Harry Reid on liberal lobbying groups, Afghanistan, and 2010
By Dave Cook | 03.27.09
At a wide ranging meeting with reporters on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid supported President Obama’s decision to commit more troops to Afghanistan, predicted Democrats would pick up Senate seats in 2010, and called on liberal lobbying groups to back off on ads pushing Obama’s budget.
Senator Reid was briefed in advance on a plan Obama announced Friday to send an additional 4,000 troops to Afghanistan on top of the 17,000 he had directed to the country earlier this year.
“There is no chest thumping, no bring ‘em on, there is no mission accomplished,” Reid told reporters at a Monitor-sponsored breakfast. “What we are going to do based on what President Obama has outlined is have a more narrow focus. [The] narrow focus is to protect Americans. We are going after Al Qaeda. That is our goal in Afghanistan.”
Not enough from NATO
The Nevada Democrat was asked if he and the president were satisfied with the contribution NATO allies are making to the effort in Afghanistan. “You would have to ask the president if he is satisfied. I am not,” Reid said. “But I recognize they are having some financial problems of their own. But I think that they have been really not as helpful as they should be.”
He disapproves of liberal lobbying groups running advertisements targeting moderate Democratic senators trying to get them to support President Obama’s budget. MoveOn.org and Americans United for Change have launched separate ad campaigns designed to pressure House and Senate Democrats to line up behind the administration’s ambitious fiscal plans. “These groups should leave them alone. It’s not helpful to me. It’s not helpful to the Democratic Caucus,” Reid said.
Charity change exaggerated
During the breakfast meeting, Reid voiced support for one of the most controversial provisions of the Obama budget, a proposal to lower the rate at which high income taxpayers could deduct charitable contributions. “They are lowering the amount you can deduct by a few percentage points. That is all it is,” Reid said. “I just think that it has been blown way out of proportion.” He quoted the president at a meeting on the Hill this week telling one Senator who criticized the charitable deduction proposal, “You can’t have it both ways. You have to pay for some of this stuff.”
In the 2010 elections, “We are in a position to pick up a number of seats,” Reid said. “And I think that our success is tied to Obama’s success….I would love to have 60, I would be happy with 59 [Senate seats],” he said, adding, “I think we focus a little too much on numbers.”
Ugly election-year changes
When asked about the challenge of running the Senate and running for reelection himself in 2010, Reid said, “I am not going to change anything. I have always been who I am. People in Nevada know that. Some people like who I am. Others don’t. I have watched other senators try to change who they are during an election cycle. I think it is real ugly and I am not going to do that.” Reid said he had raised $2 million in the last quarter for his re-election. “I feel comfortable that I will be competitive,” he said.
<< NCAA snub: Obama doesn’t pick women’s basketball teams | MainComments
3. Walter | 03.27.09
Why should liberals back off of this government? Are they afraid that we actually want something for all the hard earned money they’ve squeezed out of us. I pray to God that he is removed along with that California Wench Pelosi and in 2012 Obama/Biden are ousted. They have already ruined this country and caused a great divide in all Americans.
4. C Nelson | 03.27.09
So Sen. Harry Reid disapproves of the actions of liberal lobbying groups. This may be the first thing he has ever said that I can agree with totally. I must be dreaming.
5. LasVegan | 03.27.09
This man is a poor excuse for a Senate Majority Leader and an even worse excuse for a Nevada Senator. Aside from being a one-note political hack.
Nevadans really need to ask what he has done for them. Absolutely Nothing!
Vote for anyone you choose in 2010, but do not vote for Harry Reid.
6. nate | 03.27.09
“You can’t have it both ways. You have to pay for some of this stuff”. It boggles my mind that you have to pay any taxes on charitable contributions let alone raising it. Now you have to pay taxes on money you don’t even have. The next that will come out is how greedy this selfish rich people are because they don’t give to charity anymore. This administration is like a run away train. God help us!
7. SoDakian | 03.27.09
Don’t pull what we did in SD, we voted out a Senate leader and all our pork went away and now we have no pull.
8. Teddi Curtis | 03.27.09
As to leaving those “moderate Democrats alone,” consider this:
Evan Bayh is leading those moderates and Susan Bayh’s (Mrs. Evan Bayh) health care board pay for 2007 equalled $770,000. All board pay roughly totalled $840,000. That’s over four times Evan’s Senatorial pay. Her potential holdings are below, the actual number depends on option exericise prices:
Curis–$290,062
Dendreon–$338,163
DYAX–$120,500
Emmis–$25,000
MDRNA–$23,000
WellPoint–$362,500
With over $1.1 million in potential family holdings, what kind of health care reform can the public expect from Senator Evan Bayh? One that maintains private sector profits and executive pay for performance? Highly likely.
Who Are The Senators In Bayh’s Blue Dog-Style Coalition?
In addition to Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) will lead the group. Other members include: Sens. Mark Udall (D-CO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mark Begich (D-AK), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
These members, Bayh explained, are currently attending the group’s meetings but do not wish to be “publicly identified.”
– Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-PA)
– Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
– Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Why don’t they want to be identified? Shouldn’t their constituants be informed on the positions they hold? Are they not proud of their position?
9. Justin | 03.27.09
This guy is an idiot. The debt that CONGRESS is piling on top of taxpayers is fraud, theft, and treason. They should leave the charities alone and make lobbyist groups illegal. Lobbyists are some of the lowest forms of life on Earth.
Every single person in congress who is behind the bailouts and behind the $234098209809823 quadrillion budget that Obama is shoving down our throats needs to be jailed and replaced.
At this point the Federal government has trampled the people enough to reward crooks on Wall Street.
10. lvhangman | 03.27.09
Might as well be part of California. PLEASE both states should vote Reid and Pelosi out of office. Two peas in a pod.
11. Another Nevadan | 03.27.09
Calling Harry Reid “scum” doesn’t accomplish anything. We need reasoned debate not name calling. No politician will please everyone. The question is how effective Reid can be in bringing about change - the change that people voted for in electing Obama.
12. Atomicpunk | 03.27.09
Jesus, the level of hypocrisy here is amazing. Anti-war president my rear. Is there anything Obama’s doing that isn’t the same as Bush, only worse?
13. NotAFan | 03.27.09
Reid predicted Democrats would pick up Senate seats in 2010 - I predict Republicans will pick up his and many others.
Re: an additional 4,000 troops to Afghanistan …
“there is no mission accomplished,” - not with this new administration unless you are counting bankrupting our country and making is harder on our children and grandchildren
14. edge | 03.27.09
Hey Harry, you knew about the AIG bonuses, why didn’t you give everyone a “heads up”?
Hey Harry, of the 535 members of Congress how many read the 789 billion dollar stimulus bill?
Hey Harry why wasn’t there time for any of the members of Congress to read the Stimulus bill before voting?
Oh, that’s right, Pelosi needed to get out to see the Pope, and her schedule is more important that the Country getting a fair shake…what was I thinking!!
edge.
15. bgreen2224@aol.com | 03.27.09
Rules for a Change:
#1 NEVER vote for an incumbent.
#2 NEVER, EVER vote for an incumbent.
#3 There are no other rules.
16. don | 03.27.09
Sen Reid should have Nevadans wondering who this man is! I do not think he is the same man they thought they voted for a few years ago. He sure wasn’t for protecting our soldiers in Iraq when he said “the war is lost”. He tried to do everything in his power to discredit President Bush!! Now he is going along with all this horrible spending that may bankrupt the country or at least cause inflation not witnessed since Carter’s years. This is protecting the American people?? No, Mr Reid, it is all about your selfish need to maintain power for you and your cronies!
17. Dan | 03.27.09
Reid is exactly what is wrong with government. All politics ahead of what’s best for the country. It’s about time we elect officials with principles.
18. Warren, Reno NV | 03.27.09
Harry Reid’s lack of leadership is comparable to Nancy Pelosi’s arrogance.
When Sen Reid speaks I keep hoping for something, all I get is an image of a small dog following after his mistress waiting for a treat. He doesn’t even do that well.
The comment about Nevada being a county of California. Our new slogan in the state “Please do not Californicate Nevada”
19. Breeze | 03.27.09
I just hope harry reed is not forced to stand next to anyone who smells bad during future press conferences, or we may have to pay 8.2 billion ffor a new pressroom. I echo all comments written here save “Another Nevadan”- who I suspect is probably Harry Reid himself posting on these boards. I further suspect the vast majority of those who voted for Obama had no idea he could/would destroy Democracy and screw up this country so badly so quickly. Another day, another anti-liberty, grow government idea announced by the Obama campaign.
20. Paul | 03.27.09
Look Reid is not a friend of Nevada. Go check out the portk his little town is packing on. The only way he even made it to washington and now the top dog is Reno and Las Vegas. Both of these liberal areas sent him there. Most of the people who voted for him could understand nor speak english. We the real deal nevadians arent stupid. We are mostly conservetives, who believe California should take thier snake oil and go away. We believe some californians would love to split that state up as well. After all they are all not like pelosi. Last word, we are not any better than the bush days and we will never get there spending 3rd generation revenues. This country needs a civil war from within. We need to send those creeps from DC to some other place. We should take everthing from them, put them on welfare and use their life savings and investments to fund the national debt. 535 members of congress salaries is a good place to start. I dont think any one in congress or in DC should be paid a salary. Give all their money to the poor who lost the jobs in the past couple months. This pain isnt gonna end until we end it for them. Remove all the DC punks and send them packing.
21. DavyJoe | 03.27.09
It’s nice that you do not publish “personal attacks on other commenters”, but why only “commenters”? Don’t our elected representatives deserve similar respect? In particular, why not forbid blanket perjoratives? Bald statements that XXXX is an idiot, ***, etc are not just uncouth but pointless; if
you would convince me, tell me why I should think so.
22. snake doctor | 03.27.09
I think we can all see who is behind the curtain and who is on the yellow brick road…..and worst of all… who get’s to pay the bill for all of this madness. When we put tax and spend democrats in charge of the entire government there’s no one looking out for the rest of us. At the very least we need checks and balances in government. Start by electing a republican to the senate seat vacated by Hillary (NY) 4 days from now.
23. Marko | 03.27.09
The man must love to be kicked around. He’s just not leadership material.
Go MoveOn! That’s where my donations are going, and not to the DCCC.
24. Damond | 03.27.09
Reid is a dork…But not near what Polosi is. She needs to up her medication or be out on a ledge somewhere….
25. Jerrychristian | 03.27.09
Quote Senator Reid, ‘I would love to have 60, I would be happy with 59 [Senate seats],” he said, adding, “I think we focus a little too much on numbers.”
Well, are you contradictory or what? You talk out of both sides of your mouth Senator. Typical liberal double-speak. Say one thing and contradict it in the same sentence. That way no-one gets offended. What an art.
26. enseegee | 03.27.09
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mRSI8yWwg
is a really good place to watch Mr. Reid in action. Copy and paste the link for some serious tax advice by the Senate Majority leader
27. Chance | 03.27.09
I would suspect that most of the people on this blog voted for Obama. Just one thing I want to tell ya. We’ll all get to suffer together now. The world is going to change very quickly in the next year. After that we’re all stuck. Nothing but a violent revolution will get us out of this. I’m assuming because Americans have become mostly ****** and wimps, that won’t happen. Just so you know. If Obama genius thnks the rich people will stay here while he and Reid and pusslocy tax them to the poor house, they won’t! Keep in mind, they’re rich. They can pack up and go anywhere they want to. Now on the other hand, we are stuck with the big bunch of dumb ***** in Washington.
28. geowp | 03.27.09
This Gang of Four needs to go now. Treasonous acts against the U.S The U.S. cannot afford to wait until 2010 or 2012. The bunch (Obama, Biden, Pelosi, Reid) are the worst thing to happen to the U.S. since Viet Nam, Pearl Harbor, 911, and the Civil War COMBINED!
29. Sick of Crybabies | 03.27.09
Damn. Everyone on this site is whining about how much money the government is spending- ok, fine, but what suggestions do any of you crybabies have to fix the economy? And sorry but don’t blame Obama for this situation, he has only been president about 60 days. This mess is the result of policies from the last “leader” that all failed miserably. I don’t agree with all of Obama’s policies, or Reid or Pelosi, but what good does complaining do when noone has any alternatives? Who has a better idea to fix the economy? Please, state it instead of another Wa-Wa session about the government trying to fix the mess we presently have.
30. joy! | 03.27.09
I”m so glad I’m not alone. It’s good to read others that feel the same as I do. I just get a sick feeling every time I see or hear Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi on the TV. I believe at one time Harry Reid had some integrity and was really looking out for his state but once he spent much time in the presents of “Satan” herself he fell victim to her influence. I believe there is a scripture that states And satan was A Broad in the land.”
31. Astonished | 03.27.09
Have you all noticed what is happening here? The most recent Bush administration, with the full support of the Republicans running congress (and some Demos as well), have put this country into a meat grinder. Obama didn’t do it, neither did Pelosi or Reid. The financial crisis was perpetrated by Wall Street big wigs, who paid off mostly Republican congressmen to loosen regulations. That’s why we’re in such a pickle. Obama and crew are doing their level best to get us out of it. I don’t know if what they’re doing is going to work, but I do know that giving them a chance to work this out is the only chance we have of avoiding Great Depression part 2.
32. The Silent Conservative Majority | 03.28.09
Isn’t Reid that sallow, faded and wrinkled little lapdog that Pelosi keeps around to hide behind when she has told him to GO OUT and say “we have lost the war!”? Is this the CHANGE and HOPE that was preached to everyone and they bought IT…the change into weakness and bankruptsy from some one without ANY experience except as a 45 year old “Neighborhood Organizer”? We really have a monitor addicted OJT smooth talker that is talking everyone out of their…money. Don’t you feel even a little bit ashamed?
33. HSR0601 | 03.29.09
As always, an inept leader tends to turn people’s eyes to war.
I understand n.korea missile launch represents china has no confidence in policies, Obama’s extended mistake reflects a lack of conviction in the management
Thank you !
34. Steve H. | 03.31.09
Term Limits for Congressmen are discussed every year, but that’s as far as it gets.Why do we need career polititions? Why don’t they pay into the social security system? Why do they get automatic pay raises?
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
Leave a Comment
We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. The comments feature is a forum to discuss the ideas in our stories. Constructive debate - even pointed disagreement - is welcome, but personal attacks on other commenters are not, and will not be published.
Tip: Do not write a novel. Keep it short. We will not publish lengthy comments. Come up with your own statements. This is not a place to cut and paste an email you received. If we recognize it as such, we won't post it.
Please do not post any comments that are commercial in nature or that violate copyrights.
Finally, we will not publish any comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence.
Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Nevadan | 03.27.09
I used to respect this man. After watching him the last term, I’ll do whatever it takes to get him removed. I’ve never seen someone be so two-faced, even in politics. Us Nevadan need to take a good look at Reid. Having our own representative as one of the major leaders doesn’t match up to the fact that he is scum.