Reid: McCain doesn’t have temperament to be president

By J. Patrick Coolican

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008 | 10:03 a.m.

(The Sun has gone on the road to listen to voters and talk to political leaders around the West. Reporters have been examining the economic, cultural and demographic forces re-shaping the region as they drove to Denver for the first of the two major party conventions the Sun will cover. This week they are at the Democratic National Convention.)

Hall was electric last night, the TV reviews seem lukewarm.

Best nerd-obscure celeb sighting: Former New York Times movie critic, Elvis Mitchell.

Today's stories: Lisa spent time with the Republicans.

It's a funny story about how the Republicans artfully pulled the press away from the Democratic convention, holding a press conference way off site. Photo is great too.

I spent some time at a couple of really interesting forums yesterday, where I examined a unity, though not of the Clinton-Obama type:

Mishak watched the Clinton speech with a Clinton supporter.

Ralston is all over the delegation breakfast, at which Sen. Richard Durbin and T. Boone Pickens were honored guests:

Pickens stands up and asks a question of Obama energy adviser Howard Learner about how many hybrids there will be if Obama were to become president. (1 mil.)

Chairman Sam Lieberman says Reid, Obama and Pickens have "diverse backgrounds."

Laughter.

"You're laughing at me," Pickens said, smiling.

Delegates will mark ballots this morning to be given to secretary of convention.

Pickens is on:

"Haven't done a damn thing on energy for 40 years. Reason was price of oil is cheap."

More:

"I quit politics. I'm out of politics. I want to fix the energy problem.

We can rebuild rural America.

We can do this. Start with govt saying all new vehicles purchased by govt will have natural gas."

Reid shows up....Pickens says:

"I can't have you standing around. You're too powerful."

More Pickens: "....cleaner fuel. Al wants to go to battery. Need a bridge to the battery....winning Al over to the point.

Harry Reid: If you want to be president....win West.....

For a generation been trying to register Democrats to vote...1992 were registering the homeless, it didn't do much good.....

Now we have huge numbers....60,000

Reno is now a Democratic city....

Whole county of Washoe down by 5,000

Pretty clear Washoe and Clark go Democratic....said day after, John Kerry ignored rural Nevada...Obama won't

Competitive in 11 states around the country in Senate seats

Standing ovation from delegation.....

Party official Natalie Okeson says to Reid on his speech tonight: "I hear it's going to be something else."

Classic Reid retort:

"That's what I'm worried about."

Today's sponsor: Holland and Hart law firm (limited swag)

Durbin arrives.

Reid introduces: 26 years ago a couple of frightened young men came to House......

He is beloved by Democratic caucus.....Just between you and me, the Republicans don't like him very much.....

Durbin speaks:

Reid: Best friend in Senate, I love this guy

Eight years ago, BO at convention...no credentials, tried to rent car at airport and rejected his credit card......

2004: crowd was pretty crazy about this speech.....

During NV caucus, went from Reno to Elko and small towns...Reid later informed him: Prostitution is legal in all those towns

Standing ovation for Durbin

Ralston also gets Reid to break news:

During a taping in Denver of "Face to Face" this morning, during which he predicted Obama would win Nevada by 5 points, I pushed the Senate majority leader on his "I can't stand John McCain" statement. Not only would he not retract it, he went further:

I've served with the man 26 years. Do I have the ability to speak with experience about someone who has abused everyone he's dealt with? Someone who does not have the temperament to be president, who's wrong on the war, wrong on the economy, wrong on nuclear waste. What am I supposed to do? Walk around talking about what a great guy he is? I don't believe that.

He is not who he portrays himself to be. He is not a maverick. He's a clone of George Bush. He votes with him 95 percent of the time.

JR: But, that's just rhetoric though. The point that you've tried to make, when you say he doesn't have the temperament, that's just a very close step away from saying it's dangerous to let him become president.

Reid: Well, if you said it, I wouldn't correct you.

JR: Is that right? You really think that?

Reid: That's right.

More Reid: I just think he doesn't have the temperament to be president. There isn't a Republican serving in the Senate that's happy he's the nominee. Now, they're all supporting him, but I'll tell you they have told me. I've had Republican senators tell me they don't think they'll vote for him.