Bailout Vote in House Expected to Be Tight

Both opponents and proponents of the $700 billion financial bailout plan intended to ease strains in the credit markets and help kick-start the economy said they expected it to narrowly pass the House of Representatives on Friday.

But while the Senate's resounding approval on Wednesday of the plan to purchase up to $700 billion worth of illiquid assets from the financial system pushed the proposal a step forward, ideological tensions among House members -- who rejected an earlier version Monday -- left its ultimate fate in question.

"It's going to be a very, very tight vote," says Brian Gardner, senior vice president of Washington research at KBW. ...