Bill Clinton: “I think it's probably different for different people. You know, when--sometimes, according to reports that I've read in…”

“I think it's probably different for different people. You know, when--sometimes, according to reports that I've read in the press, they think maybe it may enhance their standing in their own countries. Sometimes they may think that it's something they ought to do because they have business operations in America--which they have to have, you know, they have to be somehow involved in America to give legally. They may think that it enhances their standing as citizens. Sometimes there may be a specific issue. I suppose--and I don't begrudge this; this is perfectly legal--but when the British tobacco company, Brown and Williamson, made significant contributions to the Republicans, they did it because they agree with their position and disagree with my position on the regulation of tobacco and the restriction of the advertising, sales, and marketing of tobacco to children. So there are different reasons. But let me reiterate what I said about this earlier. I believe that has been legal, and I can understand why it has--you know, if you've got a green card, you're paying taxes, you're working here, maybe you ought to be able to give. If you have a business here, maybe you ought to be able to give. I understand the argument. But I think that, as we've seen in the last few weeks, it raises more questions than it answers, and I personally believe that the campaign finance reform legislation should make contributions by adult non-citizens illegal. Now--and we shouldn't do it anymore. Furthermore, I think we ought to go on and pass the campaign finance reform legislation. As I said Wednesday in my speech to the DLC, repeated reasonable bills have died by Senate filibuster. Let me tell you, there is always an objection to any bill. There has never been a perfect piece of legislation passed by the Congress. There is always a theoretical or actual objection anybody can raise to any bill. But the time has come to quit killing this by filibuster and to pass it. And I'm prepared to do my part. And we ought to start with the McCain-Feingold bill. It's a good bill, it's a reasonable bill, it's a bipartisan bill, and we ought to pass it. And we should amend it to make the foreign contributions not legal anymore. Mara [Mara Liasson, National Public Radio]. Education”