Reid to make first public appearance since stroke

Benjamin Grove

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005 | 11:34 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Wednesday plans to make his first public appearance since suffering a mild form of stroke one week ago.

Reid plans to attend a symposium on faith that he has been planning since May. The event is designed to gather religious leaders to discuss and draft action plans that would better meet the needs of the underserved, youth and seniors, and to more effectively address the issues of affordable housing, homelessness, drug prevention and gangs.

The all-day faith symposium begins at 9 a.m., with registration at 8:30 a.m., at Nevada Partners, 710 W. Lake Mead Blvd. About 150 church and community leaders are expected.

Reid aides on Friday afternoon disclosed that Reid on Tuesday had suffered a mild stroke called a transient ischemic attack. Reid canceled Friday and weekend events and has been resting with family in Las Vegas.

It was decided Monday afternoon that Reid would attend the faith event, despite doctor recommendations that Reid spend the rest of the August congressional recess resting, Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said.

"He wanted to make an exception in this case because it was really important for him to go," Hafen said.

Reid was not available for an interview this morning, Hafen said.

Reid is not likely to make his medical records public beyond what his aides have said, Hafen said.

"There is a level of expectation of privacy when anyone seeks medical treatment," Hafen said.

Reid feels fine and the transient ischemic attack did not affect his speech or mobility in any way, Hafen has said.

Reid is in touch with his staff, taking phone calls and closely monitoring the news. Barely two hours after President Bush on Monday made a speech to a national veterans group in Salt Lake City, Reid issued a written statement saying Bush "missed an opportunity to level with the American people."

"On Iraq, he chose to deliver the same 'stay the course' rhetoric, despite the fact that it is increasingly obvious to most Americans that his policy is rudderless and adrift," Reid said in the statement.

Reid and other top Democrats have been critical of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, although they have not gone as far as Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who last week advocated setting a target date -- the end of next year -- for bringing U.S. forces home.

Reid believes Bush should set clearer benchmarks for success in Iraq, Hafen said. But Reid does not advocate setting a specific target date for troop withdrawal.

"His feeling is that it gives the insurgents a better way of planning," Hafen said.

Reid also criticized Bush for not matching his rhetoric at the veterans event with his budget. Democrats have been critical of the Bush administration for proposing too little for the Veteran Affairs Department budget. Congress last month approved $1.5 billion in emergency spending to cover a VA budget shortfall due in part to the Bush administration miscalculating the cost of care for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.