Reid slammed in Republican e-mail

Benjamin Grove

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005 | 11:09 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Monday struck back at the Republican National Committee for its regular attacks on the new Senate minority leader.

Reid was especially irked about a 13-page "research document" e-mail sent by the RNC on Monday titled, "Who is Harry Reid?" The e-mail contained a list of newspaper headlines and Reid quotes culled from other RNC e-mails attacking Reid in recent weeks. The e-mails prominently call Reid an "obstructionist" to Bush's agenda.

The electronic dispatches are sent to about a million journalists and GOP activists, an RNC spokesman said.

The e-mail on Monday slammed Reid for opposing President Bush on Social Security changes, judicial nominations and for "over-the-top" rhetoric. The e-mail used the example of Reid calling Bush a "liar" for approving Yucca Mountain after Bush said he was committed to sound science.

"While President Bush and Republicans in Congress are working to win the war on terror, preserve Social Security and lower health care costs, Harry Reid and his taxpayer-funded war room are focused on obstruction," RNC communications director Brian Jones said in Monday's e-mail.

The RNC e-mail also accuses Reid of being "out of touch with mainstream America" by living in a $750,000 condominium in Washington.

On the Senate floor Monday Reid called on Bush to repudiate the RNC document. Reid said Bush had said he wanted to "set a better tone" in Washington during a telephone conversation the two had the day after they were re-elected. Reid noted that Bush called for unity in his State of the Union speech last week.

"A strange way to reach out," Reid said of the RNC e-mail.

The Senate began one of its first substantive debates on Monday on the issue of restricting class-action lawsuits. Reid has said the issue is one that may offer an opportunity for compromise between Democrats and Republicans.

"We haven't dealt with one piece of legislation here on the Senate floor, and yet they're sending out to a million people what they think is to have Reid roughed up a little bit," Reid said.

Reid has said he wants to seek compromises on certain issues. But he has said he has a duty to represent Democrats in opposition to Republicans on other issues, including President Bush's plans for Social Security changes.

Republicans took note last week when Reid and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California delivered a "pre-buttal" to Bush's speech, and then held a press conference after the speech to denounce Bush's Social Security proposal.

"Over the last several weeks, the American people have seen Sen. Reid consistently and constantly get after Republican issues and President Bush's agenda," RNC spokesman Danny Diaz said.

Reid's top lieutenant, Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois, went to the Senate floor on Monday to defend Reid.

"The RNC communications director is quoted as saying, 'This is the initial salvo in the upcoming discussion that we are going to be having with Sen. Reid.' This is not a discussion they're planning," Durbin said. "This is an effort to try to intimidate political opponents into silence -- and it is shameful."