TESTER: "Well, I think corporations are a whole lot different than people. I don't know corporations that can be put in prison. I do know people that can be put in prison. I mean, it's a totally different entity. I don't think the forefathers envisioned when this country was setup that we would have corporations that had the same rights or more rights than people.

"That's what's happened here. You know, as this whole thing gets fleshed out. And, by the way, in the end, I don't think it helps Democrats; I don't think it helps Republicans. I don't think it helps anybody. In fact, I think it goes against people, it goes against our ability to run this country in a way that makes sense for people.

"And that's really what's sad about it. As a policy maker, as a public servant I come to Washington, DC and I make difficult decisions and I make difficult decisions everyday. And sometimes those decisions upset people.

"Well, if you have corporations out there that have hugely deep pockets, and I'm concerned about re-election — which isn't the top thing on my mind, the top thing on my mind is to make good public policy — well they're going to come into a state like Montana and put $1 million down the year before an election and probably put $15 (million) to $20 million in the year of the election which is what we figure they're probably going to do this election cycle.

"And whether it beats me or not, I don't know, I have great faith in the people of Montana that they can't be bought. But if it does, what a travesty. I mean, you make the right decision, it helps people, it helps families, it helps our next generation and the generation after and you have a big corporation, maybe not even from this country that can blow in with $10 (million) or $15 million which is nothing to them and huge amounts to regular folks and buy an election.

"It's ridiculous and it's not what our forefathers sought and it really goes against our democracy. It goes against what this country is built upon."