Hillary Clinton scolded progressive activists protesting her event on Friday, telling them to "just sit down" because they were blocking peoples’ view of the stage.
Video of the run-in at an organizing event in Maine shows four activists standing up and raising signs that read "I’m Ready for Hillary to say NO KXL [Keystone XL pipeline]."
"Yes, I said I’m going to be talking about that," Clinton told the protestors. "It will be soon. Just sit down."
Clinton has avoided taking a definite position on the oil pipeline, which is popular with the American public but highly unpopular with progressive activists.
Activists have turned the pipeline into a symbolic struggle in their war against fossil fuels. State Department reviews have found that the pipeline’s impact on the environment would be minimal.
"You’re blocking people, please," Clinton said. "What I have said is that you will hear from me shortly, but you’re not going to hear from me today."
The protestors left after this exchange.
On Thursday, Clinton said she was waiting for the White House to render its judgment on the pipeline before revealing her own position, but that her patience was wearing thin. Judgment from the White House is not forthcoming, as Clinton surely knows: President Obama has subjected the pipeline to stalling tactics and vetoes for years.
Clinton’s reluctance to announce a position on Keystone XL, dramatized by her dismissal of protestors today, will not endear her with progressives, many of whom already question her ideological priorities.
Progressives have flocked to socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) as a far-left alternative to Clinton.
Transcript below:
HILLARY CLINTON: Yes, I said I’m going to be talking about that. It will be soon, just sit down. It will be soon.
Because I do care deeply that we combat climate change. And how do we combat climate change? By creating millions of clean energy jobs and millions of new jobs and businesses that will help us combat climate change and put Americans back to work. That’s the kind of common sense solution we know we can achieve once we set some goals.
Now if you’ve watched the two debates—You’re blocking people, please. What I have said is that you will hear from me shortly, but you’re not going to hear from me today, so don’t interfere with other people trying to participate.