Democratic senator: No ‘hard assurance’ of Keystone veto

President Obama has not given “hard assurance” that he would veto construction of the Keystone XL pipeline if Congress approves it this week, a Democratic senator said Sunday.

{mosads}Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) told “Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace,” “I don’t have hard assurance” of a White House veto. “I hope and expect that (President Obama) will” veto construction of the Canada-to-Gulf of Mexico pipeline, he added.

Whitehouse added that the “new GOP majority … despise (Obama) … if they can roll him, I think they’d like to.”

Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune (S.D.) said that the vote set for Senate consideration this week is purely political.

“This is a cynical attempt to save a Senate seat in Louisiana,” Thune said on “Fox News Sunday,” referring to the last undecided Senate race between embattled Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu and her GOP opponent, Rep. Bill Cassidy.

Democratic opposition to building of the Keystone XL Pipeline was a major issue in the Pelican State’s Senate race, which will be determined in a Dec. 6th runoff.

Landrieu forced the issue last week, pressing her Democratic leadership to consider the pipeline construction. The House passed an identical version on Friday of the measure to be considered by the Senate. Cassidy sponsored that bill.