Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin says “it doesn’t make any sense” that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama don’t support the Keystone XL pipeline because transporting oil is “much more environmentally safe” if it travels by pipeline rather than by truck or by train.
Appearing Wednesday on “Morning Joe,” Manchin said the oil has “been coming more and more every day” and “I’d rather buy from my friends than enemies.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me. Because basically if you’re talking about safety, this product is coming to America. It’s on its way. It’s been coming more and more every day,” Manchin explained. “The increase of just rail traffic from that oil coming from the tar sands is up 5,000 percent. We just had a major explosion in West Virginia, train passing through. So it’s going to come by rail or by truck. It is much safer, much more environmentally safe for it to come by pipeline.”
“Why they don’t accept this is beyond me. If the environmental community — they’re not against the pipeline, Joe — they’re against production of the oil,” claimed Manchin. “That’s what they’re against. Well, guess what? That’s Canada. They’re going to do — that’s a sovereign country. They’re going to do what they think is best and we’re going to buy that product.”
“And I’d rather buy from my friends than enemies. I’ve always said that. And the safest way to move it, is by the pipeline,” insisted Manchin.
Host Joe Scarborough added, “Keystone a perfect example of why people hate Washington, D.C. Politicians being twisted up on something that scientifically is pretty straightforward. This pipeline creates 40,000-plus jobs and the State Department said it is more environmental safe than the alternatives. And yet, Hillary and the president don’t support it.”