, which Clinton is counting on for support, strongly oppose the deal, and she said the agreement fails to meet the “high bar” of creating good jobs.

Chafee on Thursday noted some concerns about rules on currency manipulation not being part of the agreement, an issue Clinton also cited.

“But it’s a good bill, I believe. That’s why I’m supporting it,” Chafee said, mentioning provisions relating to the environment and labor standards.

“You don’t want to say different things to different constituencies,” Chafee said. “You have to be consistent, in my view.”

Tags 2016 Democratic primary Hillary Clinton Lincoln Chafee