Max Cleland: “I enjoyed the remarks of my colleague from the great State of Oklahoma. Mr. President, this is a day I have been waiting…”

“I enjoyed the remarks of my colleague from the great State of Oklahoma. Mr. President, this is a day I have been waiting for since I had the great honor and privilege of taking my oath of office as a U.S. Senator back in January: a day when we are debating pending campaign finance reform legislation on the Senate floor. It has been a long and tortuous road since January, and on more than one occasion, we have all heard pronouncements that campaign finance reform was dead for this session, if not for all time. That we are here today is a great tribute to the perseverance and effectiveness of my friends and colleagues, Senators McCain and Feingold, as well as the relentless commitment of the Democratic leader, Senator Daschle, to the cause of campaign finance reform. I wish also to thank the distinguished majority leader for affording us the opportunity to debate, and cast meaningful votes, on this vital issue. This is also a testimony to the groundswell of public opinion that is compelling us to act on a very embarrassing matter, the way we raise political money. Will Rogers said it best: "It takes a lot of money now days to even get beat with." That was said over 70 years ago. It is certainly even more true today.”