Subscribe to one of our news e-mail lists . Each side still appears to be questioning the other's sincerity, but they say they are hoping to reach an agreement by Saturday night. The Lazio and Clinton campaigns are also discussing a ban on spending by advocacy groups, including direct mail.
Soft money is illegal for campaigns to accept directly.
The money is helping to pay for two new television ads that debuted Thursday morning, appealing to voters in upstate New York, covering 57 percent of the airtime purchase. Clinton's donor list, compiled from Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reports by CNN, includes plenty of old Clinton friends and supporters. A wary meeting in Manhattan Soft money emerged as a big issue after the two candidates' debate in Buffalo on September 13. Brandishing a contract that he said would ban soft money, Lazio strode over to Clinton's side of the stage during the face-off. Clinton refused to sign until conservative organizations and political parties agreed to stop their soft-money spending on Lazio's behalf.