When we're in the Sunshine, as soon as we vote, every trade association in the country gets out their mailgrams and their phone calls in 12 hours and complains about the members' votes. But when we're in the back room, the Senators can vote their conscience. They vote for what they think is good for the country. Then they can go out to the lobbyists and say: 'God, I fought for you. I did everything I could. But Packwood just wouldn't give in.'
Packwood discusses the need for private deliberations to allow Senators to vote freely.
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I have often thought to myself, what kind of a deal could be made between the Republicans and the Democrats that would result in some increased revenue?
I regret the odious deal I had to make with the oilies, which was totally unjustified and given to them when no other business got it.
Well, that is why this committee--at least in Bill's and my era, there was much more nonpartisanship in the Senate than there apparently is today.
All of us in politics have seen natural leaders. Some of them are inside leaders, like Lyndon Johnson. Some are outside leaders, like Ronald Reagan.
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