On July 28, Hillary Clinton hosted a town hall in New Hampshire, and was asked what her position was on the Keystone XL pipeline. Clinton, as she’s done for months, said:
“This is President Obama’s decision, and I am not going to second guess him because I was in a position to set this in motion, and I do not think that would be the right thing to do. So I want to wait and see what he and Secretary Kerry decide. If it’s undecided when I become president, I will answer your question.”
But just last night, Clinton, seemingly out of nowhere, completely changed her tune. In the span of a month and a half, Clinton—who had refused to take a public position on the Keystone XL pipeline out of principle—suddenly changed course and has apparently decided she can’t wait any longer:
“I have been waiting on the administration to make a decision. I thought I owed them that. I worked in the administration, I started the process that was supposed to lead to a decision. I can’t wait too much longer, and I am putting the White House on notice. I’m going to tell you what I think soon because I can’t wait. I thought they would have it decided way, you know, way by now, and they haven’t.”
So, on July 28, it was a matter of principle that Clinton not reveal her opinion on the Keystone XL pipeline, but a mere 51 days later (in the midst of an approval process that has lasted years), Clinton is suddenly saying she expected a decision long before now, and will just throw her principles out the window.
Could it be because Clinton is trailing Bernie Sanders in Iowa and New Hampshire, losing support among women voters, and facing the prospect of Vice President Joe Biden entering the race? Indeed this is the latest example of Clinton’s willingness to say or do anything to win.