Graham says climate bill cannot pass Senate

From The Washington Post:

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said Friday that it has become "impossible" to pass climate and energy legislation at the moment, a declaration that likely dooms the bill's chance of passage this year.

Graham had spent months trying to craft a bipartisan compromise on the issue with Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), but he suggested late last month that he was unwilling to continue after Senate Democratic leaders said they hoped to push through immigration legislation this year.

[See 4-26-10 post entitled "Sen. Graham is right (and the public is going to be upset about new immigration push): Graham Pulls Support for Major Senate Climate Bill."]

His new statement is more definitive and suggests that the one Republican who could serve as a bridge to the GOP on a climate bill will abandon the effort altogether.

The Democrats' immigration push and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill have put a halt to any immediate expansion of offshore oil drilling, Graham said, and hampered any chance of reaching a bipartisan deal.

Despite Graham's statement, Kerry and Lieberman said Thursday that they would introduce the climate and energy proposal next week.

But the loss of their most reliable Republican negotiating partner would make any effort to marshal 60 votes a formidable challenge.