She's been hinting at this for weeks. Finally, she takes a stand:
After months of declining to take a position on the Keystone XL pipeline, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she opposes the construction of the project.
"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," she said during a campaign event in Iowa Tuesday.
"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."
Clinton had long cited her former job as secretary of state as a reason to delay weighing in on the deal until the administration formalized its opinion on the project. In July, she said she did not want to "prejudge" President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry on the result of an administration review of the pipeline's environmental impact.
But last week, she promised that her decision would be coming "soon" and suggested that she has been growing impatient with the White House for delaying its final verdict on the matter.
"I have been waiting for the administration to make a decision," she said last week in Concord, NH. "I thought I owed them that. I worked in the administration. I started the process that is supposed to lead to a decision. I can't wait too much longer. and I am putting the white house on notice. I'm gunna 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."
