First, it was green jobs and cap-and-trade legislation that fell by the wayside. Then in August the U.S. State Department said it would allow the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline that would bring tar sands oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast to move forward. And last week, President Barack Obama announced that tighter standards on ozone pollution would not be enforced.

Environmentalists are outraged, to say the least. Green activists were so upset that 1,000s protested outside the White House over the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport half a million barrels a day of crude from western Canada.

The President that everyone thought had the ultimate “green” credentials has seemingly sold out to red-state interests. Many feel he has been spooked by the Republican Party into believing that environmental regulations would hurt the economic recovery and slow job growth.

There’s no question that Obama was stung by poor job numbers last month when, according to the data, the U.S. created zero jobs in August. With companies such as Dow Chemical and others claiming that costs to comply with regulations could cripple their business and force the closure of plants, meaning more layoffs, Obama is rightfully scared. Given the Labor Day weekend that just passed in the U.S., the Administration wants to look like they are taking the jobs issue seriously.

There is a thread of a silver lining left, though. A rule called the “cross-state air pollution” rule, which would lower emissions from power plants in 27 states including Texas, is still in the works and set to start in January.

Nonetheless, green advocates are angry. MoveOn Executive Director Justin Ruben said he isn’t sure if the members of MoveOn, a grassroots organization that brings ordinary Americans together to elect progressive candidates, can help re-elect Obama. Many have credited MoveOn with galvanizing the youth vote that propelled Obama to the presidency.

“Many MoveOn members are wondering today how they can ever work for President Obama's reelection, or make the case for him to their neighbors, when he does something like this, after extending the Bush tax cuts for the rich, and giving in to tea party demands on the debt deal,” Ruben said in a statement. “This is a decision we'd expect from George W. Bush.”

With his decision not to push for stricter ozone pollution standards, Obama sank into new territory: putting politics before science. He even went against the head of the EPA Lisa Jackson who had promised that the Administration would issue stronger ozone regulations.

Despite their disappointment, environmental groups are left with little choice but to support Obama in the next election. The Republican record on the environment is even more abysmal. And despite Obama’s recent actions, at the very least it’s reassuring to find a president that actually believes in the science. For Obama, climate change is very real. But so is his upcoming re-election campaign – and it is clear which is taking precedent.