Here is tonight's transcript of Lou
Dobbs .
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the gavel came down, the vote 217 yes, 215 no, but it was what happened in the hours before, the arm-twisting and the favor dropping that prompted the House Democratic leader to say Congress resembled the set of "Let's Make a Deal." She even went so far as to suggest laws may have been broken.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: I do know of reports that have been made to me about offers that were made to Democrats, and they came running in saying, "It didn't sound like it passed the legal muster to me."
SYLVESTER: Republicans were just happy they came up with a win.
ROB PORTMAN, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: But there was a small group of undecided members. And the way we persuaded them to support this agreement was the agreement itself. It's a fundamentally sound agreement because it opens up the markets in Central America.
SYLVESTER: In the post-CAFTA roundup, three representatives stand out. Congressman Charles Taylor, his North Carolina district has been battered by job losses in the textile and furniture industries. But he was listed as abstaining from the vote.
In a statement he said he voted no. "But due to an error, my 'no' vote did not record on the voting machine."
+++++++(must have been a Diebold machine)
Then consider Republican Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. Representative Davis went back to her Virginia district for the Boy Scout jamboree to take part in an event with President Bush. She missed the vote by 20 minutes because of the weather. Her staff also claims she would have voted no.
+++++(did Bush purposely cause her to miss the vote by cancelling his appearance in short notice?)
And North Carolina representative Robin Hayes, he changed his vote from a "no" to a "yes" after he reportedly had a side conversation with the speaker of the House.
Republicans also extended the voting for nearly an hour after the official clock ran out to try to rustle up more votes. LORI WALLACH, PUBLIC CITIZEN: A total perversion and manipulation of democracy, so that in the end there was a brokered outcome of 217 votes for CAFTA suddenly, 215 against. And you know something? In the end, they still couldn't get a majority to vote for CAFTA. So they had two people who just didn't vote, they didn't show up.
And one other note. It was Congressman Hayes who cast the deciding vote in another crucial trade debate back in December of 2001, giving the president fast track trade promotion authority -- Lou. *
DOBBS: A remarkable precedent for Congressman Hayes.
Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership also must be beside themselves, because this means their tactics didn't work very well at all in what was a critically close vote.
SYLVESTER: Well, one of the interesting things will be whether or not there was a violation. And you can bet that the Democrats are going to be going back and reviewing exactly how they were able to get all the votes, and to see if any laws were broken -- Lou.
*DOBBS: Well, we know how they got the votes. Trade representative Portman saying that it was a sound agreement, and they won on the basis of that agreement without any outside or external influence whatsoever. He said that with a straight face.
Did you notice that, Lisa?
SYLVESTER: Well, I did, indeed. And, you know, what we'll have to see is what exactly is in the transportation bill and the energy bill. And then I think we'll know the truth.
DOBBS: Well, for the benefit of all the bureaus of this broadcast who are interested in nonpartisan truth, non-ideological truth, all of the votes of the congressmen and women who were in that midnight hour will find those results on our Web site, and we will keep them there and continue to explore just how these votes came down.
Lisa Sylvester. Thank you for helping us in that effort. Fascinating.
*Well, we thought you might want to know what Congressman Robin Hayes, as Lisa Sylvester just reported, casting that vote, what he had said on July 14, two weeks before, of course, last night's vote. And it qualifies as our quote of the day.
The congressman said, "Every time I drive through Kannapolis and I see those empty plants, I know there is no way I could vote for CAFTA."
Reassuring, strong words. Congressman Hayes changed his mind, and last night, or this morning, if you prefer, voted yes on CAFTA. *
++++++++++++++
So how far will this go? Were any laws broken? Will this gain any traction or will it be fruitless just like all the other abuses of Republican power?
My answers - not far, probably and fruitless.