Reid Vows to Stand Up to GOP

[JI7]

<The new leader of Senate Democrats sent a shiver down liberals' backs this month when he seemed to endorse conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia as a possible chief justice of the United States.

Sen. Harry M. Reid's opposition to abortion was well known and generally accepted, liberal activists said, but this was something else. Some wondered if Senate Democrats had replaced Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.) with a considerably more conservative lawmaker who might yield to Republicans, especially in light of the party's four-seat net loss in November's elections.

The answer is no, according to a review of the Nevada senator's voting record, assessments by his colleagues, and his comments in a recent interview. By most measures Reid is a mainstream Democrat, landing slightly to the right of his party's average score on congressional ratings issued by a wide range of interest groups. And by his own accounts, Reid, a former boxer, is ready to go toe-to-toe with President Bush and the Senate's GOP majority on the biggest issues facing the 109th Congress.

"As far as I'm concerned, there will be no privatization" of even a small portion of workers' Social Security contributions, he said, rejecting what the president trumpeted as a priority at a White House conference last week. And Senate Republicans, he said, "will rue the day" they try to carry out a threat to end a senator's right to filibuster judicial nominees.

Those are the words of a battler, not an appeaser, say those who know Reid, who turns 65 Thursday. >

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10764-2004Dec18.html

[bo44]

1. Talk is cheap

He may talk tough tough but he better not show his face begging me for money and support if I see him up on his toes to a Greedy Old Prikkk's minuet.

[Just Me]

2. If he actually "battles" for "THE PEOPLE" and against the,...

same ole' freakin' corporatists who have been spending human life for quite some time,...

,...THEN, I will no longer know him as an APPEASER of destruction.

He has something to prove,...to "Just Me".

[kodi]

3. sadly, i do not trust the congressional leadership of the democratic party

reid may well be using anti privatization of SS rhetoric and filibuster blustering to signal that the democrats are taking strong stands. however, he has shown little past inclination to come out and delineate the dramatic differences between the parties. his track record of blurring these differences is hardly encouraging at a time when a major criticism of the democrats is that they are republican light.

if you look at reid's policy positions and votes in some areas, he falls to the right of several republican senators and would fit in comfortably with the GOP.

so why the in hell does this man lead senatorial democrats?

i don't get a vote in the senate, but i do not trust senator reid to look after my interests, at all.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Let's make sure that when Reid says he will "stand up to the GOP"

he doesn't mean that he will standing on a urinal next to Frist.

[UTDemocrat8204]

5. Very true

If he can keep his word then that would be great.

[Paulie]

10. Exactly!

No more virtual spines. If he isn't on the front page of a major newspaper jumping up and down fighting for us, he's another F-ing loser in my book.

The only consession I want to hear is that the sun rises in the east; everything else is a battle!!!

[Pepperbelly]

6. they can't ever tell the truth in the f*cking Post ...

What Reid did was say that Scalia had too much of a problem with ethics, not that Scalia was the guy for the job.

[w4rma]

12. The WP loves to play those head games.

They write these huge indepth articles and LEAVE OUT the *most* important, *most* valid facts.

[burn the bush]

7. i've been wanting to mention this

did i hear a cspan a meeting with the democratic party and others but no bushco, but they were meeting with people about the middle east situation. I thought reid was the lead guy. He's statted a task force to go against the gop, I think. The part of the meeting that I caught almost seemed like they were conducting world affairs but bypassing bushco. One middle eastern man said something to the effect of this being the first time that he has heard that the US wants to learn about the real situations causing the terrorist problems.
This got me to thinking that maybe the dems are quiet because they have an impeachment plan ahead? Ok most likely wishful thinking...

[Chicago Democrat]

8. I'm glad Tara Reid is finally taking an interest in politics!

;)

[Radical Activist]

9. Didn't this guy take on corruption as gambling commissioner for NV?

That takes balls. I think he'll do fine.

[JohnKleeb]

13. I haven't heard that

but yes you're right it does take balls and from what I see, I think he'll do all right.

[IndianaGreen]

14. People change over time

The young crusader may well turn out to be a corrupt old man.

As Keith Olbermann says: "If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out!"



Democratic Senators Pat Leahy, Harry Reid, and Bob Graham witnessing the signing of the PATRIOT Act. Notice Reid's big smile as Bush signs our civil liberties away!

[Placebo]

11. We'll see.

It's all talk at this point, lets see how he performs when we really need him most.

[Cheswick2.0]

15. except on choice

whoopie

[IndianaGreen]

16. Choice is a BIGGIE

as are gay rights. How nice that we replaced the weak kneed Daschle with the man that smiled when Bush signed PATRIOT.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. Reid? Like sending PeeWee Herman in against Mike Tyson.

Bambi vs Godzilla.

It's hard to believe that anyone could be worse than Daschle but a "pro-life", "slightly to the right", politician from a conservative state in to "fight"...don't make me larf.

[Pepperbelly]

19. Are you saying that Frist is the political Mike Tyson?

Surely you jest.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. As compared to PeeWee Reid? You bet.

Reid is the new fall guy for the Repugs. Now that PeeWee Dascshle has gone to his reward. Both DLC(R) stooges.

[Pepperbelly]

22. I think Reid is smarter than Frist and ...

punches harder than Daschle. I guess we'll see. Harry will have fewer bullets than did Tom.

[PurityOfEssence]

18. New sitcom: "My Favorite Mormon"

Look, I can't stand religion; it's the rigid certainty buttressing one from the obvious vagaries of life. It's not a realistic model: YOU SIMPLY DON'T KNOW HOW THE FUCKING UNIVERSE WORKS.

Having said that, though, no system survives for any length of time if it doesn't have something right. The LDSs have lotsa 'splaining to do on the subjects of racism, sexism, fascistic control and a host of other things, but they do win on some counts. There's an inherent honesty and rectitude in it.

Reid is the son of an alcoholic who flamed out putting his family at risk. He's made his way, and he can't really be pigeonholed very easily. He's pretty bright, and I'll give him the benefit of a doubt when it comes to his personal convictions.

I accept the despicable fact that religion is inextricable in our politics, and has just gotten worse, so maybe he's the right guy for the job. Still, I HATE the concept of a leader being from a red or swing state; it has him looking over his shoulder too much.

Partisanship aside, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt; after all, to step up now is something only a narcissist, madman, hero or curious sort would do, and I don't think he fits either of the first two epithets.

Sadly, though, we will watch our world burn for awhile, and the only real battle that matters is killing unverifiable voting so the people can have their intentions recorded.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. zzzZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzz

Wake me up when something happens, okay?