Harry Reid resembles Harry Truman, physically and politically.

[MoonRiver]

Both are/were soft spoken, non-charismatic, but imminently likable, grandfatherly, types. They don't/didn't push their beliefs and principals on people, but fight/fought like the dickens when cornered and/or harassed. As opposed to many of the corporate sell-outs in Congress, he strikes me as a person who imminently supports the right of all Americans to have a fair shake. He, like Truman, is a guy I sense I can trust. Clark inspires those same feeling for me.

Similar to Reid, Truman, during his early years in the Senate, wasn't taken very seriously, even by his own party. That only changed because he seemed like the least divisive choice for Roosevelt's VP. Then he was practically ignored by the president and media, up until Roosevelt's death. But when duty called, Truman took the mantle and proved himself to be one of the best presidents in U.S. history, imo. I've had many doubts about whether he should have nuked Japan, but perhaps, given the information they had then, and the threat of massive loss of American life if the war raged on another few months, it's understandable.

Im starting to think Reid may have the same old gusto that led Democrats to shriek with joy: "Give Em Hell Harry!", when Repukes attempted, as they always do, to push their fascist agenda down America's collective throat. Reid appears to be fighting tooth and nail against this filibuster outrage. How the impasse ends will be Reid's defining moment, when he either proves my "Harry" analogy correct, or goes by the wayside of political history. For the sake of what's left of our Constitution, Reid must stand strong on protecting the filibuster. And if he demonstrates that his resemblance to Truman is more than physical he may very well be looking at a realistic run for the big house in '08.

My 2 cents on Reid, with apologies for bringing up '08 again. Just can't help myself I guess. :D

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Soft spoken? The "gluttons of privelege" might disagree.

[FLPolitico]

2. Give 'em hell Harry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really wish you wouldn't have apologized for calling * a loser.
You should never apologize telling the truth, NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!

[MoonRiver]

3. No, he shouldn't have.

The jury is still out on Reid. This is his chance to shine and become a real Democratic leader. Will he do the right thing, or play politics as usual? I'm waiting to see.

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Same here

I thought though it was Senate rules they can't speak ill of a president while he's on foreign land? :shrug: But I thought that kicked ass even if he did apologize. I like how he's an attack dog and doesn't let them get away with crap. I remember when the republicans issued out this big book of ways to destroy Reid he came out about it before they could try. I haven't seen them do anything since he came out first. Smart move. I didn't like him voting for the bankruptcy bill though. :( Maybe next year if we win back the majority we can change it. :shrug:

[patricia92243]

4. History has proved Truman to be a great President, He balanced the budget

and that didn't happen again until that other Democrat - Bill Clinton - did the same thing.

I will have to look at a picture of Reid again to see if he looks like the other Harry.

I think he is somebody to keep an eye on for the 08 run. I need to google him and find out more about him. It is almost impossible to go from the Senate to the Big House.

PS: I make no apologies for bring up '08. It's THERE quicker than we may know it - plus it's fun to speculate!!:-)

[MoonRiver]

6. True about going from Senate to Big House.

Truman only did it by route of the VP. I'm just speculating about Reid. My favorite is Clark, then Feingold. But I think Reid could come out of this filibuster sham looking very presidential. He's also got to keep up the fight against whatever other horrors are thrown his way by Frist and bush. A lot remains to be seen. And yes '08 will be upon us soon.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Reid in 08?

Interesting. I never thought about that. Has anybody heard anything about him considering a run? Another person I wish who'd run again is Kennedy.

[nuxvomica]

5. I am feeling good about Reid

I was surprised by how tough he is until I read that he has a history of dealing with organized crime and death threats as chair of the Nevada Gaming Commission, which makes him uniquely qualified to deal with the Republicans. He is also a Mormon who appears to understand the distinction between religious and political life. I wish, however, that you didn't use the phrase "big house" (a penitentiary) when I think you meant "White House." ;-)

[MoonRiver]

7. LOL! I didn't think about the big house analogy.

But maybe it's more apt than we know! :D

[nuxvomica]

8. I would say others are making a run for the big house in '08

And I'm hoping Reid helps them get there. :-)

[FreedomAngel82]

12. That's what impressed me

Is how he dealt with the mafia and big gangs in Nevada. If he can deal with them surely he can deal with the republicans. They're just moron's who run around like chicken's with their heads cut off. So Reid is a good democratic leader when it comes to strategy. Whatever happened to his "war room"? Is that still going on? I remember when I first heard Reid speak it was the democratic response to the State of the Union he did with Pelosi. The first thing that popped into my mind was how he was like a grandfather. Stern but still loving. :)

[nuxvomica]

19. The war room is still going on, fighting "the nuclear option"

from a May 8, 2005, article:
...
Yet he is pressing -- so far successfully -- for Democratic unity on many issues, including opposition to Bush's proposal for Social Security private accounts and Frist's threat of a rules change for judicial nominations.

Here, his approach is aggressive, and he's ripped a page from the Republican playbook of governing as if in campaign mode, says Bill Samuel, the top lobbyist for the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization. A ``war room'' Reid established late last year, which now has 18 staffers, makes sure Democrats get their message out daily to reporters.

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York agrees that Reid is taking a tougher stance. ``He comes off as this mild fellow, and yet people forget he was a boxer when he was a teenager and in college,'' Schumer says. ``He's tough as nails. And his reaction, more so than Daschle's, is that when they hit him, is to hit back.''
...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=a.7j2UjpKyHA&refer=us

[patricia92243]

28. Wow! I didn't realize he was so dynamic. Hmmm...might even start thinkin

thinking of him as the other Howard Dean - and from me - that is the ultimate compliment. :)

[nuxvomica]

35. Like Dean, he has not always been careful in his language

Like when he referred to * as a loser, for which he later apologized. But it got out there anyway, got planted in the consciousness of the citizenry. :evilgrin: Just the sort of thing that may make the crime family think they could be dealing with someone who *gulp* speaks his mind!

[patricia92243]

9. I just googled Reid then Truman. I don't know how to get a picture of eac

each of them to this website but I'll bet somebody does. It would be interesting to be able to see them side by side.

[FreedomAngel82]

13. I got a picture

of each. Here they are.

Harry Reid-
Harry Truman-

[MoonRiver]

15. Thanks! Don't you think they resemble each other?

But it's more than just their faces. Their demeanors seem very similar.

[patricia92243]

20. Thanks a lot. I knew it could be done, but I am computer illiterate. :)

[MoonRiver]

21. You know more than I do!

[FreedomAngel82]

23. It's really not that hard

You just had to right click the picture and click on "copy image location" and paste it in the text box. :) Nothing special needs to be done. I do think they resemble each other. The glasses and the nose.

[MoonRiver]

26. OK, I'm going to try doing that.

Yippee! It worked! I think. Can you see it?

[FreedomAngel82]

33. Yes I can

You got it! :toast:

[MoonRiver]

36. Oh, goodee!

I have tried to do this many times, and sometimes it works, sometimes not. Maybe I've been trying to use too many steps. I thought you had to have pictures hosted somewhere.

:shrug:

[demwing]

14. Here's the best photo comparison I can find

Closer than I expected...

[MoonRiver]

16. Wow, that's a good one!

Could be brothers, no?

[patricia92243]

17. They do look alike. If the picture of Truman was in color the resemblance

would be even more noticable.

[demwing]

18. I changed them

now Reid is in B&W, and the dimensions are identical.

[MoonRiver]

22. It looks like Reid is older than Truman was when that pic was taken.

Would be interesting to see a picture of Truman at Reid's age. What is his age anyway?

[FreedomAngel82]

25. Right

Maybe Reid is a reincarnate. ;)

[leyton]

24. I think both of the Harrys are great.

Reid is doing a fine job, he has accomplished more with 44 Senators than Daschle did with 48 (or 47 or whatever the number was). I also like his grandfatherly demeanor. I don't really want him to run from the White House since I think he'll be effective in the Senate and a run would take him away from that beginning in 2007, but I wish there was a way we could transmit Reid's persona to the American public. Everyone knows what Bush is like, and most people find him fairly personable. I think people would feel the same way about Harry Reid, but unfortunately the Senate Minority Leader (though he is the highest-ranking Democrat) does not get face time with the American public. I hope we can find a way to get non-junkies to just see him speak.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. I wish so too

I've seen a few video's of him and stuff. I first found out about him from when he was on "Meet the Press" last December talking and I really liked him off the bat.

[patricia92243]

29. Thanks for this thread. It has been one of the most enlightening for me

that I have seen lately.

[ClarkUSA]

30. Wish we'd had had Harry Reid since 2000. I don't miss Daschle a bit.

I doubt whether 2008 is in the picture, though. His calling as leader of our Democratic Senate is too important to cut out by 2006 to start campaigning and I suspecvt he's no ambitious gadfly who's out to use his Senate seat as a political stepping-stone.

[MoonRiver]

31. If he keeps it up, I wouldn't be surprised to see a draft Reid movement,

similar to what we witnessed with Clark. My fervent hope is that General Clark runs and gets the nomination. But Reid is another intriguing possibility. Maybe he could start out as VP, like Truman. Man, wouldn't that be an interesting combo - Clark/Reid.

[FreedomAngel82]

34. That would be interesting

I think that would be a good combo.

[FreedomAngel82]

32. I think so too

I think he makes a great democratic leader. I didn't know Daschle that well personally.