HE’S PROVING TO BE USEFUL: Bernie Sanders tries to shame Clinton into voicing her opinion on free trade, other key issues.

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton spent Thursday ducking questions about a trade bill before Congress, as her chief rival for the nomination said it was embarrassing to see the party’s leading candidate hide from the biggest issues of the day.

The former secretary of state has avoided the trade issue for months, keeping mum rather than choosing sides in a debate that has split the Democratic Party. But the pressure on her to speak out peaked as the legislation headed to a House vote Friday.

“SecretaryClinton, if she is against this, we need her to speak out right now — right now,” declared Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bernard Sanders, who has spearheaded opposition to the free trade measure.

“You can be for it or against it. But I don’t understand how on an issue of such huge consequences you don’t have an opinion,” he said Thursday at a breakfast meeting with reporters in Washington hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. . . .

He said Mrs. Clintonalso owes it to voters to answer questions about climate change, domestic spying by the National Security Agency, the Keystone XL oil pipeline and the political dominance of America’s billionaire class, which also are issues where Mr. Sanders has lead the charge and areas where liberal activists mistrustMrs. Clinton.

“Those are issues. I respect the secretary. But I would like to see a civil, intelligent debate,” he said.

Yeah, “a civil, intelligent debate” isn’t exactly Clinton’s forte. But it’s fun to watch Sanders call out Clinton’s pusillanimity.