WASHINGTON – Actress Susan Sarandon told PJM that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s record on environmental issues is “horrible” and agreed she might start World War III if elected president.
PJM asked Sarandon about Clinton accepting more campaign contributions from the oil industry compared to Donald Trump.
According to OpenSecrets.org, contributions to Clinton’s campaign from the oil and gas industry total $525,020 so far in the election cycle compared to Trump’s $148,924.
“Yeah, it bothered me and that’s why I was supporting Bernie Sanders. Of course it bothers me and that’s one of the points we kept saying, and clearly as she’s appointed her vice president and her cabinet and everything, she’s looking around, she’s pulled in all the pro-fracking people,” Sarandon said during a D.C. protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline outside of the U.S. District Court. “There’s no way she’s ever going to take a stand about fracking unless we make her.”
When asked who would be better on environmental issues, Clinton or Trump, Sarandon replied, “I don’t know what his stance on the environment is. Hers is horrible. I don’t know what his is.”
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has argued that the 1,170-mile Dakota Access Pipeline could leak and hurt their drinking water. To date, about 22 percent of the pipeline has been completed. The tribe is suing the Army Corps of Engineers in federal court to stop the project, alleging that cultural sites would be harmed by the pipeline. The tribe wants to be consulted as part of the project in addition to having a full environmental review conducted.
Actress Shailene Woodley, who endorsed Sanders in the primary and now sits on the board of his Our Revolution progressive policy group, has called on Clinton to take a position on the Dakota Access Pipeline project.
“I would like to know where she stands on this issue. I would like to know what Hillary Clinton thinks about this and what she says she will do to stand in solidarity with the people of Standing Rock reservation in opposing this pipeline and protecting not only their water but all water,” she told PJM.
“I want to know where she stands with this issue,” she repeated, when asked if she plans to campaign for Clinton.
PJM also asked Woodley what Clinton has to do to gain more support from environmental groups.
“I think there’s a difference between saying something and doing something. I think a lot of people are looking at her to see if she will do something. There’s a big, sort of, hypocrisy that a lot of people within the Democratic Party — where they say they oppose climate change and you have platform committees that are drafting up future climate change, environmental platforms, and yet there are still fundraisers being done for certain campaigns with some of the largest people in the fracking industry. So it’s one thing to talk the talk, but it’s another thing to walk it. I think a lot of environmentalists are waiting for somebody to walk it,” she replied.
Sarandon also commented on foreign policy while talking with PJM at the rally. Dr. Cornel West said last month that a Clinton presidency could lead to World War III. Sarandon was asked if she agreed with his statement.
“I believe that’s true,” Sarandon replied. “She’s proven she’s a hawk. There have been tons of articles written about it, so I think she is very dangerous on that issue of intervention.”
When asked if Clinton is better than Trump on foreign policy, Sarandon replied, “He’s claimed he’s not interested in intervention, you know, he’s all about keeping jobs and keeping things here and not intervening – but I don’t know who he appoints.”
She continued, “I mean, Henry Kissinger is her advisor so we know Henry Kissinger. I don’t know anything about who Trump is going to go to for advice on foreign policy but he claims he’s not interested, I mean, it seems like he’s kind of obsessed with building his wall. I can’t imagine him also being able to invade countries.”
Join the conversation as a VIP Member