I so hope that "Big Ed"Shultz is right - saying this about the Keystone pipeline just now:

[Mira]

he says he heard that President Obama has made up his mind, and that the answer will be "no".

Is is OK to just hope and pray and have no link ?

[NightWatcher]

1. I doubt that's the case. I bet he'll pass it on his way out

[malaise]

2. I heard that

Waiting for him to discuss this later in the program.
Love the discussion on the oligarchs.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Oh boy. I'm right there with you, my dear Mira.

If he says NO, I will forgive him many things.

[Mira]

5. ...

[bigwillq]

4. I hope it is a "No"

We'll have to wait and see.

[randys1]

6. He cant, he must not, he will not..

[Enthusiast]

7. I would like to believe that.

[rhett o rick]

8. I am sure some here will be happy in either case. I hope he turns it down. nm

[oneofthe99]

9. No way , big money is running the show on this one

This was a done deal before it even started.

[Larkspur]

10. A Trial Balloon from an unnamed WH source?

Or maybe the WH has been watching the Cowboys & Indian Alliance protest. It is great seeing tipis, horses and wagons on the Washington Mall.

If it's true, I applaud President Obama, but we've heard these types of statements from unnamed sources before and have been let down. However, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he himself will say "No!" to the XL pipeline. I don't expect a statement until after the election.

Ed Schultz has done a terrific job about the Keystone Pipeline. He originally was for it citing transportation security issues of moving oil by rail, but to his credit, he went out to the contested area and spoke to the people along the route. I applaud the Indians who drove 6+ hours to meet Ed and ask him to air their story, which he did.

[Mira]

12. Good background info

about Ed -thanks

[Bluenorthwest]

11. I think it is more than OK to hope, always. Hope is the thing with feathers....

And although I am always hesitant to predict the future I will say that my sense of the President on this is in line with what Ed says he heard. I will join you in hope.

[lillypaddle]

13. I think President Obama will say "no"

Just heard the same thing on Ed's show. He isn't one to just say things without a pretty good feel for the truth of it. Fingers crossed!

[proverbialwisdom]

14. Listen carefully.

http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/jdi4wk/gina-mccarthy

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy
April 21, 2014 (7:20)

[mucifer]

20. wow thanks!

[YOHABLO]

15. If it is ''NO" Wallstreet won't be happy .. you know the guys that run the country.

[karynnj]

16. I think it may be the case, but doubt Obama has said anything

Listening to things John Kerry has said on GENERAL environmental issues both this week and for years, his own personal inclination would be a no. He has said that he has spoken to no one on this -- jokingly adding that even Teresa does not know. However, he has been an environmentalist since at least 1970.

I would not be surprised if the risk of major catastrophe of a pipeline break ALONE would be reason enough.

Obama has not been someone who has made the environment a major issue - still it has to be chilling to know that a major leak is almost certain to happen -- and the right AND the left will call it part of his legacy.

Read between the lines in this WP piece - the assumption there is that the delayed decision will be a "no" = look at the last paragraph saying they will have to wait until after the 2016 election for Keystone. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/04/22/the-insiders-the-presidents-cynical-keystone-xl-strategy/


One ironic thing is that saying "no" after the election could make this a big issue for 2016. HRC was the SoS who gave the role of evaluating the impact to industry alligned people, but she has the ability to say that SHE never approved it. It seemed to some of us that that might have been done to keep her clear of blame from the left. However, if Obama rejects it, I would bet the first thing that happens is ALL 2016 possibilities in both parties will be asked.

Because it will be an issue in the primaries, the question is whether Clinton would say she will not change the decision. (If not, it might not be enough to help someone else beat her because Democrats themselves are pretty equally split in the only poll I saw showing numbers by party. I have not ever met a Democrat for it, but I can't ignore the only poll I saw.)

[rosesaylavee]

17. The delay is in effect killing it.

The TransCanada group is also building a pipeline to the Canadian West Coast that was going to replace the Keystone XL eventually anyway. Ruining our water aquifers was only a stopgap for them while they built another pipeline to ruin the western province's water supplies.

The concern remains that CO2 released by using that oil will pretty much put the nail in our climate crisis. So, that needs to be the next focus.

[madville]

21. Another thing to consider

There are already pipelines in use that transport this product from Canada to the Gulf Coast. They also transport this product by rail which it is argued uses more fossil fuel by volume than a pipeline.

I think the overall environmental impact is a wash in the end, they'll get their product out to a ship somewhere and it will get used. The big beneficiaries are the people who don't have to look at that pipeline in their backyard and worry about a spill.

I also just learned that the Southern half of the Keystone pipeline is already finished and in use, transporting this Canadian crude to the Texas Gulf ports as we speak starting in Oklahoma where it is received via existing pipelines that cross the border.

It's mostly turned into a political and PR event at this point in my opinion.

[mopinko]

18. imho, he has always said no.

just let the discussion carry on till everyone accepted that the answer was no.

[freshwest]

19. He's made the case against the pipeline every year with every CR. That won't overcome the meme.

When 2017 comes and he still hasn't done it, someone else will be despised. SSDD.

[Drunken Irishman]

22. If Obama was going to say yes, he'd say yes now. No point in extending it the decision...

I could be wrong, but politically, he's not going to be dinged by saying yes. Most red state Dems support the line, as even Alison Grimes just came out in support of it. If he was going to say yes, now would be the time to do it - because he'd give help to those Dems in conservative states who've come out in support of it. Moreover, the polls are very favorable to it and even though the left could revolt, the damage for not supporting it, especially in the red states, would be far bigger than the damage that could be done by pouting libs staying home.

The way I see it, he's giving Red State Dems cover. He's allowing them to come out in support of it knowing next year he'll kill the deal and they won't be politically wounded. Thing is, Obama is going to be crucified for it when he does decide 'no'.