31.   And both take unsurprising stands in favor of saving Social Security, scrapping the current federal tax code, passing campaign finance reform and helping public schools.

32.   And party leaders are still fighting him over campaign finance reform.

33.   And Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., a leading advocate of campaign finance reform who significantly limited his spending, still defeated Rep. Mark Neumann.

34.   And on issues neither put on their priority list, such as campaign finance reform, they are especially divided.

35.   And Pataki, after broaching campaign finance reform for the first time in June, notably did not mention it last week in his annual address to the Legislature.

36.   And Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., wants to use it as a vehicle to carry campaign finance reform.

37.   And the Republican leadership showed a marked distaste for campaign finance reform.

38.   And that is generating a debate about campaign finance reform.

39.   And the Republicans and the president have very different approaches to tax breaks, educational reform, Medicare and campaign finance reform.

40.   And so it was Monday night, when the US House of Representatives buried its rusty rhetorical dagger deep in the chest of campaign finance reform.