Obama Meeting with Key Senators at White House

Starting about 30 minutes ago, President Barack Obama has many of the key Senators involved with climate legislation at the White House, to talk about what is coming in the next few weeks.

The meeting headlines the trio that has taken over the drafting of a bill, Senators John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, but also includes some important committee chairs.

Participants of the meeting include (via National Journal)

• Energy Secretary Steven Chu
• Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
• EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson
• Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

• Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
• Sen. Joe Lieberman, I/D-Conn.

• Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
• Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.
• Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
• Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio
• Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.*
• Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
• Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine
• Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H.
• Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla.
• Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska

Baucus was a late scratch because of a scheduling conflict.

Courtesy About.com

Noticeably absent from the list is the much-maligned Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln. The Democrat is a co-sponsor of Murkowski’s Disapproval Resolution and kicked off her re-election campaign by stating her clear opposition to cap-and-trade, as well as just about everything else.

Some also have said that Lincoln will be the one to actually introduce Murkowski’s bill on the floor when it gets to that point. Also, couldn’t help but notice that Murkowski herself is in the room, despite her attempts to destroy the Clean Air Act. Senator Jay Rockefeller, who has introduced his own efforts to block EPA regulation is also there.

We’re always taught that the game is played by those who show up. We’ll see how this meeting goes, but rest assured that Lincoln can’t say no without being in the room.