Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for his question. None of us want to commit to not talking to one another privately, I think. I think that's what the chairman was referring to. I am sure he and Mr. Dodd will speak. I am sure that he and the gentleman from Alabama, the ranking Republican, Mr. Shelby, may be speaking. The chairman and I both served with Mr. Shelby, and I am sure that there will be discussions with the ranking Republican from our side. That may not be in the context of the conference itself where there will be cameras, where there will be an open opportunity to offer amendments and fully debate and discuss various options. Frankly, I've not been too pleased personally with the fact that we don't have a lot of conferences. I think conferences are good. I think they accomplish a worthy objective of bringing reconciliation between the two Houses and frankly giving an opportunity for each perspective that's represented on the conference to be articulated. And I think this will be, from that standpoint, a model conference. And I think Mr. Frank does intend, as he has said, to have an open conference with full debate and voting in the light of day on various different proposals.”