Chris Dodd: “I expressed my strong support for what President Bush was doing in Panama. I thought it was important he have bipartisan…”

“I expressed my strong support for what President Bush was doing in Panama. I thought it was important he have bipartisan support in the effort in Panama. The narcotraffickers in Bogota, Colombia, in the flatlands, the llanos, as they call them, of southern Colombia know what we are not doing in the Senate. They know President Pastrana has asked for our help. They are watching, and they see a Senate of the United States that says it does not have time to bring this up or does not think it is that important to bring up. I can tell my colleague firsthand there is no more encouraging sign to these people than our apparent disinterest in the subject matter. Every day we wait and do not respond, their grip grows stronger.”