Thomas Daschle: “I am very disappointed on what I thought was an understanding the majority leader and I had about the way we were going…”

“I am very disappointed on what I thought was an understanding the majority leader and I had about the way we were going to do business around here. I worked very closely with him all day yesterday. We were able to get quite a bit done legislatively on Interior appropriations, and work through an agreement on FDA that required my cooperation. Yet I am presented with this about 30 seconds ago--no consultation, no discussion, no deliberation, no way with which to discuss whether this makes sense for either side; an ultimatum, take it or leave it. That is not the way to do business around here. It is an affront to the Democratic Caucus, to me personally, and it begs the question about how sincere this offer really is. If it were sincere I would think the majority leader and I would have a chance to sit down and talk about it together, work it through. No effort was made to do that. So, it is enlightening, it is instructive, and it will be reciprocated. I am delighted that the Republicans have finally seen fit to recognize the importance of dealing with this issue this year. I am pleased that at long last they have agreed at least to taking the bill up, the McCain-Feingold bill, that 45 Democrats have said they support. It only takes 2 more Republicans and we will have the 50 votes necessary to pass McCain-Feingold as it was introduced, as S. 25. So we are looking for two more Republicans.”