Appealing to climate fence sitters

By Juliet Eilperin

Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) had a closed-door meeting with some moderate senators to drum up support for their bipartisan climate package Tuesday afternoon--but the session failed to produce a breakthrough.

The only Republicans who showed were George Voinovich (Ohio) and Judd Gregg (N.H.), though Gregg didn't stay for long, due to a conflict. The Democratic attendees included Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), Mark Warner (Va.), Thomas R. Carper (Del.), and Max Baucus (Mont.).

The three senators did not distribute paper on their plan, according to sources familiar with the meeting, promising they would deliver a detailed outline on Friday. As one Senate aide noted, time is running out.

"It was encouraging there seems to be opportunity to move forward, but at this point it's important for these concepts to be nailed down in specific legislative language," the aide said. "The window of opportunity is narrowing."