Columnist Ruthe Deskin: A studious look at Sen. Reid

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, May 31, 2001 | 8:16 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Reach her at deskin@ lasvegassun.com

Good things do happen to good people.

Nevada's senior senator, Harry Reid, is an example.

I first met Sen. Reid when a teacher at Basic High school, Mike O'Callaghan, brought the young student to the Sun Youth Forum, an annual event for Clark County high school students.

We were impressed with his intelligence and quiet demeanor. So were his fellow students, who selected him to be a Youth Forum finalist.

Mike O'Callaghan later served as governor of the state with Reid as his lieutenant governor. Reid has overcome many obstacles to success. His family in Searchlight barely existed on the meager earnings of his father, a hard rock miner whose depression led to suicide.

Always in financial need, Reid managed, with the help of friends, to finish college and pursue a law degree.

His political career began in 1966 when he ran for the Southern Nevada Hospital board. In 1968 he was elected to the Nevada State Assembly and never looked back in spite of a few losses along the way. In 1986 he ran for the United States Senate and won.

Since that time the faith of Nevada's voters has returned him time and again to the Senate, where he is now one of its most influential members and highly respected by his peers.

But, the true worth of Sen. Harry Reid is as a role model to our young people. His tenacity and courage in the face of adversity are legendary.

Most impressive of all his personal characteristics is a basic sense of integrity and honesty. He is a man of great dignity and decency.

Sen. Harry Reid has donned the mantle of even greater prestige and responsibility in the United States Senate as majority whip.

I am very proud of the earnest young student I met so long ago.

With the state Legislature about to adjourn, history buffs might recall that the first Territorial Legislature was held in 1861 in Carson City, at which time Carson City was officially designated the capital of the Nevada territory. When Nevada became a state in 1864 that designation remained.

Since that time legislatures have come and gone as Nevada grew at an unprecedented pace.

Time was when natives would say, "Lord help us, the legislature is in session."

We should be saying a sincere "thank you" to all the men and women who take time from their lives to serve. Running for office is not an easy job, nor is the need to learn all the nuances of government a simple matter.

As this Legislature comes to a close, we thank all who served -- even though we did not always agree with their conclusions.

Almost as annoying as telemarketing calls are the mountains of e-mail offering everything from home mortgages to Viagra and in between.

Can anyone beat the Lakers? Barring injuries, I doubt it.

The NBA basketball championship would be up for grabs if the Los Angeles Lakers, who have swept into the NBA Finals without a loss in the playoffs, were not such a shoo-in.

Advice to seniors: If you can't grow old gracefully, do it the best you can.