Politics And The Pipeline
By: Tracie Potts, NBC News
Updated: March 22, 2012
President Obama's jumping into the middle of the debate over high gas prices and oil.
In Oklahoma today, on day two of his tour promoting his energy plan, he's expected to direct the federal government to fast-track approval of the Southern part of the controversial Keystone Oil Pipeline. The entire project is proposed to run from Texas to Canada.
Republicans call this a stunt, saying the President is only dealing with the part of the Keystone Oil Pipeline that didn't need his approval anyway.
The announcement comes as President Obama tours the country promoting his energy plan. Republicans say he's not drilling for oil at home.
"They either don't know what they're talking about or they're not telling you the truth. We're drilling all over the place."
Republicans criticized the President for making a big deal of the southern permit when he opposed rushing the more controversial northern part of that pipeline.
Meantime on the campaign trail, Mitt Romney is also on defense. After an aide said "everything changes this fall, like an Etch a Sketch."
"Imagine had Mitt Romney been around at the time we were drafting our constitution," said Rick Santorum. "He'd just shake it -- just shook it up after approved to rewrite it."
"If we're dumb enough to nominate him, we should expect that by the acceptance speech he'll move back to the left," said Newt Gingrich.
Romney insisted his positions won't change.
"The issues that I'm running on will be exactly the same," he said. "I'm running as a conservative Republican."
Romney is slowly picking up support from the party faithful. Wednesday, he got a paper endorsement from former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
On Capitol Hill, less than one in three Republican lawmakers have endorsed Romney.
In Oklahoma today, on day two of his tour promoting his energy plan, he's expected to direct the federal government to fast-track approval of the Southern part of the controversial Keystone Oil Pipeline. The entire project is proposed to run from Texas to Canada.
Republicans call this a stunt, saying the President is only dealing with the part of the Keystone Oil Pipeline that didn't need his approval anyway.
The announcement comes as President Obama tours the country promoting his energy plan. Republicans say he's not drilling for oil at home.
"They either don't know what they're talking about or they're not telling you the truth. We're drilling all over the place."
Republicans criticized the President for making a big deal of the southern permit when he opposed rushing the more controversial northern part of that pipeline.
Meantime on the campaign trail, Mitt Romney is also on defense. After an aide said "everything changes this fall, like an Etch a Sketch."
"Imagine had Mitt Romney been around at the time we were drafting our constitution," said Rick Santorum. "He'd just shake it -- just shook it up after approved to rewrite it."
"If we're dumb enough to nominate him, we should expect that by the acceptance speech he'll move back to the left," said Newt Gingrich.
Romney insisted his positions won't change.
"The issues that I'm running on will be exactly the same," he said. "I'm running as a conservative Republican."
Romney is slowly picking up support from the party faithful. Wednesday, he got a paper endorsement from former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
On Capitol Hill, less than one in three Republican lawmakers have endorsed Romney.
