"The New Yorker" has a very good profile of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid by Elsa Walsh. Well worth reading -- he's definitely a social conservative (Mormon) and I can't REALLY give my heart to someone who doesn't think I deserve the same basic civil rights as everyone else in this country. (Call me crazy.) But he's tough and a seasoned backroom dealer. My favorite anecdote is about when Reid was overseeing (with others) gambling for the state of Nevada and someone tried to bribe him. Reid helped the cops set up a sting. But when they were busting the guy, Reid tried to strangle him because he was so angry the guy thought Reid could be bribed! My kind of fellow.
Reid's most interesting perspective is on the filibuster. Some of us have been wary of the deal, which included putting through three of Bush's stalled nominees and, arguably, holding off the "nuclear option" showdown for another day, rather than defeating it. Reid says simply he wasn't certain he could win over enough Republicans to defeat it and was glad he didn't have to find out. Fair enough. But here's a doozy you'll love -- Reid's comment on Bush at a public speech. At an elementary school, no less.
"I didn't come here to beat up on President Bush," he said. "But I have served three Republican Presidents. President Reagan -- I cared a great deal for him, and he got most of what he wanted. If you disagreed with him, he did not hold it against you." He went on, "President Bush No. 1 is such a nice person. Some of my most prized possessions are the three letters he wrote me. But this President is totally different. He takes after his mother. It's either his way or no way. It's very, very difficult." Even Reid seemed surprised by the depth of his reaction. "I'm sorry to give you this report on President Bush," he said, "but that's how I feel."Ouch.
