XML Classic ASP CDATA

I am working with a Finance software package that stores data in an XML blob.
I have used this capability to store a xml node and the software stores it within CDATA.

In an asp classic page I am retrieving the CDATA 'node' and trying to then load it using loadxml.  I get a parse error the srcText property has the CDATA in the header.

I do not have a way to re-create this on the internet, so I am trying to explain this best way possible and hope for suggestions, ideas, things to investigate.

So, my question is as follows based on the above
1.  How do I selectnodes to get into the CDATA, not with it.
2.  Other ideas, reasons why I would get a parse error when loading valid xml as a string retrieved from within the CDATA.
Note: when I manually copy the string and load it, it works find.  In a text document, there is no visible difference between the manual copy and the retrieved version.

Thanks,