Author Topic: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying  (Read 678 times)

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Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« on: October 23, 2014, 05:04:00 pm »
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/221652-harry-reid-win-or-lose-im-staying

By Alexander Bolton - 10/23/14 12:39 PM EDT
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office says the longtime Democratic leader isn’t going anywhere — no matter which party controls the Senate after the midterm elections.

Citing Reid’s success in leading his party to victory over the last four cycles, a spokesman for the Nevada Democrat says he’ll return to lead his party in 2015 — whether it’s in the majority or minority.

“Sen. Reid has engineered every Democratic majority of this century,” Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson told The Hill.
“The only reason Democrats are in a strong position to hold onto the majority this cycle is because of Democratic over-performance in 2012 when we gained two seats despite predictions that we would lose the majority— not to mention Democratic over-performance relative to expectations in 2010, 2008 and 2006,” Jentleson continued.

“So yes, Sen. Reid will be leader regardless of the outcome of the election.”

The confident tone comes amid some grumbling from Democrats about their longtime leader during a nerve-wracking election season.

Republicans need to pick up six seats to win the majority, and are in position to win in Montana and West Virginia. Polls show Republican candidates leading or faring well against Democratic incumbents in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana and North Carolina, and the GOP is also hoping to win back Democratic seats in South Dakota and Iowa.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who is in a competitive race with former Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), became the latest Democrat to call for a shakeup in leadership during a Tuesday debate.

She declined to say whether she would support Reid serving another term, and called for a leadership race.

“I think it’s important for us to have a contest in these positions,” she said.

Reid’s allies dismiss these calls as campaign rhetoric. They argue that lawmakers in tough races are merely trying to distance themselves from Washington when Congress has a dismal approval raiting.

“I think that Sen. Reid has been a very good leader in an extremely difficult time,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said in an interview Wednesday. She argued the caucus is solidly behind Reid, who has raised millions of dollars for Democratic candidates.

“He was dealt an extremely hand with Republicans who only agenda was to make sure the president and Democrats fail,” she added. “I’m a strong supporter of Sen. Reid.”

If Democrats lose seven or eight seats, some believe the 74-year-old Reid could feel pressure to step aside for a younger leader, such as Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) or Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

“Then certainly people are going to have to do a lot of soul searching,” said one senior Democratic source.

A former Senate Democratic leadership aide said Democratic senators will feel they have targets on their backs in the next election cycle if Election Day is a bloodbath.

“If there’s a real groundswell, everyone is going to see a target on their backs and say, ‘What the hell are we doing?’” said the source, who added it might lead Reid to think it’s time to step aside for a new leader.

“It’s more of a reason for someone to say to themselves, I’m going to go with a bow,” the source added.

Reid has said he will run for re-election in 2016, but declined to say at a press conference before Congress recessed for the election whether he would keep his leadership post if his party lost the majority.

“I'm not doing any hypotheticals if we lose because I don't think we are,” he said.

Shaheen is the fourth sitting Democratic senator in recent weeks to call for a leadership race or criticized Reid’s record as leader.

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) said at a fundraiser within the past month that Reid should be replaced as majority leader and suggested Schumer as a replacement.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who clashed with Reid over his attempts to pursue a grand-bargain deficit deal outside the regular committee structure, said at a recent debate that both parties would be better served with different Senate leaders.

“We could perhaps do better in both parties,” he said.

Reid’s heir apparent is Schumer, the third-ranking member of the Democratic leadership, who brought his colleagues to the majority in 2006 as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

He’s made it absolutely clear that he is loyal to Reid and will not challenge him.

“Schumer is extremely loyal to Reid and fully expects he will remain leader,” said a source close to Schumer.

Some Democratic sources say there is a high level of frustration within the Senate Democratic caucus over the lack of legislative progress under Reid’s leadership.

They say Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is primarily to blame but wonder whether a new Democratic leader would change the chamber’s dysfunctional dynamic.

“I think Harry Reid will be the leader come January but there is a dissatisfaction among a lot of Democrats that we’re not doing anything and they spend a lot of money to get elected. They spend months and months on the phone raising money to get elected and the job is not satisfying. Nearly all these people came here to get something done and that’s what they want to do,” said a former aide to Schumer.

The source said Reid “raises a ton or money and supports a lot of members,” adding there's “frustration but still loyalty to him.”

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) recently praised Reid as a person but said his leadership style, which strictly limits votes on amendments, is too stifling.

Manchin called Reid a “good man” but criticized his leadership style as “overprotective,” in reference to how he manages the floor.

A former Senate aide said outsiders underestimate how much loyalty Reid has within the caucus because of his diligent tending of his colleagues needs and concerns.

“The loyalty to Reid runs pretty deep. To the extent the caucus feels like they’re in a difficult political environment, they attribute to other factors, including to the administration and less so the leadership in the Senate,” said the former aide.

“Leader Reid has a lot of values that might be underappreciated in some corners,” the aide added. “I don’t necessarily think an adverse election cycle here is going to cause his situation to change and I’d be surprised if he has any inclination to want to step down on his own part.”
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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2014, 07:53:23 pm »
Good!  Now, Nancy Pelosi will have somebody to talk to while they both cry in their beer.
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Offline Relic

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2014, 08:01:59 pm »
Good!  Now, Nancy Pelosi will have somebody to talk to while they both cry in their beer.

They'll be giggling as they swill Cristal. The two of them have made fortunes that we can only imagine while in "public service"!

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2014, 08:11:31 pm »
They'll be giggling as they swill Cristal. The two of them have made fortunes that we can only imagine while in "public service"!

Well, they have to do something to soothe their bitter feelings, right?  If I had the money, I'd write them both multi-million dollar checks to simply go away....
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
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Offline jmyrlefuller

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2014, 12:43:50 am »
As a member of the minority, he is a harmless, cantankerous old fool.

As the leader of the majority, he is a dangerous, cantankerous old fool.
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Offline 240B

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2014, 12:46:42 am »
Harry Reid will never leave until he is carried out of his office in a pine box.
You cannot "COEXIST" with people who want to kill you.
If they kill their own with no conscience, there is nothing to stop them from killing you.
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Offline Fishrrman

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2014, 02:50:26 am »
240b, you beat me to it in the post above, that was the first thing I thought when I read the article's title.

But I also think that Harry believes he (and Nancy) have a shot at regaining the majority seat in 2016.

I would give at least Harry even money on that one...

Offline 240B

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2014, 03:04:23 am »
240b, you beat me to it in the post above, that was the first thing I thought when I read the article's title.

But I also think that Harry believes he (and Nancy) have a shot at regaining the majority seat in 2016.

I would give at least Harry even money on that one...

Maybe, but they are both on a very short time line. They are both so old, they simply cannot physically last much longer. They are both showing clear signs of dementia, and I am not saying that lightly. They both constantly say (and believe, mind you) things that are simply absurd and freakin' wacky crazy.
 
They cannot last much longer no matter how much they want to. They are both simply way too old for the positions they hold. It is becoming more and more diffecult for them to hide their physical and mental conditions.
 
They will go out like Ted Kennedy did, fighting and screaming the whole way until they become to feeble to function anymore.
You cannot "COEXIST" with people who want to kill you.
If they kill their own with no conscience, there is nothing to stop them from killing you.
Rational fear and anger at vicious murderous Islamic terrorists is the same as irrational antisemitism, according to the Leftists.

Offline LambertLunatic

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Re: Reid: Win or lose, I’m staying
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2014, 12:33:39 pm »
Harry Reid will never leave until he is carried out of his office in a pine box.

He barely beat a weak opponent in 2010.  He's up for reelection in 2016, and he's not that popular in Nevada.  it might be the ballot box that  he is carried out of his office in.