The unpolished but shrewd Reid

[jhain]

anuary 04, 2007

The man who defies description

The unpolished but shrewd Reid becomes a quiet insider amid some unflattering portrayals

By Lisa Mascaro
Las Vegas Sun

Washington

WHAT THE MEDIA ARE SAYING ABOUT HARRY

"Reid is low-key, deferential and somewhat sheepish, qualities that make it easy to misread or underestimate him."
— Mark Leibovich, The New York Times

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2007/jan/04/566641698.html


"Reid may be the only Senate majority leader who can say he learned to swim at a brothel."
— William M. Welch, USA Today

"The consummate pessimist in a political world full of sunny optimism."
— Jonathan Weisman, The Washington Post

Harry Reid is dour, unpolished, a walking contradiction with an "Eeyore exterior." Or he is "shrewd and very effective," with a "spine of steel," a brawling political insider who started life as a rural Nevada outsider.

Those are among the descriptions of Reid as reported by the national media in the two months since the Nevada Democrat was elected majority leader of the U.S. Senate, a post he ascends to today as the 110th Congress convenes in Washington.

Reid was a stranger to most Americans before November, despite serving for two years as leader of the Senate's minority party. Postelection polls found that two-thirds of Americans had never heard of him.

But once his party seized control of Congress, Reid's power and profile grew exponentially. He now controls the operation of the Senate and, as the nation's highest elected legislator, he is leader of the loyal opposition to the Republican-controlled executive branch.

** more here:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2007/jan/04/566641698.html

[aquart]

1. He took on the Mafia. That's good experience for dealing with Republicans.

[jhain]

2. Good Point! n/t

[lapfog_1]

3. "highest elected legislator"???

I think not. That honor would go to second in line to the Presidency, Speaker Pelosi. Never mind that the Senate is considered the "higher chamber" or that there are only 100 senators to the 435 in the House. Pelosi is next after Vice President DeadEye Dick in line the the highest office in the land. And that's no accident.

[a kennedy]

4. Don't matter what anyone says about Harry.....

he's got the power now. :patriot: