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Anderson Cooper Grills Hillary Clinton for Her Flip-Flops

October 13, 2015

On the very first question in the first Democratic debate on CNN Tuesday night, Anderson Cooper highlighted Hillary Clinton's policy changes over the years.

"Everyone changes over the years but even some Democrats believe you change your positions for political expediency," Cooper said to Clinton. After listing a number of her flip-flops, Cooper asked, "Will you say anything to get elected?"

Clinton alleged her switches were not due to political calculation, but because of new information given to her over the years.

"With all due respect, the question is really about political expediency," Cooper responded. "Just in July in New Hampshire you said you take a back seat to no one when it comes to progressive values. Last month in Ohio you pleaded guilty to 'being kind of moderate and centered.' Do you change your political identity based on who you're talking to?"

Clinton's record has come to question recently due to her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which she was a principal negotiator of as secretary of state. She previously referred to the deal as the "gold standard" of trade agreements, but recently switched her position under pressure from labor unions.

Other than TPP, Clinton has been accused of flip-flopping on same-sex marriage, immigration reform, the Iraq War, criminal justice reform, and the Keystone XL pipeline.