Sen. Harry Reid: Genius?

[FlyingSquirrel]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh man I know I'm gonna take it in the shorts for that headline. And I quit drinking more than 2 months ago so I can't use that as an excuse either.

I've been one of his biggest critics here. His refusal to force Republicans to actually filibuster stuff has been galling to me as it has been to many. But you know what? It's worked. Because even without the political theater of the filibuster, Americans have correctly seen Republicans as obstructionist. Meanwhile our party looked like no-nonsense, hard-working public servants not willing to waste time on made-for-CSPAN battles and games. What was the end result? We picked up several Senate seats, and now Specter has switched parties. (We can all speculate till the cows come home on what Specter's motivations were, but Reid most likely helped this along as well.)

So here we are, on the verge of a filibuster-proof majority - not on all issues, of course, and we can't take anything for granted, but it's certainly better than the alternative.

So Harry... maybe "Genius" is a better label than you deserve, I don't know. But I gotta give you props, your strategy seems to have paid off.

:thumbsup:

[WCGreen]

1. In the early 90's it was all about theatrical stunt...

Newt on C-Span, Ross Perot and Clinton biting his lip just so...

All that did was spawn Bush Jr.

So yes, I do believe you are right. Theatrics are the easy way out; slow, slogging toward a goal is harder to get behind but in the end, pays double.

[ashling]

2. Strategy or Serendipity???

and remember, its 60 votes not 60 Democrats.

He started his move into the Party by admiting that he was not an automatic 60th vote and that he would not vote for cloture on Dawn Johnson, that he would vote against Labor, etc.

I am trying to be pragmatic here, but realistic as well. We've already got a Lieberman, do we really need two?

[FlyingSquirrel]

7. Yes, we've got Lieberman. But isn't that better than the alternative?

(Lieberman being a Republican?) I'll take 40 died-in-the-wool Democrats, 18 blue dogs and 2 independents any day (just guessing) over the alternative of not having 60 votes ever. Sure, he's not an automatic 60th vote, but it becomes a lot easier for him to BE that 60th vote sometimes when he isn't pressured to toe the Republican party line.

[MADem]

3. He is one tough bastard, is what he is. And he knows how to count.

He's not quite "Master of the Senate" like LBJ was a Majority Leader, but he may be, if the upcoming legislative sessions bear fruit.

[lamp_shade]

4. Pleased to agree with you. I've read so many "Harry is an idiot" threads and often wonder where this

comes from and why/how this pack was formed. I've watched Harry operate for years and, yes, I sometimes think he is a genius. He's shrewd and calculating and is usually way out ahead of the pack.

[FlyingSquirrel]

6. I think it's driven by base emotions..

We saw him stand up and deliver that long filibuster when the Repubs decided to make an issue of our blocking tactics for their nominees. We thought, here's a guy that's gonna really go to town and show the whole country what idiots the GOP is. And instead he led with a quiet, seemingly passive demeanor and we thought, "We've been duped!"

But it turns out maybe we got what we needed, not what we wanted.

[Occam Bandage]

10. Because DUers do not understand politics except as the Republicans practice it.

They think politics is a game of who can shout loudest from the gaudiest grandstands. They like incrimination and bitter deadlock, and hate the concepts of compromise, big tents, and governing majorities. They'd rather shut down the country to prove a political point than offer a concession to get policy passed to bring real change to American families.

[kstewart33]

5. Congrats Harry.

He's taken a lot of heat here at DU, but the guy delivered on Spector. He worked him, time and time again, and he delivered.

[Bobbie Jo]

8. No....that would be Suuuuuper Genius

[FlyingSquirrel]

13. Hmmm teh naysayrs r funny

[Occam Bandage]

9. It seems all the traits DUers hate about him are the reasons he has his job.

He's low-key. He doesn't overreach. He's happy to play insider hardball instead of dragging issues into the open. He focuses on getting policy passed. In the spirit of the Dao De Jing, he knows how to act, and yet make it look as if he has done nothing.

[dkofos]

11. No. Idiot.

[FlyingSquirrel]

12. Thanks for your thoughtful input.

Care to expand?

[dkofos]

14. Harry Reid defends Jay Bybee

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x304991

Is this enough??

[FlyingSquirrel]

15. Smart people do stupid things.

My OP was in reference to his overall Senate strategy.

[Orsino]

16. I think Americans have noticed the glaringly obvious...

...despite Reid's tireless efforts to do nothing about it.

Perhaps he has earned a little of the credit, but I think he's mostly just lucky. He ate so much shit for Bush and Cheney, he gets a little windfall from the expiration of that regime.