By Jon Ralston

Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 | 8:05 p.m.

If he had been available, I'm sure Harry Reid could have outdone Guy Pearce for the lead in "Memento."

He apparently has no short-term memory, which is why he can write what he did below, a gushing fundraising letter for congressional hopeful John Oceguera. It's as if Reid forgot that for months he tried to push Dina Titus into that race under the presumption he would then push out Oceguera.

And now, it's as if it never happened.....

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The first time I met John Oceguera and he told me his story, I had one immediate thought: this man is tough enough.

John is a lifelong Nevadan, born in Reno and raised in Fallon by a single mom. From a young age John helped support his family -- mowing lawns, working at an ice plant, a disposal company -- whatever it took to make ends meet.

And, throughout his career John has never avoided the tough fights: whether he's rushing headlong into a burning building (he's a fire fighter by trade) or taking on special interests in Carson City as Nevada's Assembly Speaker.

Now John's running for Congress, and let me tell you: he's the right person because he's tough as nails. Will you help with a $25, $50 or $100 contribution right now?

One of the reasons I respect John is because our backgrounds are so similar. Men in our families worked in the mines. We didn't have much growing up, but that was just fine: in Searchlight and Fallon we grew up tough and made our own way. And we learned basic Nevada values: community, responsibility, hard work -- and passing on those values to our kids.

Here's the truth....We need John fighting for us in Congress because he's tough enough to stand up to the Washington establishment and do what's right for middle-class Nevadans. He'll give 'em hell just like I do.

John will take on the Tea Party extremists who want to privatize Social Security and destroy Medicare. He'll stand up to never-ending tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% and big subsidies for oil companies that drive us deeper into debt. And he'll put Nevada first, opposing the disastrous plans for nuclear waste storage under Yucca Mountain.

....please join me today in helping send one of the toughest men I know to Congress by contributing $25, $50, or $100 to John Oceguera's campaign TODAY. He's what Nevada needs right now.

All my best,

Harry