October 18, 1999

From Correspondent Jonathan Aiken

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate cast a purely symbolic vote Monday against unlimited "soft money" donations prized by both political parties, but the development did little or nothing to enhance prospects for passage of campaign finance legislation.

The 92-1 vote marked a bizarre confluence of political interests on an issue that is highly partisan at its core.

"This is a defining vote," said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, the chief Republican advocate of legislation to curtail to role of money in elections. Without a ban on soft money, which goes to the political parties instead of individual candidates, "there is no reform," he said.

But Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, the principal Senate foe of the legislation, said the vote was nothing of the sort. He deemed the roll call "meaningless" and the result of parliamentary maneuvering, and urged opponents of the campaign finance bill to join with supporters.

The vote set the stage for two more meaningful test votes Tuesday, when campaign finance supporters will need 60 votes to advance beyond a GOP-led filibuster.

Supporters say the proposed legislation, which bans soft money in federal elections, would decrease the risk of influence peddling in politics. Detractors argue that both major parties could not operate without the large, often corporate donations, which go directly to the parties and are not subject to federal spending limits.

"The fact is when someone gives large amounts of money, then they expect and receive influence in Washington," said McCain Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

McCain, a GOP presidential candidate, sponsored the bill with Russ Feingold, a Democrat from Wisconsin.

Soft money supporters argue that the donations are a necessity for both major parties, and that it would be difficult to convince Congress to reduce or eliminate them.

"Thirty-five percent of the budget of the Senatorial committee, 40 percent of the budget of the Republican National Committee is non-federal money," said McConnell on "Meet the Press."

Soft money is so important to Democrats that the party could lose the presidential election next year without it, according to Democratic National Committee Chairman Ed Rendell.

"If the Republicans passed McCain-Feingold, we would be shut down. And with (GOP presidential candidate George W.) Bush's ability to raise hard money (individual contributions), it would be over," Rendell, the mayor of Philadelphia, was quoted as saying in the Washington Post.

But on the floor of the Senate this week, some Democrats are expected to press for more comprehensive reforms than McCain- Feingold offers.

"Good government and integrity is far more important than what kind of money we're going to raise, whether it's soft, hard or independent," said Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South Dakota.

"I think that if we can shut down both parties and the money machine that we're creating, we're better off. We ought to do it," Daschle said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

McCain wrote President Bill Clinton, urging him to discourage Democrats from voting for alternatives to the McCain-Feingold bill.

Some Republicans expressed doubt that the White House would help McCain.

"Working with President Clinton on campaign finance reform is like working with Bonnie and Clyde on banking reform. I mean, this administration has been the biggest abuser of campaign finance," said Senate Majority Whip Don Nickles of Oklahoma, on "Face the Nation."

Despite congressional rhetoric in favor of campaign finance reform, McCain's bill has not garnered the votes necessary for passage. Campaign finance reform may have to wait because no one in Congress can agree on how to reform it.

"There are some of us who do not want to compromise and want comprehensive reform that changes the entire system, and there are those like Senator McCain, who want very modest reform, which I think may do more harm than good," said Sen. Robert Torricelli, a Democrat from New York.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sunday, October 17, 1999

• Campaign finance reform debate heats up before Senate vote
• Report: U.S. seeking to renegotiate 1972 missile treaty with Russia
• Gore: 'You have to win a race on your own'

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