INDIANAPOLIS - A brief disclaimer at the top of the show was not enough to keep ABC moderator George Stephanopoulos from becoming part of the story on Sunday during his interview with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Stephanopoulos, who worked for President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, opened his interview with the New York senator on his television program “This Week” by referencing his previous employer.

“For any who don’t know, I worked for President Clinton from 1991 to 1996,” he said.

Good thing he established that. It was just what the former first lady needed to highlight her distaste for the North American Free Trade Agreement, which she says she opposed during her husband’s White House years.

“Now, you remember this, because George did work in that ‘92 campaign, and George and I actually were against NAFTA,” she told the audience of voters who were present for the television interview.

“I’m talking about him in his previous life, before he was an objective journalist and didn’t have opinions about such matters.”

The audience laughed but Stephanopoulos showed clear discomfort at her words. He did not confirm whether she or he had opposed the treaty at the time.

Critics say the New York senator has changed her tune on NAFTA to appeal to voters in big manufacturing states that have lost jobs to foreign countries.

Stephanopoulos, who has written a book about his time advising President Clinton, is now the host of ABC’s flagship political program and also substitutes as an anchor for the network’s weekday evening news show.

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Photos: Clinton/Jon Gardiner; Stephanopoulos/Robert Galbraith