Reid defends his ‘presidentials,’ takes jab at Edwards

[jefferson_dem]

Source: The Hill

Reid defends his ‘presidentials,’ takes jab at Edwards
By Elana Schor
May 03, 2007

As former Sen. John Edwards’s (D-N.C.) TV ad on the Iraq supplemental continues to cause friction in the Democratic presidential field, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) heaped praise Thursday upon “the presidentials” in his caucus for keeping their rivalry out of caucus business.

“They’ve caused me no concern, caused the caucus no concern,” Reid told reporters, referring to his four “presidentials” — Democratic Sens. Joseph Biden (Del.), Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), Chris Dodd (Conn.) and Barack Obama (Ill.).

That quartet is grappling with intense pressure to craft a strategy on the supplemental bill that satisfies the party’s anti-war base while not alienating centrist 2008 voters or their majority leader.

The pressure boiled over on Wednesday, when Dodd’s camp jabbed at Edwards’s new ad, airing in Washington, D.C., and likely expanding to Iowa markets, which urges Democratic lawmakers to send President Bush the same supplemental “again and again” until Bush signs the bill. But Reid pointed out that none of the four presidential hopefuls have missed votes that hurt the caucus, calling the foursome “respectful” and “constructive” in their approach to issues.

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Read more: http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/reid-defends-his-presidentials-takes-jab-at-edwards-2007-05-03.html

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:popcorn:

[Lance_Boyle]

1. So easy for Edwards to call for others to 'stand on principle' now.

He could've taken a healthy dose of his own advice before co-sponsoring the IWR. Smarmy worthless goodhaired bastard.

[movonne]

5. John Edwards is a good man and I hope he keeps putting pressure

on the rest of the Dems..and unlike our president he said he was wrong on the vote for war... I did not here this from Hillary...with our soldiers dying everyday some people like talking about his hair cut..

[jefferson_dem]

9. I'm inclined to agree with your substantive point. It's like a "chickenhawk" in reverse.

Edwards didn't say or do anything to stop us from launching into this clusterfuck when he was in the game, and had a "voice." Now, with nothing to lose, he heckles from the sidelines. Ack...

[heidler1]

11. Along with many others Bush, Hillary, Edwards, Lieberman, Tenant have blood on their hands.

as far as our troops are concerned and it won't wash off easily. The best you can say for them is they displayed BAD JUDGMENT and that some of them may have learned, but most of them would do it all over again.

[w4rma]

15. You mean like when Obama wasn't in the Senate to vote on the IWR or be called a terrorist?

Some Obama supporters are totally hypocritical on this issue.

[Raven]

2. John Edwards is listening to us. I'm not sure about the others. n/t

[saracat]

3. Interesting how both sides are attacking Edwards.He must be too viable!

[UNCLE_Rico]

4. the headline is misworded...

it sounds to me like it's Dodd that took a jab at Edwards, not Reid. at least that's how I reid the article :)

[DURHAM D]

6. So Tuesday evening I was speaking with a friend who

is a volunteer in the Edward's main campaign office. I told her that John needs to pick a fight. She didn't understand and she said - Who does he need to pick a fight with? I told her it doesn't matter - he just needs to pick a fight. She said why and I said - He is seen as just too nice. His campaign is losing energy and he seems flat. He needs to get an edge to him.

Yesterday he picked a fight - over the funding bill. Good for him and keep it up.

[Ian David]

7. How many times can Harry Reid inspire me to keep wanting to throw him under the bus again? n/t

[rcdean]

8. The Hill got the headline completely wrong.

It's Dodd, not Reid, who took a jab at Edwards.

[jefferson_dem]

10. I don't think so. Did you read the rest of the story?

“I care a great deal about John Edwards,” Reid said, also referencing the North Carolinan’s children and wife, Elizabeth, who is battling recurrent cancer. “But he’s not in the Senate; I am. ... He doesn’t have to cast votes here in the Senate; we do.”

-- sounds like a "jab" courtesy of Reid to me.

[krkaufman]

12. Wrong. Headline was about Reid defending Senators running for Pres...

... but the story also included a comment that Chris Dodd had responded to the Edwards ads.

[rcdean]

13. Perhaps. I didn't read it that way.

On re-read I see the Hill says Reid was "not so congenial toward Edwards."

But Reid's words--saying Edwards wasn't part of his Presidentials in the Senate--didn't sound like a jab to me. Just a statement of fact. He's saying that the fact that Edwards is pointedly attacking the positions of the others doesn't disrupt the harmony of the Senatorial candidates.

Dodd, on the other hand, evidently spoke out against the Edward's ad, though wouldn't it be nice if they told us how.

I still think the Hill got it wrong and was looking for a divide that doesn't exist.

[krkaufman]

16. This is the "jab" from Reid to which the headline refers

“I care a great deal about John Edwards,” Reid said, also referencing the North Carolinan’s children and wife, Elizabeth, who is battling recurrent cancer. “But he’s not in the Senate; I am. ... He doesn’t have to cast votes here in the Senate; we do.”

It's a matter of the interpretation of jab, at this point.

[karynnj]

17. You have to realize that Edwards was attacking the Congressional

Democrats - especially the leaders. I am not a huge Reid fan, but he has worked to get a bill that has a timeline in it to Bush. This was something that was not remotely possible a year ago. Reid, like Pelosi the week before, also went through a few weeks where he was slimed by the Republicans and the media because he took a stand on the war.

Edwards was in the Senate and knows how it works. Yet, I don't think he had either Pelosi's or Reid's back. The problem with that broadside is that he was attacking te Democrats - when every member of the caucus (other than Leiberman) voted our way. Why not attack the Republicans?

[Riverman]

14. Edwards has courage! The other "presidentials" are cowards!

Babies are being slaughter and the democrats are playing politics with the lives of americans soldiers and thousands of Iraqis What dogs!