President Obama’s former White House chief of staff, Bill Daley, criticized Hillary Clinton’s past remarks that corporations and businesses don’t create jobs during an appearance Tuesday on CNBC, saying that was "obviously not accurate."
"Don’t let anybody tell you that, you know, it’s corporations and businesses that create jobs," Clinton said during remarks in 2014 in Massachusetts on behalf of Martha Coakley, who eventually lost her gubernatorial race.
Squawk Box host Joe Kernen brought Clinton’s comment up to Daley, who was secretary of commerce during the Bill Clinton administration, wondering if she simply misspoke when she made that statement.
"She just misspoke or something?" Kernen asked.
"I think it obviously is not accurate," Daley said. "Corporations, the private sector, whether you’re a large corporation or small, creates the jobs. The government may set the tone for greater job creation or less job creation, but it’s the private sector. The government’s got a lot of jobs, obviously."
"So she knows that?" Kernen asked.
"Absolutely," Daley said. "Look at her history. She’s getting beat up right now in this convention by many people and did in the primary for being too moderate and not far left enough. She’s practical."
Daley and Kernen noted that the Republican and Democratic Parties had both moved significantly in recent years. Kernen said there seems to be bipartisan opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal being pushed by President Obama. Clinton did a complete flip-flop with her position on the agreement to avoid getting outflanked by primary opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), saying she now opposes it after championing it while she worked in the Obama administration.
Daley said opposing TPP was a mistake.
"I just got back from Asia, and there’s no doubt that if there isn’t a greater economic closeness between us and our allies and friends in Asia, China will step into that void," Daley said. "I think the president was right. Is it a perfect deal? No, it isn’t. To blame all job loss for the last 30 years or 40 years on NAFTA and trade deals is kind of crazy, in my opinion."