MSNBC's Chuck Todd thinks *GASP* the Keystone delay is just Obama playing politics

Brace yourself folks, because according to MSNBC's Chuck Todd, Obama is playing politics with the Keystone pipeline. I know, I know. You're stunned. But apparently it's true.

---

Frankly, I might not have even shared this with you if it weren't for a couple of factors. First, this is MSNBC. If even the looniest of liberal media outlets can't manage to spin Obama's Keystone waffling, you know there's trouble in the new utopian paradise. Everyone, even his most loyal news network, knows it's nothing more than a cheap political maneuver. The fact is, the President's non-decision regarding Keystone-XL may be the only truly transparent thing about his administration. The second interesting thing is Todd's appraisal of the 2014 midterms. His acknowledgement that Democrat candidates are headed for serious trouble due to their voters' "lack of enthusiasm" is not surprising, but it is rare to hear from an NBC outlet. Usually, they showcase folks like Wasserman Schultz and Nancy Pelosi who are always running around yapping about the coming left-wing victory. Todd doesn't sound particularly convinced. As Todd says:

"The administration's Mantra when it's come to 2014 is 'don't do anything that could potentially upset the Democratic base' right? They're struggling enough to fire up the Democratic base because they need to sort of equal what, early on in some polls, indicates the Republican base is a little more fired up for the midterms than the Democratic base. So don't toss in issues that could complicate fundraising." "...To me it's not an accident that all these things that could upset the Democratic base are getting delayed until after November." So, Democrat hopes rest on a knife-edge and President Obama may need every possible bit of leverage after Election Day. If Todd's right, and Obama's delaying Keystone in an effort to stockpile potential bargaining chips, what does that say about his party's confidence in their midterm chances?