On Sunday, as both sides jostled to take credit, watchdog groups cheered - but also expressed skepticism. If the candidates wanted to show they're serious about this, they would both pledge to pass a soft-money ban when they're elected. Both candidates have pledged support for such a law. The campaigns reached a deal late Saturday that prohibits the major and minor political parties endorsing them from airing TV and radio ads boosting their candidates or attacking their opponents. That applies to the Republican and Conservative parties on his side and the Democratic, Liberal and Working Families parties on her side.
Soft money refers to unlimited funds collected by political parties.
Clinton's campaign has already raised millions of dollars in soft money. Lazio's campaign does not have its own soft money account, but has benefited from soft money spending by outside groups. Lazio also has more hard money than Clinton, so the soft-money ban could give him an advantage. Many of Lazio's campaign aides worked on the presidential primary bid of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who made campaign finance reform his biggest issue. Clinton's campaign first proposed a ban on soft money spending in December, back when the Republican candidate was New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.