Bump: Clinton’s Keystone move says more about her primary problems than anything else

[portlander23]

Clinton’s Keystone move says more about her primary problems than anything else

In a March 2015 poll, Fox News found that the majority of Americans who had an opinion about the pipeline objected to Obama's opposition. But there was a strong partisan split: 69 percent of Republicans favored approving the permit, and 56 percent of Democrats favored the veto. That mirrors Pew findings from last year, showing that liberals opposed the pipeline most strongly.

Addressing environmental challenges, as it turns out, is one of the most partisan issues before government. Eighty-nine percent of liberal Democrats believe the effects of warming are happening or will happen in their lifetimes, and 81 percent accept that human activity is the primary cause. Only two-thirds of moderate Democrats, by contrast, agree that human activity is to blame for climate change.

There's something else that moderate and liberal Democrats disagree on: Who should be the Democratic nominee for president. In CNN/ORC's most recent poll, released earlier this week, Clinton's standing improved over that of Bernie Sanders, but she still faces stronger opposition among liberals than among more moderate members of her party.

Similarly, Pew polling has shown less-liberal Democrat-leaning groups are significantly less opposed -- and actually, pretty clearly in favor of -- the Keystone pipeline.

In other words, the group with which Clinton is doing worse more strongly believes that people are causing climate change and more strongly opposes Keystone XL. The politics explain themselves.

Bernie Sanders clearly recognizes the politics at play. In a statement, he made pointed reference to Clinton joining him on this issue. Clinton is late to the party on Keystone, but she's clearly interested in being where the party is.

At least, the more liberal members of the party. The ones who will go to the polls in February.

With both Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, the topic of the Keystone XL pipeline is a lot like a rorschach test. People who are opposed to it think that the delaying tactics are because the politician in question is for it. And people who are for the pipeline think the stalling is because they will eventually deny it.

Since I'm in the against it category, I tend to agree with Philip Bump that Mrs. Clinton's assumed stance was to eventually support the pipeline and this reversal is a response to Mr. Sanders' campaign.

That said, however Mrs. Clinton got to her current stance, I welcome it.

[striegl]

1. There's a difference......

There's a difference in saying something to get elected and getting elected because you say something.

Bernie has a track record of core values and rarely if ever jumps on the bandwagon. I can't say the same about his opponent.

[portlander23]

3. I would not disagree with that sentiment

[awoke_in_2003]

2. You don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. nt

[HereSince1628]

4. IMO, Clinton's comment shows she sees KXL as a -political- rather than an environmental problem

In this view, the environmental threats, aren't a concern, those things which influence moving policy and projects forward are the issues.

In this case the issue is that KXL is an obstructive distraction to moving on to other issues.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is same point of view isn't involved with her concerns about BLM

[GoneFishin]

5. Glad to know that the focus groups and polls agree with me.

[DonCoquixote]

6. honestly, I do not care

I would not care if Hillary is backing down from KXL because Mephistopheles told her she wound gain the power of one billion souls in the afterlife, what matters is that she did it.