Press Calls Out Josh Earnest on 2,300-Day Keystone Delay

White House reporters guffawed at spokesman Josh Earnest's attempt Tuesday to make light of the 2,300-day delay in a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, which has become a political hot potato for President Barack Obama.

"Does the president believe 2,300 days is a reasonable length of time for the State Department to conduct an evaluation," a reporter asked Earnest, triggering some snickers among reporters.

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"It's fair to suggest the State Department is conducting an in-depth review," Earnest responded, getting a louder laugh.

"It is also true that there have been some legal proceedings that have interfered with the completion of this review. There was this long-running court case in Nebraska about the proper route of the pipeline… it certainly did affect the State Department's ability to evaluate the route of the pipeline…"

But Earnest said with a court ruling in the case – the Nebraska Supreme Court okayed the pipeline being built across the state in January – "the final proposal can be evaluated," adding "that's what they're doing right now."

The Washington Free Beacon noted there's been some speculation the White House is trying to stall on a decision in hopes of running out the clock on Obama's presidency. The issue has the president walking a fine line between his environmentalist supporters and voters keen for jobs that will be created by the pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

"Can you imagine what [the president] would say if he gave you an assignment and you said, 'I'll get back to you in 2,300 days,' " the reporter asked Earnest, who sheepishly answered: "I can't."

Americans aren't laughing about the issue, top GOP congressional leaders warn, however.

In an op-ed published by USA Today, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Americans deserve an explanation for Obama's veto of a bill forcing construction of the pipeline – and the long approval process since the filing of the pipeline application.

The pipeline is "a no-brainer in every way," the pair write, warning a veto would hand "liberal extremists" a victory "at the expense of the greater good."

In their piece, the leaders noted bipartisan support for the pipeline, as well as the backing of labor unions, small business owners and most Americans, according to polls.

"The allure of appeasing environmental extremists may be too powerful for the president to ignore," they wrote. "But the president is sadly mistaken if he thinks vetoing this bill will end this fight. Far from it. We are just getting started."

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