John Kerry: “some years ago this body was graced by the presence of an extraordinary woman from the State of Maine. Senator Margaret…”

“some years ago this body was graced by the presence of an extraordinary woman from the State of Maine. Senator Margaret Chase Smith came to be known by her trademark red rose, an apt symbol for a woman who epitomized the bipartisan spirit that leads to good legislation for our constituents and the country. I supported the amendment offered by the current Senior Senator from Maine [Ms. Snowe], which the Senate passed last night and added to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform proposal, because, like much of the bipartisan work of her distinguished predecessor, Margaret Chase Smith, this amendment--if the Senate ever is allowed to vote on it and, as I am confident it will, add it to the campaign finance reform legislation the majority of Senators have demonstrated they want to pass--can help to advance the cause of genuine campaign finance reform. As I said on Tuesday, the McCain-Feingold legislation is by no means a perfect bill. But the original version of that bill moved us significantly in the right direction toward reforming our campaign finance laws. But among the many obstacles, procedural and otherwise, which are standing in its way is a cynical bill, the Lott-McConnell bill, the so-called, misnamed "Paycheck Protection" legislation, which is offered to us under the guise of campaign reform. Mr. President, it is no such thing. Make no mistake--the Lott-McConnell bill is not reform.”