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Reid: Senate Votes Won’t Interfere With Debate

It is unclear whether GOP presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) will show up for Friday’s planned presidential debate with Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), but Senate Democratic leaders said Thursday that they would make sure the chamber’s voting schedule won’t be a stumbling block.

“We’re going to make sure there are no excuses to not go ahead with the debate,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters. Reid said a vote on a continuing resolution — which, aides have said, could include a $700 billion economic recovery bill — will likely occur Saturday, and that the chamber will not vote Friday.

McCain aide Mark Salter told reporters that it remains unclear whether McCain will show for the debate. “We’ve got to see,” he said when asked about the issue.

Earlier Thursday, Reid said he was trying to reach an agreement with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on the CR, which would fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, that would allow the bill to quickly move to the floor.

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