Fascinating article in the WP about Sen. Kerry's meeting w/ Pres. Obama

[beachmom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/11/AR2009101102108.html

President Obama is coming under renewed pressure internationally and in the United States to throw his weight behind climate-change legislation, which advocates fear has suffered in light of the president's sweeping domestic agenda.

The Nobel committee's announcement Friday that Obama won the Peace Prize was a fresh reminder that much of the world expects him to lead the way toward a global climate pact. The committee cited his "more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges."

And in Washington, advocates are clamoring for more evidence that Obama will make good on his campaign promise to impose the first-ever national cap on greenhouse gases. Last week, the leading author of Senate climate legislation sought personal assurances from Obama during an Oval Office meeting, saying he wanted to "hear it from him directly" as he pushed ahead.

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) told Obama he needs to direct his administration to be more aggressive in order to get Congress to take steps to limit pollution that contributes to global warming. But Kerry emerged from the meeting saying Obama had pledged closer coordination between the White House and its congressional allies on the issue.

It's a long article, read the whole thing. BUT, it seems Kerry respectfully is telling the President to STEP UP. There was criticism of the President that he didn't lead enough on health care reform, leaving too much to Congress. That may have affected some aspects of it. But I think Kerry is saying the climate bill is not going to pass without heavy involvement of the Administration. Reading all the quotes, it's like a dance going on. I think the civil comments made are window dressing for some disagreement on how to proceed. In this area, I think John Kerry is the authority on how it will go in the Senate. Basically, I think he wants the WH to lean on Democrats more. Although the conservative & more hyperpartisan wing of the GOP are climate deniers, there are actually more "moderates" on this issue than health care reform. So what it comes down to are the Democrats from regions that feel they could be hurt by the bill.

[beachmom]

1. Hmmm. They also talk about the EPA regulating CO2

and I realize that hooks in with what the Climate Progress site says is why guys like Graham are signing onto a Congressional approach:

http://climateprogress.org/2009/10/11/senate-climate-deal-lindsey-graham-john-kerry/

The odds of a Senate climate bill just jumped through the roof. Now the Senate needs to get off its butt and get this done.

If the deal they describe can be done, and I’m confident it can be, that would probably mean at least four GOP votes in the Senate — Graham, McCain, and Maine’s Snowe and Collins. But I suspect this deal brings within reach other gettable “Rs,” like Lugar of Indiana and Voinovich of Ohio and maybe even Lisa “the fiddler” Murkowski (R-AK), if she understands, as Graham and Kerry do, that the best way to avoid the problems inherent in EPA regulation is to pass this bill.

EPA regulation may be stricter but I assume it can be reversed if a GOPer comes into the WH. And using the threat of the EPA to get Congress to act is interesting. Not sure how that ties in w/ Kerry's wanting the Administration to do more with respect to Congress.

[karynnj]

2. Both of these are fascinating

I agree that Kerry is asking Obama to step up. It has seemed to me, that except for the behind the scenes stories and Obama's speech, that this is really not all that important to him. This never was a big Obama issue.

It was not helpful when Carol Browner said on the day after Kerry and Boxer announced their bill that it was unlikely that the bill would be signed into law before Copenhagen. http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre59144l-us-climate-browner/
This may well be true, but it was completely unhelpful and given that this was to a conference called "first draft of history", unnecessary. (She also doubted Copenhagen will result in a treaty.) There was a more positive way to frame this. (This added to Reid's comment that it might not be done this year have really undercut the effort.)

I hope the Nobel prize comments make him see that this is part of what the world is hoping he will lead on.

[karynnj]

3. Dr Chu is optimistic of the bill being signed by Copenhagen

In addition, he speaks of going to Copenhagen having committed $80 billion to research on green power and the increased auto emissions. (He was my favorite Obama cabinet appointee) I am so glad that he is out speaking on this. He might be able to convince some fence sitters with his enthusiastic confidence in technology's ability to solve this.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLC455184