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CNN Live Event/Special

Campaign Finance Reform Dies in House, For Now

Aired July 12, 2001 - 18:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take you back to Washington now as Senator John McCain is now making his comments about that vote on the House.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: ...those who played a leadership role. It's very difficult and I believe that they have stood up for an important principle today.

What is next, I heard the speaker, in anger, and some of the others in leadership, I understand that. I know what's it's like to lose and I know it's very frustrating. I believe that the speaker shares our view that an open and fair process is appropriate, and I hope that when things cool off as they will over the weekend, that we will be able to negotiate a way to bring this up in a fair fashion, and we will be able to move forward with the legislation.

I do, believe it or not, have sympathy for the Republican leadership of the House having lost this battle today. It's not fun to lose, particularly on an important issue. I understand their frustration. Come the beginning of next week, I hope we can all sit down and work out an agreement so we can have a fair consideration of this bill and move forward with it.

I don't want for to us have to even think about a discharge petition, but that option is always there. We proved today there's a lot of votes. But that's not the way we want to approach this, nor have we had to. So I hope we can, early next week, have an orderly consideration of this amendment and put the discomfort of this particular day behind us.

And I share Zack's comment as well as Chris's. This is not a happy day, when we see this kind of rancor. That's not what the American people want from us, and I believe that early next week they will see a cooperative atmosphere so we can move forward with the legislation.

HARRIS: We've been listening to Senator John McCain, expresses his disappointment at this procedural vote that went down in the House just moments ago. Which, in essence, has removed the anti-campaign finance reform off the floor and perhaps until the next session in September.

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