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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada addresses the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Published Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012 | 5:40 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012 | 11:20 p.m.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In Washington, President Barack Obama often looks to Harry Reid to promote and defend his policies against his political rivals.
In Charlotte, Reid assumed the same role as he addressed the Democratic National Convention on its opening night with a simple, repeated message about the president’s first term: “President Obama made the tough — and right — call.”
Reid stood against screens projecting a backdrop of red, rocky Nevada mountains as he rattled off the politically difficult decisions Obama had to make as president, answering each with his approving refrain.
“Some said he shouldn't save Detroit.”
“Some said he shouldn't move heaven and earth to get bin Laden.”
“Some said he couldn't take on the big banks that brought our economy to its knees.”
“Some said he couldn't take on the insurance companies that were ripping us off.”
He did not have the same sort of respect for presidential candidate Mitt Romney, or the party whose ticket he’s topping this November.
“The Republican Party has become the party of the 'wouldn'ts' and the 'won'ts,'" Reid complained, strongly chiding the GOP for allowing itself to be taken over by "extremists and ideologues" in the Tea Party. “[They] don't recognize common ground even when they're standing on it."
“Today's Republican Party believes in two sets of rules — one for millionaires and billionaires and another for the middle class,” Reid continued. “And this year, they’ve nominated the strongest proponent — and clearest beneficiary — of this rigged game: Mitt Romney.”
Reid struck no particularly new notes in his speech. The majority leader from Searchlight (yes, of course he introduced himself that way) has been swinging a rhetorical ax at the Tea Party since he faced down, and bested, one of their top candidates during the 2010 election.
In the past several months, he’s taken the same pugnacious approach to the Romney ticket, launching a barrage of accusations that Romney has avoided paying his taxes, and wants to help his rich cronies do the same at the middle class’s expense.
“Trust comes from transparency, and Mitt Romney comes up short on both,” Reid said Tuesday night, as he once again criticized Romney for failing to release more than two years of tax returns. “We can only imagine what new secrets would be revealed if he showed the American people a dozen years of tax returns, like his father did.”
Reid has been criticized by many in the Republican Party for shooting his mouth off with such accusations, and Tuesday night the Romney campaign responded to his comments with extra vitriol.
“Harry Reid has once again shown that he is completely detached from reality,” Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said, calling Reid’s accusations about Romney’s tax returns “absolutely false” and “another attempt to distract from President Obama’s abysmal economic record.”
But there were no Republicans in the DNC house tonight.
“I think he hammered on a lot of the key points that the president’s campaign has been trying to convey this entire campaign season,” said Kelvin Atkinson, a delegate and state representative for Nevada’s 17th District. “Bring us back to the middle class. Get us away from the wealthiest Americans and make the United States a lot more fair.”
“I was very proud to see Sen. Reid up there representing Nevada,” said Elliot Anderson, another Nevada delegate who doubles as a state representative, for the 15th District. “We should be really lucky as a small state to have this sort of representation at a major national convention.”
They were equally impressed with his delivery.
“He actually brought a lot of energy to his speech,” said Ruben Kihuen, a state senator who briefly ran for the House of Representatives’ first district earlier this year. “Sen. Reid is usually soft-spoken, but he hit it right on.”
“The sign of a good speaker is in the quietness of the audience, to listen to every word,” said Dick Collins, a Nevada delegate, gesturing to the crowd.
There was one section of the audience that was decidedly not quiet, however: The Nevada delegation.
“Everything was just awesome,” said Loretta Harper, a delegate who works as a counselor for the Clark County schools and is a national co-chairwoman for Obama for America. “A-plus. The best he’s ever been.”
I am sure it comes as news to the Tea Party people that Romney is one of them. As far as being in office to do the bidding of rich friends, of course Reid would think along those lines because that is what he does.
Long blog post but really worth the read.
THE FIVE REASONS WHY ROMNEY/RYAN MUST BE DEFEATED IN 2012 -- AND WHY CONSERVATIVES SHOULD HOPE THEY ARE.
http://kurteichenwald.com/2012/09/the-fi...
Sen Reid:
"They (teabaggers) don't recognize common ground even when they're standing on it." Ouch.
Give 'em hell, Senate Majority Leader!
Common ground?? The Senator has finally lost his marbles.
What a blatantly sad and pathetic showing for Nevaduh.....Pinky has turned into a one man freak show.
Wow. Harry dropped the sledge hammer on that lying, tax evading, GOP flip-flopper.
Wouldn't it be funny if Willard took the criticism personal and moved to Bermuda or the Caymans to be with his money?
Yes we should should spend half a trillion dollars while Barack Obummer is in office and then when they elect a republican we will blame it on them. The Bill Clinton commercial says it all about the stupidity of Reid Obama believers. Bill Clinton's says "like I did when I was in office". Does any democrat even know what started this ridiculous housing crash, well in case you live under a rug, here it is. Bill Clinton's "everyone should own a home plan". Barack is doing the same thing creating programs that involve the banks. What he doesn't tell you is if the loans fail FNMA or Freddie Mac will take the loan and then of course we the taxpayers will bail them out. Exactly how many bankers went to jail Harry? 0, not a single one, yes the banks are shaking in their boots. Dodd/Frank is the biggest joke in the world. It would have done some damage as originally written, but in the last few days the government caved in and the banks got everything.
Good luck 10 years from now when liberal spending ceases due to a lack of taxpayers because no one will have job, yet I am sure unemployment benefits will be promised and extended for years(votes) until the government admits their broke. Oh yeah, but dirty Harry and his boys will make sure a republican is in office then.They remind me of John Barr' "I'll do anything to get your vote".
Just like BIll
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/h...
"Some said he shouldn't save Detroit."
Except for the dealerships that were forced out of business, and the bondholders that were shafted in the bankruptcy settlement - but, hey, the union did ok.
"Some said he shouldn't move heaven and earth to get bin Laden."
Moved what? Bin Ladin was sitting in Pakistan for months before the Seals went in, and team Obama knew it. What moved?
"Some said he couldn't take on the big banks that brought our economy to its knees."
Take them on? Where are the prosecutions? Who has been charged with a crime? There is NOT ONE case been made against the "big banks", and Obama remains cozy with all the them.
"Some said he couldn't take on the insurance companies that were ripping us off."
Good ol' Harry took them on - took them on a tour of his office when he was writing the ObamaTAX bill. All the health insurance companies were FOR the national socialist healthcare, because their fees and rates were guaranteed. We get to pay more, but it's government approved. I feel better.
This is hilarious when you come to think of it. Senator Reid is hammering Romney to release taxes. What Senator Reid is asking is the same thing that a majority of American voters are asking for from the Tea/Republican Party candidate: Transparency and fair play. So that the American voters out here can make a learned decision.
But Romney, to this day, is fighting that. He's telling everyone he is better than everyone else, but vote for him. He don't have to show his Federal Income Tax returns to "you people," you, the unwashed masses out there. And he still wants your vote?
It all boils down to this. Senator Reid is standing in front of Romney and is repeatedly kicking him in the political crotch.
And what does Romney do? He scruntches up his face, doesn't move and lets Senator Reid wail away.
Really dumb you ask me. Simple. No tax returns? No votes.
Obama/Biden 2012!
Romney/Ryan 1040s!
Hey Colin Romney did what is legal with the tax issue. Why keep bringing it up? Is it all you have. Why not ask your great senator Reid where the BUDGET is? You can't and won't because you don't want to hear the answer. Oh by the way the national debt surpassed $16 Trillion did you know that or are you still looking for 12 year old tax returns?
Dear Democrats:
Please have Reid be in many, many TV ads for Obama. Have Reid campaign often in all the swing states. Put Reid on TV as much as possible.
Please, please, please................PLEASE!!!!!!
Sincerely The Republican Party