My recent Nation article on Senator Max Baucus, “K Street’s Favorite Democrat,” has been a topic of discussion back in Montana, where Baucus is up for re-election in 2008.

Last night I talked about the article on Montana NPR’s Evening Edition and Baucus went on after to respond. Host Sally Mauk said Baucus “laments the need for large corporate donations to his campaign.”

Here’s what Baucus said: “I’ve voted for every single campaign reform legislation that’s been here. There’s too many dollars in politics today. But you have to live with the system. And to live with the system you’re gonna have to raise money, regrettably.”

Later this month, Senator Dick Durbin will introduce a bill calling for publicly financed clean elections. If Baucus is serious about changing the system, he’ll sign on as a cosponsor.