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Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama stressed Tuesday that he still he plans to move ahead with the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership deal while he's in office despite bipartisan opposition on trade.
"Right now I'm president, and I'm for it," Obama said at a midday press conference with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. "And I think I've got the better argument. I've made this argument before. I'll make it again. We are part of a global economy. We're not reversing that."
The remark seemed a rebuke not only to Donald Trump -- who has lambasted the TPP deal on the campaign trail -- but also Hillary Clinton, who also opposes the plan.
"I've got some very close friends, people I admire a lot, but who I just disagree with them. And that's okay," Obama said. "I respect the arguments that they're making. They're coming from a sincere concern about the position of workers and wages in this country. But I think I've got the better argument."
But Congress has shown little urgency in moving forward with a vote to ratify the deal, leaving in limbo one of Obama's signature foreign policy objectives.
Obama, however, expressed optimism that once the election was over, lawmakers would give the TPP due consideration.
An kick in the face to those Bernie Sanders supporters who hate the TPP
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/02/politics/obama-singapore-state-visit-tpp-trade-deal/
"Right now I'm president, and I'm for it," Obama said at a midday press conference with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. "And I think I've got the better argument. I've made this argument before. I'll make it again. We are part of a global economy. We're not reversing that."
The remark seemed a rebuke not only to Donald Trump -- who has lambasted the TPP deal on the campaign trail -- but also Hillary Clinton, who also opposes the plan.
"I've got some very close friends, people I admire a lot, but who I just disagree with them. And that's okay," Obama said. "I respect the arguments that they're making. They're coming from a sincere concern about the position of workers and wages in this country. But I think I've got the better argument."
But Congress has shown little urgency in moving forward with a vote to ratify the deal, leaving in limbo one of Obama's signature foreign policy objectives.
Obama, however, expressed optimism that once the election was over, lawmakers would give the TPP due consideration.
An kick in the face to those Bernie Sanders supporters who hate the TPP
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/02/politics/obama-singapore-state-visit-tpp-trade-deal/
