BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From Washington, it could be a rather long night in the House, where yet another fight under way now over the money each member has to raise to stay in office. In particular, a dispute of so-called soft money. CNN's Kate Snow reports, though, do not let the name fool you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congressman Gilmore's office, can you please hold?</s>KATE SNOW, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The phone won't stop ringing, grassroots group pushing for campaign reform targeting the undecideds.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. I'll look at congressmen aides (ph) for you. Thank you.</s>SNOW: Most of those on the fence, Republican moderates who voted for campaign finance reform in the past. Republican Senator John McCain is working closely with House Democrats to help them reach out to that group. There are undecided Democrats, too. Democratic leader Dick Gephardt and the bill's Democratic sponsor, Marty Meehan, are working that side of the aisle. On the line, Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak. He's under pressure from right-to-life groups he supports. They don't want a bill that bans TV ads in the days before an election. Moderate Democrats who support gun rights are getting the same kind of pressure from the NRA. Adding to the confusion, no one is sure exactly what they will be voting on. Three bills, 20 amendments, it's hard to sort out where allegiances lie. The Republican strategy: convince enough lawmakers to change the bill through amendments. If they change it enough that it doesn't match what passed the Senate last summer, that could create legislative gridlock, effectively killing a bill one Republican leadership source calls fatally flawed. (on camera): Republicans argue the campaign reform bill wouldn't really get money out of politics, just shift it around. But supporters say it would be a fundamental change, stopping what one former CEO called the shakedown for political donations. Kate Snow, CNN, Capitol Hill.
Congress Debates Campaign Finance Reform