Bob Dole: “Again, I am always willing to try to resolve some of the problems. This is not going to be an easy one because, as I…”

“Again, I am always willing to try to resolve some of the problems. This is not going to be an easy one because, as I recall, the first 2 years of the Clinton administration, when the Democrats controlled Congress, we did not have any votes on minimum wage. The Democrats did not bring it up. They controlled everything. They controlled the White House and the House and the Senate. Now, suddenly, after the AFL has their meeting and pledges millions and millions of dollars, we want to bring it up on the floor. I can imagine what would happen in the liberal media if the corporations came to town and said we are going to put $35 million in the Republican campaigns. There would be headlines in all the papers. All the talk shows would stop in midair to get it on the air. I think there is also a very logical argument. There are going to be a lot of young people who lose their jobs. Many are black teenagers and many are young people whose parents live below the poverty line. So I think, if we are going to have this debate, it ought to be a lengthy debate. It ought to be on the merits. In my view, it cannot happen--I do not see how it can happen this week. Obviously, the Senator is entitled, as he did, to offer an amendment to the underlying bill. That was our mistake. We should have taken care of that. It will not happen again. But notwithstanding that, we can prevent a vote and we will prevent a vote because we do not believe it belongs on this legislation.”