Palin backs Trump, Hillary Clinton gets thumbs down

Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer said he is not yet prepared to back Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president and he would not rule out supporting her main rival, Bernie Sanders, if he beats her in the primaries.

While Palin said, “Are you ready to stump for Trump?” at a rally in Iowa, Steyer, one of the biggest Democratic donors said, “Our real goal has been not to support any one candidate, but to emphasize and highlight the issue (of climate change) so that the candidates can lay out their solutions and so the American people can have a chance to make a decision.” Steyer could help Clinton boost her standing among environmentalist activists who are a key constituency within the Democratic party.

Clinton is locked in tight races with Sanders in Iowa and New Hampshire, which both have early nominating contests. After the Democratic party picks its presidential nominee, that will change. 

“We have always come out and supported the climate champion,” Steyer said. “ Because that has been our practice always.” Steyer said Clinton’s position on energy and climate - which calls for increased use of solar and wind power, lower oil use, and a revamping of the aging U.S. oil and gas pipeline network, was good but needed some work. Sanders on the other hand has a climate agenda that on its face appears to resonate more closely with Steyer’s. Steyer, 58, made his fortune through investments, some in fossil fuel energy.