OPINION:
NBC anchor Chuck Todd said something very interesting Wednesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Reporting live from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Mr. Todd admitted he and fellow reporters believe that Mrs. Clinton, once elected, will flip and support the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffee did a damaging interview with Politico on Tuesday evening, saying as much: “I worry that if we don’t do TPP, at some point China’s going to break the rules — but Hillary understands this. Once the election’s over, and we sit down on trade, people understand a couple things we want to fix on it but going forward we got to build a global economy.”
Asked if Mrs. Clinton would support the trade deal she and Sen. Bernard Sanders have opposed during the Democratic primary, Mr. McAuliffee said, “Yes. Listen, she was in support of it. There were specific things in it she wants fixed.”
Mr. Todd agrees — and noted most media covering the Clinton campaign agree — that Mrs. Clinton will defy her campaign pledge and ultimately vote for the deal.
“The biggest story yesterday may not have taken place on the floor with the roll-call vote, or Bill Clinton’s speech, it may have been Terry McAuliffe in that pull-aside interview with Politico essentially saying what a lot of reporters believe, what a lot of that us cover her believe, ’Yeah, she’s going to renegotiate TPP, you got to have it.’ “
If this is indeed what “a lot of reporters believe,” then why aren’t they reporting that story line? That Mrs. Clinton is essentially lying in her position of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and can’t be trusted on the issue? That the only reason she made the concession was to win over Mr. Sanders’ supporters?
Instead, Mr. Sanders’ supporters are being told by the mainstream media that Mrs. Clinton can be trusted to live up to the progressive platform they helped build — that they’ve essentially won the war. Now quiet down and give Mrs. Clinton the floor. Stop your protesting and consternation. We need to appear united.
Knowing he gaffed, an aide to Mr. McAuliffe later told Politico the governor doesn’t have any expectation that Mrs. Clinton would change her position on the legislation and she hasn’t told him she would either. Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said Mr. McAuliffe was wrong.
But Donald Trump picked up on the political lies and backstabbing.
“As I have been saying, Crooked Hillary will approve the job killing TPP after the election, despite her statements to the contrary: top adv.,” Mr. Trump tweeted Wednesday.
Mr. Trump had also shared the Politico story in a tweet Tuesday night: “Just like I have warned from the beginning, Crooked Hillary Clinton will betray you on the TPP.”
Seems like there’s not many out there who believe she won’t.
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