Everything Goes Better With Barack

Obama joins McCain, Lieberman to push Senate climate bill

If you follow politics, the phrase "McCain-Lieberman" might make you throw up in your mouth just a little. Since 2003, U.S. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) have worked to pass a bill that would cut greenhouse-gas emissions, to no avail. But wrap your tongue around this: McCain-Lieberman-Obama. Has a nice ring, doesn't it? The grizzled senators are hoping the endorsement of rock star Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will help them pass this year's version, which would impose mandatory caps on emissions and lead to a two-thirds reduction of 2004 carbon levels by 2050. Fellow Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) is working on a smashing compromise that would introduce possible cuts in ... 2030. And Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) planned to introduce a bill today that would cut emissions 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. Sanders' proposal is based on one sponsored in 2006 by former Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.), who said he was "proud that the work I did last year will not be lost." Yet.