Vote-switchers emerge in the House

At least three House members who voted against a Wall Street rescue package earlier this week have said publicly they are likely to vote yes when the chamber takes up the bailout again on Friday. 

Tennessee Republican Rep. Zach Wamp, a strong opponent of the measure at the beginning of the week, announced on Fox News on Thursday that he would back the bill.

{mosads}“This is the toughest vote, on some fronts, that I've ever made, because there's no good choice, there's no good alternative,” Wamp said. However, he argued that time “has run out.”

“I was home all week and talked to hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people from every vantage point, and the anxiety levels are really, really high about what happens if we don't take action,” he added.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat from Missouri, also said he would switch his vote.

“I’m in favor of it because I have additional information that will allow me to make a different decision,” he said on MSNBC, adding, “I think we needed the additional time of being able to go home, to sit down and talk with bankers, to talk with community leaders, to talk with people in educational institutions. And I think that's what happened.”

Arizona Republican Rep. John Shadegg, who has been among the most outspoken critics of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, told Fox Business News that he is “strongly leaning” toward supporting the measure this time around.

The White House on Thursday had indicated that some lawmakers were prepared to switch their votes. Supporters of the measure need a net gain of 12 votes. The bill failed 205-228 on Monday.

House leaders were optimistic they would succeed in their second attempt.

“We're not going to take a bill to the floor that doesn't have the votes,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said. “I'm optimistic that we will take a bill to the floor.”

Republicans also expressed confidence that the measure would pass.

“We’ll definitely have the votes unless we rush to a final decision on this vote. I hope we’re not going to do that,” House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) told MSNBC. “I’ve talked to the majority leader and our leader and told them how important it is that we not have this vote until we're ready.”

Blunt added, however, that he believes the House will be ready to approve the measure on Friday.