In the case of the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama was caught between two groups of his most powerful supporters ("Obama delays decision on Keystone oil pipeline," Nov. 11). By allowing the State Department to put off the decision, he avoids being blamed by either group for the time being. He can now walk into a roomful of union supporters, give them a wink, and leave them with the hope that after the election is over, when he no longer needs the environmentalists' donations to get re-elected, he will betray them and allow the pipeline to be built. Then, when he's in a roomful of environmentalists, he can wink, and tell them that, once the election is over and he no longer needs the donations of the unions, he will betray them and kill the pipeline outright.
It's a shrewd political move by a man who is exceptional at playing the fence. Unfortunately, whether or not the pipeline is good for America never figures into the equation.
Fred Pasek, Frederick