Reid says he’ll be voice of moderation as new whip

Scott Sonner

Thursday, Nov. 19, 1998 | 4:21 a.m.

RENO, Nev. -- Sen. Harry Reid, poised to become the highest ranking senator in Nevada history as the new minority whip, says he's determined to make sure Democrats remain the voice of moderation in Congress.

"One of the reasons I'm getting this job is I'm a moderate in the Senate," said Reid, re-elected to a third-term by just 401 votes over conservative Republican Rep. John Ensign.

"One of my jobs is to make sure the Democratic Party maintains its position as a moderate voice in American politics," he said in an interview this week.

The departure of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., could help to lower the level of partisanship in Congress, Reid said.

But it's also possible that conservative Republicans - rejuvenated by the election of new Speaker Bob Livingston, R-La. - will attempt to make a power grab in the Senate as well, he said.

"I do believe that we are fortunate as a country to be no longer led by Newt Gingrich. He was a divisive force. Politics, not policy, was all he was interested in," Reid said.

Reid, a former congressman, said he knows Livingston from their days in the House together. He said they worked closely together on budget matters.

"He is a card-carrying conservative. But he is also a very pragmatic man. I think we will have the ability to get things done with him," he said.

Reid said he was disappointed Texas Rep. Dick Armey was re-elected as majority leader.

"He's part of the 'take-no-prisoners' attitude in the House," he said.

Reid admitted he's "kind of afraid, frankly ... that some of these right-wing ideologues in the Senate will now try to take over."

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott "has tried to be a pragmatist," he said.

"But it has been hard for him with some of the senators who have veered him off to the right on more than one occasion," Reid said.

The Senate Democratic leadership team hails largely from Republican states, he said, including:

Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Chief Deputy Whip John Breaux of Louisiana and Democratic Policy Committee Co-Chairman Byron Dorgan of North Dakota.

"I think people think the country is on the right path," Reid said.

"We took the hard votes in 1993 with the Deficit Reduction Act. Our party put us on the road to fiscal integrity," he said.

The formal vote for whip doesn't occur until Tuesday. But Reid said he's already got the support of 42 of the 45 Democrats in the Senate.

Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, plans to nominate him for the post on Dec. 1, with a seconding speech from Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.

Reid will replace the retiring Sen. Wendell Ford, D-Ky., as the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate behind Daschle. He'll be responsible for making sure Democrats toe the party line on key votes and watching the Senate floor to guard against GOP sneak attacks.

Before Reid, the highest ranking slot held by a Nevadan in the Senate was president pro tempore, held by Sen. Key Pittman, a Democrat who served from 1913-1940. Reid named his youngest son, Key, after him.

Reid said he has a good relationship with Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., the Senate's majority whip.

Nickles went a step further, calling it an "excellent relationship.

"Harry and I have been friends for a long, long time," Nickles said.

"And we trust each other. I trust him completely. He's honest. He'll shoot straight with me and vice versa," he said.

Among other things, Reid said his position on the leadership team will give him more say over the issues that reach the Senate floor.

"Campaign finance reform is something I'm going to be pushing very hard," he said.