Democrats and labor unions have been working for months to stop a trade deal that would injure American workers, but Hillary Clinton has remained silent on the Trans-Pacific Partnership until today, when she said President Obama should ‘listen to’ Nancy Pelosi, who recently derailed his pending Asian trade pact.

After House Democrats stopped legislation that would give the White House power to “fast-track” the Trans-Pacific Partnership and future trade agreements via an up-or-down vote without amendment, Clinton said that the deal should be altered to include more protections for American workers.

“In order to get a deal that meets these high standards, the President should listen to and work with his allies in Congress, starting with Nancy Pelosi, who have expressed their concerns about the impact that a weak agreement would have on our workers, to make sure we get the best, strongest deal possible,” Clinton said at a rally in Des Moines.

Clinton’s remarks were weak and her position stands in sharp contrast with that of rival candidate Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who recently said the Democratic front runner should weigh in on trade “right now” and progressives are getting frustrated by her failure to do so.

Sanders said while Clinton touched on some important issues during a launch party for her campaign at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Sunday, she forgot to mention the billionaires who are destroying the middle class.

“I request to her, that she speak out on this Trans Pacific Partnership. It was defeated on Friday in the House,” said Sanders. “Corporate America and Wall Street will be bringing it up again next week. I really urge her to speak out in opposition to a continuation of disastrous trade policies, which have allowed corporations to shut down America.”

Clinton indicated that if she were president, she would not abandon the 12-nation Pacific trade deal. Sanders flatly opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as do many labor unions and other progressive Democrats.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat who represents Massachusetts, will benefit the biggest multinational corporations in the world at the expense of American workers, consumers, small businesses and taxpayers.

Clinton has been criticized by Republicans and some Democrats for saying so little about trade in recent weeks, especially since she had made favorable comments about the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal as secretary of state.

Many Democratic primary voters have grave misgivings about agreements similar to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which President Bill Clinton signed.

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