"Lieberman .... sees 20 swing votes on carbon caps."

[Clio the Leo]

Lieberman warns against ‘false’ energy bill, sees 20 swing votes on carbon caps
By Ben Geman - 06/20/10 10:43 AM ET

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Sunday that he sees 20 swing votes in play for including greenhouse gas limits in energy legislation that the White House and Senate Democratic leaders hope to advance this summer.

Lieberman and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) are struggling to win political traction for their sweeping climate change and energy bill.

Imposing emissions limits on sources like power plants, refineries and factories faces resistance from most Republicans and some centrist Democrats.
But Lieberman, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said there are 50 senators that want to put a price on emitting carbon, 30 against it and 20 members who are undecided.

“We need half of the undecided and we can do it,” Lieberman said, adding that President Barack Obama’s effort to win passage of a sweeping energy bill this summer has given a lift to the effort.

Lieberman is among the senators who plan to attend a White House meeting on energy that Obama is hosting Wednesday.

Lieberman also said he’s open to narrower climate bill that would restrict emissions limits to electric power plants only, an idea that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel last week said will be part of discussions with lawmakers.

“I think we have got a fighting chance at this, and we have got to do it and I hope the spill in the Gulf will motivate us to do it,” he said.

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/104337-lieberman-sees-20-swing-votes-on-carbon-caps-warns-again-false-energy-bill

[WI_DEM]

1. Why is it that I can't stand the guy even when he's (on ocassion) on the right side of an issue?

[Clio the Leo]

2. lol ..... because he does stuff that makes us feel that way. nt

[Inuca]

3. But AFAIK he has been always

good on energy/climate issues.

[Teaser]

4. cause he was a democrat for a reason, once

some of those principles stick with you, I guess. Also, I mean, he has grandkids, right? You have to be a real monster to have had children or grandchildren and not be on the right side of this issue. A real monster, or a complete dupe.

[Jennicut]

5. He is my Senator. Always been decent to very good on environmental issues. But he still makes me

want to tear out my hair. And I hope he retires in 2012. We have some good Dems who can run for his seat here in CT.

[Mass]

6. Dont know. Too many Dems have been complaining that Kerry and him were pushing too hard

to get this passed. This said, if it passes, it will be very much watered down, because they have to fight against some progressives like Rockefeller and Dorgan as well as the usual right wingers like McCaskill or Landrieu.

Let's just say that this article has let me fuming after some Democrats. I know, it is politico, but sadly, Rockefeller and McCaskill have been feeding the same quotes to reporters after reporters.

http://dyn.politico.com/members/forums/thread.cfm?catid=1&subcatid=1&threadid=4180327&start=1¤tPage=1