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Opinion
Apr. 05, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

SHERMAN FREDERICK: Harry Reid: Too big to fail

Just like Tom Daschle

SHERMAN FREDERICK
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Do you think South Dakotans in 2004 felt like Nevadans feel in 2009? You know, in a Tom Daschle/Harry Reid sort of way.

I'll bet Daschle made the same re-election pitches as Reid's crew does today.

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    • Daschle, you will remember, was then the Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate, just as Harry is now. He was powerful inside the Beltway, just as Harry is now. He tilted further left than his constituents on social and spending issues, just as Harry does now.

    Eventually the cumulative chagrin of South Dakota voters reached the tipping point.

    Nevadans (South Dakotans) must -- must! -- re-elect Reid (Daschle). Not on the merits of performance, but because he's a Beltway big shot. Conventional wisdom says he's just too darn powerful to throw away. He's politically to a small state what AIG is to the economy -- "too big to fail."

    I'm not buying that bedtime story, and if Harry's smart he shouldn't either. Even in the best of times, Nevadans love to hate Harry. In fact, the further away Harry gets from the dwindling numbers inside Las Vegas union halls, the testier people become toward him.

    If Harry banks his re-election on the theory that Nevadans would be stupid to vote him out, then mark your calendars because you can count on a whole lot of stupid breaking out on the Tuesday morning of Nov. 2, 2010.

    Now, as I am always careful to say, my warnings of discontent don't mean Reid shouldn't be re-elected. He has no opponent yet and there are arguments to be made for Reid. I'll deliver what I think is a pretty good one in a future column.

    But today I want to square up once and for all on the bogus "r-u-stupid" argument advanced by the Reid camp.

    When Reid supporters play the stupid card I tell them, "OK, I'll drink the Kool-Aid ... if you can tell me exactly how his 'power' has benefited Nevadans."

    The answer always is pregnant silence.

    That's because Reid's power so far has done more for Reid personally than it has for Nevadans as a whole. He's got a big office. He can pick up the phone and ask Nancy Pelosi and Chris Dodd for directions. But he can't honestly say his power has made a difference in the lives of Nevadans. He's delivered to Nevada about what any senator should deliver through the screwy Washington patronage system. As for using his power to make important changes in, say, a broader job base for Nevadans, Reid's been ho-hum at best.

    Now, some will argue that is a point in Reid's favor. Part of what ails the nation is the earmark and seniority patronage systems.

    I'm OK with that argument.

    And some will say that Harry's good for Nevada because his left-leaning politics are in sync with the soft socialism of President Barack Obama.

    More's the pity, but I am also OK with comrades who wish to make that argument.

    But, please, I beg you, don't tell me we must re-elect Harry because he's powerful. I'm not OK with that argument.

    Unless Harry wants the Daschle Dutch-rub on Election Day, he better start dealing with the work-a-day problems of Nevadans -- not promises about unicorn "green" jobs, cooler summers and lollipop-powered automobiles. From Las Vegas to Reno, the "power" argument won't cut it in the living rooms of people who have been hit hard by this recession ... and get little help, or hope, from Washington.

    Sherman Frederick (sfrederick@reviewjournal.com) is publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and president of Stephens Media.

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    Big Impact wrote on April 25, 2009 09:38 PM: If Harry Reid was booted out of office, what a HUGE impact it would be to show the people of Nevada and of America that the POWER BELONGS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE - not the powerful in Washington.


    linpc68 wrote on April 13, 2009 10:27 AM: Ooh, Sherm, you and your fellow Repugs(and you know that you are one!) are big time fantasizing again---no way that Sen. Reid will be defeated! Have another cocktail with your Ambien, and keep on dreamin' kids!


    David wrote on April 09, 2009 08:02 PM: I look forward to the day I can help vote Harry out of office and hopefully get someone with a little more sense in the senate.


    Ronda Barnhurst wrote on April 07, 2009 12:58 PM: Sherm, Great opinion pieces as always!Here is another factoid that is germain to the entire premise of not listening to the constituency. Tom Foley, as the sitting Speaker of the House,and the 5th Congressional Rep from WA state, was drubbed by George Nethercutt a political nobody, because Tom forgot all about the folks in Spokane and just did his Beltway thing. I lived in Spokane at that time and was delighted to see him booted out of office. His wife Heather ran the office and hated the people in WA, she was an Easterner and loved rubbing shoulders with the "elites".... So, as they say, all good things must comes to an end - let's make sure that Harry spends all of his time in Searchlight in 2011. Of course we know he would stay in DC and be a lobbyist just like Daschle and Foley and a ton of others have done. They really have lost total touch with the real men and women of this state and the pain they are in.


    SamT wrote on April 07, 2009 10:28 AM: @jw456: Tuned-out, indeed.


    jw456 wrote on April 06, 2009 06:43 AM: Checking the most recent polls online, over 47% of Nevadans currently think Reid is doing a good or excellent job. That is close to a majority, now, a year and a half before the election. There will always be a big chunk against him, or any Democrat, or for that matter Obama, but it is not enough to win an election. And frankly as soon as I see people spouting "Communism/Socialism/Fascism" and "the Messiah" I just tune out, like the majority of Americans do.


    JHV wrote on April 06, 2009 04:49 AM: Yea, re-elect Harry "the crook" Reid...He is in it for himself. Harry is pushing for big spending for things he is invested in, not caring about the country or you or I. He will push to succeed in providing power to the people who scratch each others backs in politics. Check this out...

    Cornyn balked at a quick vote on Clinton, expressing dissatisfaction with the steps she has promised to guard against potential conflicts of interest involving foreign donations to the foundation her husband, former President Bill Clinton, set up.
    “You have a unique circumstance. . . . Two of the most powerful people in America happen to be married to each other. A former president who’s got this foundation and accepting huge contributions from foreign nationals and foreign countries happens to be married to the person who will be the chief diplomat for the United States,” Cornyn said Tuesday. “I think it needs some more work to have greater transparency. If it doesn’t get handled now, it probably won’t get handled. So it’s important to talk about it now.”
    Early Tuesday, Cornyn spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said Cornyn was “keeping all of his options on the table,” including a possible filibuster.
    That irked Clinton’s home-state colleague, Sen. Charles E. Schumer , D-N.Y. “At most, he’ll hold it off for two days,” Schumer said. “What’s the point? We’ve already gone through the process.”
    Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., later secured a unanimous consent agreement to vote on Clinton’s nomination Wednesday.


    larry wrote on April 06, 2009 04:15 AM: fred t: Jay Leno said they asked George Bush the other day what he thought of those sleeveless outfits being worn by Michelle Obama. He replied "Geez, how does she wipe her nose?" Thank Christ we don't have the Old Guy and the Blonde in charge. Go get 'em, Harry...."

    Well, we know YOUR informed news source. What a dunce!


    Blue Eyed Indian wrote on April 05, 2009 07:36 PM: With all due respect,I must disagree that "stupid" may take place in Nov.2010. It took place Nov.2008. The vision of your red nosed Mayor sucking up to the Messiah Obambi is seared into my mind. I usually come to Vegas 4 to 6 times per year but I will not show up this year or next year. In fact I take great pleasure in the fact that my absence may contribute to the lay off of one or more of Obama's voters. And, if not by my absence then,surely, by all the others in our circle who agree with us. The dismissal of Dirty Harry would be a first good step. The people of Clark County made a clear sucker bet last Nov. You may have gotten the government you deserve. We shall see.


    Steve wrote on April 05, 2009 06:46 PM: patrick, patrick, patrick,

    You listed 1 thing that Hapless Harry SUPPOSEDLY did in his 30 plus years in office. The only reason that he was against the dump is that he didn't own any of the land so he couldn't make a buck from it and he couldn't figure any way to extort any money. I'm sure that the train he's pushing for will go through some of his land so he can pocket a few more million building a train in California with a few feet of track in Nevada.


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