NPR: Hillary Clinton Says She Opposes Keystone XL Pipeline

[portlander23]

As Pope Lands, Hillary Clinton Says She Opposes Keystone XL Pipeline

"I think it is imperative that we look at the Keystone XL pipeline as what I believe it is: a distraction from the important work we have to do to combat climate change, and, unfortunately from my perspective, one that interferes with our ability to move forward and deal with other issues," Clinton said at a campaign event in Iowa. "Therefore, I oppose it. I oppose it because I don't think it's in the best interest of what we need to do to combat climate change."

Two of her opponents in the Democratic primary — Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders — have long opposed the Keystone XL pipeline and have been critical of Clinton's long delay in weighing in.

Sanders took no time at all responding on twitter and in a statement:

"As a senator who has vigorously opposed the Keystone pipeline from the beginning, I am glad that Secretary Clinton finally has made a decision and I welcome her opposition to the pipeline. Clearly it would be absurd to encourage the extraction and transportation of some of the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet."

O'Malley took a different tone, criticizing Clinton for lacking "leadership" and following public opinion:

"On issue after issue — marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed — not forged — public opinion. Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group.

Also this from Salon:

Climate activists score huge victory: Hillary Clinton comes out against Keystone XL pipeline

Breaking her years-long silence on an issue that has galvanized climate activists, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton came out against construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline on Tuesday — marking a reversal of the position she seemed to hold as secretary of state and underscoring the issue’s resonance among the progressive voters Clinton needs to secure her party’s nod.

That marks something of a turnabout from Clinton’s position when she was the nation’s top diplomat. In 2010, Clinton said that she was “inclined” to approve the project because the United States was “either going to be dependent on dirty oil from the Gulf or dirty oil from Canada” until renewable energy was brought to scale.

While Clinton had remained mum on the issue after leaving Foggy Bottom, climate change activists viewed with dismay Clinton’s hire this summer of a former lobbyist for the company behind Keystone. Moreover, a report earlier this year found that the Canadian government agency tasked with lobbying for the pipeline had contributed nearly $500,000 to the Clinton family foundation.

Though no serious observer expected Clinton to come out for the Keystone pipeline amid an increasingly competitive Democratic primary contest with Bernie Sanders, climate activists and political analysts found it bizarre that Clinton had cited ongoing deliberations as a reason not to comment on this particular issue, even as she took stances on numerous other issues whose fates had yet to be determined.

But leading primary rival Bernie Sanders campaigned hard against the pipeline — a factor in Friends of the Earth’s recent decision to endorse the Vermont senator — and Sanders rising in polls of Iowa and New Hampshire voters, Clinton could no longer afford to be outflanked on her left, and she had displayed increasing public frustration in recent months with the administration’s failure to make a decision on Keystone.

[beam me up scottie]

1. Oooooooo, O'Malley taking off the gloves!

"On issue after issue — marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed — not forged — public opinion. Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group.

[Autumn]

2. I just want to say major kudos to O'Malley

"On issue after issue — marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed — not forged — public opinion. Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group.