I think campaign finance reform is long overdue. I have serious concerns about the Shays-Meehan approach to campaign finance reform its opponents say it restricts constitutionally protected forms of free speech. Nevertheless, I've always voted for campaign reform in order to move the debate forward. And at the end of the day, Shays-Meehan was the only train leaving the station. So, I was recently pleased to learn that to encourage passage in the Senate, Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold have decided to cut some of the most controversial provisions out of their bill.
Soft money is the biggest loophole in the campaign laws.
Q. Well, this all sounds like you expect campaign finance reform to succeed in Congress this year. I wouldn't say that. Most Democrats in Congress are using campaign finance reform as an issue they can use to win applause from editorial writers. But when we get to the point of actually voting on a final bill to send to the President for his signature, I think you'll find a lot of hesitation since it's easier to talk about reform and use it as an issue than it is to actually adjust to a new set of rules. Our current campaign laws are an abysmal failure.