Harry Reid of Neveda: How Effective Will He Be?

[umtalal]

Since he lined up support to be the Senate minority leader. He comes from a heavily republican state, so how effective will he be? He follows the parlimantry rules to conduct business (w/ those in power who don't give a frogass about rules), so how effective will he be? He opposses abortion and the Republicans like that, so how effective will he be? He voted for the Iraq war, voted against environmental measures, voted for Bush's 1991 tax cuts and the Republicans like him, so HOW IS HE REPERSENTING ME OR YOU?

[AmerDem]

1. he wont be

too soft spoken, comes from a repuke area ( can you say Daschel II), doesn't have the presence and forcefulness of a true leader.

If this is what our party throws out during these darkest hours we will be in a world of hurt in a couple years to come.

[umtalal]

2. Our Party is Throwing * lites at us. I am so sick of them.

[GalleryGod]

3. Another Red State Dem, Held Hostage. (sigh)

:boring:

[pstokely]

4. well

he's not up again until 2010, ** only won Nevada by 2%

[ButterflyBlood]

8. he's nothing like Daschle

first of all, there is no one in Nevada equivalent to Thune who could take him out. The only one who could, John Ensign almost did in 1998, but he's a senator now.

Second, * only won Nevada by 2 points. He won South Dakota by 20.

[JohnKleeb]

13. Isn't Nevada what the experts consider a "purple state"

Yeah there is no Nevada equiv to Thune, you're right abotu that and it was Ensign.

[Awsi Dooger]

14. Right, and Nevada would have gone blue this year minus 9/11

I don't know why the initial poster describes Nevada as a very Republican state. Until this year it's been slightly more GOP than the nation as a whole, but very winnable. Gore and Kerry each lost the state by roughly 20,000.

Southern Nevada was more concerned with terrorism than Yucca Mountain. That was never adequately portrayed or understood nationwide. Too many average Las Vegand were convinced we were a likely target with all the huge hotels.

Actually, there was one Thune-like Republican who could have seriously challenged Reid, congressman Jim Gibbons. That would have been a battle, and very close. But Gibbons rebuffed Rove's inistence he run for senate, instead focusing on th governor's chair in an open race in 2006.

[UTUSN]

5. He Called Shrub a LIAR a Couple of Yrs Ago

which was shocking, not for the truth of it, but because nobody else was saying it. It was about the Yucca mountain nuclear waste dump. But I agree that he LOOKS like a weak reed, but we've gotta wait and see.

[Morning Dew]

6. If he doesn't plan on ever running again, he could be effective

I used to know someone who worked for him - she said it was difficult to be a dem in such a repuke environment... lots of positioning.

[JohnKleeb]

7. I think he's better than most people here are saying

I believe he's the one responsible for a lot of the filibusters we've seen. He is also I am positive about this responsible for persuading Jeffords to switch parties. He wouldnt be my first choice for this job but he is a good guy. Also, what environmental measures did he vote against? Ive read most of his environmental record and it seems solid except for things that relate to gold mining I believe, he's also the one who was the leading critic of Yucca mountain. While he is pro life, he's not totally pro life on record, its mixed more so than it is totally pro life. While I'd prefer Durbin, it could be worse than Reid.

[bemildred]

9. A trusty suit-droid that will do as he's told. nt

[joanne]

10. Another * enabler as minority leader

Great.

If only it was Durbin or Dodd. :(

[bemildred]

11. Dodd I could see being better. nt

[quinnox]

12. Very good choice

I like him, saw him a few times on C-span. He is softspoken but he has steel too. I think he will make a fine opposition leader.