Democrats urge Bush to call off attacks on Reid

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Feb. 11, 2005 | 9:51 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate's 44 Democrats rallied around their leader, Harry Reid, this week, calling on President Bush to publicly call off GOP attacks on the Nevada Democrat.

Reid is renowned for listening to people with different opinions and has won praise in Nevada and nationwide for forging compromises, the Senate Democrats said in a letter to Bush dated Wednesday.

"Of course, he won't agree with the administration on every issue, but calling him names is pointless and silly," the letter, drafted by the office of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, stated. "We feel that suggesting Democrats are simply obstructionists because they have honest policy disagreements with your administration is dishonest."

A White House spokesman declined to say if Bush would call off the attacks.

"Questions on the tactics of political parties are best addressed to the political parties," Bush spokesman Ken Lisaius said.

He added, "President Bush has reached out to (Reid) and will continue to do so. This president has always been one to elevate the tone and reach out to both sides of the aisle and he will continue to do so."

The Republican National Committee this week stepped up its criticism of Reid, sending a 13-page e-mail to journalists, GOP activists and other RNC subscribers, attacking Reid for "obstructing" Bush's agenda. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP fundraising arm, also sent out a press release this week blasting Reid for attacking Republicans and their policies.

Reid defended himself in a speech on the Senate floor on Monday, calling on Bush to make good on vows to work with Democrats. On Tuesday night, Reid spoke to Bush about it at a White House dinner, but Reid declined to discuss what was said between the two. He noted, however, that sometimes it can be hard to soothe a "chafe."

Reid this week told reporters that he was beginning to believe that Bush's statements about wanting to compromise were "just absolutely false." He said he wasn't going to let the bickering affect his relationship with Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. He added, "I haven't lost one wink of sleep" over the GOP criticism.

Reid aides noted that the GOP attacks came during a week in which Republican leaders led an effort in the Senate to pass legislation aimed at restricting class-action lawsuits. Reid was among 26 senators who voted against the legislation Thursday, with 18 Democrats voting for it. Reid worked with Frist to arrange -- not obstruct -- debate and a vote, even though he knew the majority of Democrats who opposed it would lose, Reid aides noted.

By week's end Reid had nothing left to add to the back-and-forth between Reid and the GOP, spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said.

"He appreciated the efforts of his caucus," Hafen said of the letter.