Reid unplugged with reporters, in long form

By Lisa Mascaro

Saturday, March 28, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Even snippets of comments by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can make big news. Entire stories are written from sentence fragments grunted in a hallway.

But Friday morning, Reid had time to expand on his thoughts for nearly an hour at a breakfast with more than 30 journalists. It was a fresh opportunity for the nation’s reporters to see Reid unplugged.

He put on quite a show. As his autobiography reminds, Reid offers flashes of wit, impatience and steeliness. Friday, he touched on the war in Afghanistan, AIG bonuses, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts’ truthfulness and his own reelection in 2010.

He also told the journalists they should eat healthier breakfasts.

Here are highlights, condensed and occasionally paraphrased for clarity:

The mood in Nevada.

People in Nevada are no different from people anyplace else in the country — probably a little more upset than most because we’re in a running battle for who has the worst economy.

The boom is not there now. People are terribly concerned about the economy, as they should be — that’s housing, that’s the greed and corruption we discovered took place in the financial world.

Obama’s new Afghanistan policy.

There’s no chest-thumping. No ‘Bring ’em on.’ There’s no ‘Mission Accomplished.’ The narrow focus is to protect America.

We’re going after al-Qaida. Training the Afghans. It’s stressing things that should have been stressed before. We need to help with agricultural development to get away from poppy growth in Afghanistan. We’re going to do that.

Truth at Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

Roberts didn’t tell us the truth. At least Samuel Alito (now also on the court) told us who he was. We’re stuck with those two young men.

Building coal-fired plants to generate electricity.

I was reading a newspaper one day and I saw there were five coal-fired plants on the drawing boards in Nevada. I can’t remain silent about that. As the time went on, people began to see that I was right.

Coal, some people think, is cheap, but the long-term costs are significant. I’m not somebody who is against clean coal technology. None exists right now. I hope we can do that. We need to take a little time out here and stop the coal fantasy.

Whether the 2010 election will bring 60 Democrats to the Senate.

We are in a position to pick up a number of seats. I would love to have 60. I’d be happy with 59. We focus a little too much on numbers.

Has he talked to Sen. Arlen Specter, a moderate Republican from Pennsylvania, about becoming a Democrat?

Yes, I’ve talked to him. He kind of stopped everyone from being able to help him by coming out against Card Check (a labor bill that would make it easier for workers to unionize).

About Card check.

The business community is really flogging a horse that doesn’t deserve it. Why are people concerned about unions? I think allowing people the ability to organize, there’s nothing wrong with that.

We should work on an agreement. With Specter backing out on this, I know there are conversations going on now with other Republicans to see what can be done.

Reid’s 2010 reelection prospects.

Some people like who I am, others don’t. I’ve watched other senators try to change who they are during the election cycle. It’s real ugly. I’m not going to do that.

My campaign operation in 2004 was as good as my operation was bad in 1998. I tried to run my campaign in 1998 on a shoestring. Waited late. Didn’t have a professional fundraiser. I already have my campaign operation set up.

I’m sure they’re gong to find somebody to run against me. I know I have a target on my back. I feel comfortable that I will be competitive. I’ll be OK.

Strange bedfellows.

I had a bitter election race in 1998 — it doesn’t speak well of me — against someone I didn’t like: John Ensign. Ten years later, he’s one of my good friends. I think the world of John Ensign.

It has helped me personally to see someone you didn’t care a lot about can be a good friend.

Now, T. Boone Pickens. I can’t imagine how I can sit at the same table with T. Boone Pickens, but I have, and he’s just a charming man. I really like the guy.

I’ve got Ensign. I’ve got Pickens. Next, I’m going to start liking the New York Yankees.

A reporter’s characterization of New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (a close ally of Reid’s) as a “leading Democrat.”

Was it Schumer that told you he was one of the leading Democrats?

Eminent domain for electrical transmission lines.

We need to have a public highway for electricity. We’re going to have to have eminent domain — that’s condemnation.

TV ads from liberals attacking moderate Democrats.

I think it’s very unwise and not helpful. These groups should leave them alone. It’s not helpful to me. It’s not helpful to the Democratic caucus.

Bush vs. Obama.

I wrote in my book that Bush is the worst president ever. I have received support for that in recent weeks. A group of scholars listed all the presidents. I was wrong. Bush wasn’t at the bottom — he was two from the bottom.

Now Barack Obama ... Some people can sing, run fast, jump high, play a musical instrument. He is born with the ability to communicate.

Auto industry aid.

The goal of our helping the automobile industry and the other things we’ve done is to stop this country from falling into a Great Depression.

AIG bonus ban stalled.

This issue is not gone. This issue is not out of sight.

How much charities would be hurt by reducing tax deductions for the wealthy.

I don’t think, ‘What kind of tax break am I going to get if I give to the Boy Scouts or my church?’ It’s blown way out of proportion. One of the senators talked about some of the things she wanted to get done, and within 10 seconds talked about charitable deductions. Obama said, ‘You can’t have it both ways. We got to pay for this stuff.’

Regarding reporters downing scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon and potatoes.

I suggest you eat something else in the morning.