signing off on it. The deals were being made for over FOUR YEARS and now we're supposed to believe that Kerry is solely responsible for any deal? Horsesh!t! And if Kerrry goes along with being the fall guy yet again for Clinton's deals with BushInc, then SHAME ON HIM.

My prediction is that there will be some kind of half-ass "deal" worked out, where some routes of XL will be denied but there will still be a path from sands to port. Obama is far too accommodating in his negotiating strategy and is too concerned with saving face.

blm, I remember tangling with you on several occasions in 2003/2004 in the primaries when you were supporting Kerry and I, Dean. I ended up campaigning vigorously for Kerry and developed a lot of respect for him. I believe there's a real possibility we'll see him as our next president.

Nice seeing you again, wtmusic.

They claim the decision has not been made yet. If there has already been a secret deal sealed, does that mean the whole review and decision process is a just fake process to fool people?

Any claim that the 'decision' hasn't been made is pure political CYA - it was always a State Dept. decision and there is no way Hillary spent the last 4 years studying the review process and could not reach a decision. She and Bill were always for it and they'll remind Obama how much the WH is perceived to owe them.

>>>
But the rumor is that Clinton’s State Department is nonetheless about to recommend approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline, which the top climate scientists in the nation have unanimously called a terrible idea. As far as I know, though, Clinton’s subordinates haven’t reached out to ask them why. For more than a year now, it’s been one of Washington’s worst-kept secrets that Clinton wants the pipeline approved. And why not? Its builder, TransCanada, hired her old deputy campaign manager as its chief lobbyist and gave lobbying contracts to several of her big bundlers. Leaked emails show embassy officials rooting on the project; it’s classic D.C. insiderism. (And, weirdly, her rumored successor is just as involved—Susan Rice has millions in stock in TransCanada and other Canadian energy companies.)

And in one sense it doesn’t make much difference. Everyone in the capital’s also known that the Keystone decision, in the end, will come down to President Obama, who will weigh State’s findings and then rule whether the pipeline is in the national interest. When that happens, we’ll find out if he’s a more modern politician than Hillary, or if he’s still fighting yesterday’s wars too.
>>>

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/12/09/hilary-clinton-and-obama-s-dismal-record-on-the-environment.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/09/hillary-clinton-keystone_n_2268536.html

http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/29/bill-clinton-we-should-embrace-keystone-pipeline-video/

He could do this indefinitely if he wanted to. He could unilaterally say no to such a move. He won't.

everyone involved over the last 4 years, including Obama. We'll see how much he feels he 'owes' Bill and Hillary. No wonder the press narrative all last year was how much Obama 'owes' the Clintons.

The Clintons were no doubt instrumental, but I consider it real world politicking as opposed to some sinister thing. The Clintons knew that the US would be better off with the pipeline as opposed to China. Obama saw the writing on the wall and simply went for it. Obama has been pushing for the line for a long time now and in fact got it started building (the State Department doesn't really handle internal affairs, if a state wants to build it, they can, and Obama assured that the development of the south end of the line would happen quick).

Please don't dismiss Obama's culpability here. He could shut down the line in one stroke of a pen. He won't.

Kerry was the one statesman who DIDN'T want Keystone to go through and he will be stuck signing it JUST to protect Hillary. Neither Clinton would expend any of themselves for Kerry - not once in the last 3 decades. They have done more to help Bushes than they EVER did to help Kerry advance any of his issues.

You make it sound like Clinton had more power than Obama on this issue, but whatever Kerry does, it will be with Obama's order. Indeed, you look at how Clinton wanted to arm the Syrian rebels and the President said "Nope, not going to happen." If Clinton really did have that kind of power and used it, I do not think Obama would be very happy about that. And I think if Kerry tries to make his own move over Keystone, he'd be turning in his resignation pretty quick. The SoS does what the President wants them to do, they're not capable of doing much unilaterally. It does suck that it's going to go through under Kerry's watch, but I see it as Obama's failing ultimately.

Not Kerry's.

Last edited Tue Feb 12, 2013, 09:49 AM - Edit history (1)

behind the deal. Let's not pretend she was a bystander. Her camp's narrative is that she was the most competent and influential Sec of State ever. Now, she is a bystander?

I'm just trying to make it clear that the decision is Obama's and it's something he wants to get done. Whether Clinton got inside his head and made him magically become pro-Keystone is not for me to decide, but given Obama's other policy positions I think being for Keystone is unsurprising at best. Remember, before he got elected in 2008 he changed his position completely on offshore drilling.

He will not do that. This is Obama, not Clinton's, doing.

their 'alternative' buyers actually on hold in Bejing...

The end result as far as climate change is concerned will not be in any way different.

We're not going to let China have the line, so we're going to do our damnedest to keep it under our control (even if in the end the oil goes to China).

In fact, there's a second line already being built that will go to China as it is, this is just another line and we want to have control over it. There is more of a push back against the line in Canada, but it'll still be built.

The best outcome - indeed, the only possible positive wrinkle to the project - is that the pipeline may avoid the dead center of the Ogalalla Aquifer in west-central Nebraska.

Whatever happens, the tar sands will continue to be mined, refined, shipped and sold.

Any other possible course of action, out of a world of potential courses of action, is simply beyond the imaginations of those "in charge".

Because of her opposition to Keystone.

actually On Hold on their iPods in Bejing (China) until Friday.

Not a dent in climate change at the end of the day.

Damn religious neocons are all the same.

They'll kill us all for any profit.