DailyKos: Harry Reid, True Democrat and American

Just excerpting some eloquent remarks made by Fightin' Harry from a post of Armando's at DKos:

Our great Nation was founded on the idea of human rights. From the very beginning, we were designed to be a place where men and women could live free, a place where no man was above the law, a place where the state would never trample on the rights of individuals.

We did not always live up to our ideals. Along the way, we stumbled. We have made mistakes. But we always worked to correct our mistakes. We worked to uphold the core values that formed our national soul. Because of our unshakable belief in human rights, we became a ray of light, a beacon for people in other parts of the world. America has been that beacon because we are a nation governed by laws, not by men.

We are a nation where no one, not even the President of the United States,is above the law. We are a nation where our military is bound by the uniform Code of Military Justice and the laws of war. And we are a nation that even at war stands for and upholds the rule of law.

There is no question gathering intelligence from suspects in our war on terror is critical to protecting this great Nation. No one in this
Chamber would argue otherwise, I would think. These are very bad people with whom we are dealing. But when interrogation turns to torture, it puts our own soldiers at risk. It undermines the very freedoms Americans are
fighting to protect.

We are a nation at war--a war in Iraq and a war against terrorism -- but this war does not give our civilian leaders the authority to cast aside the laws of armed conflict, nor does it allow our Commander in Chief to decide which laws apply and which laws do not apply. To do so puts, I repeat, our own soldiers and our Nation at risk. But that is what has occurred under the direction and coordination of the man seeking to be Attorney General of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, a man I personally like, but whose judgment on these very serious matters was flawed and is flawed. I have heard a great deal on this Senate floor about Judge Gonzales's background over the last few days, how his parents were migrant farm workers, and how he worked his way up from poverty. It is an inspiring story, and it is one that resonates with me. I met with Judge Gonzales after the President sent his nomination to the Senate. We talked about our childhoods, about coming from small rural towns, some would say without many advantages. The fact that someone from a place called Humble, TX, and someone from a place called Searchlight, NV, have had an opportunity to achieve their dream is what America is all
about.

But, embodying the American dream is not a sufficient qualification to be Attorney General of the United States. The Attorney General is the people's lawyer, not the President's lawyer. He is charged with upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. The Attorney General must be independent, and he must be clear that abuses by our Government will not be tolerated. Judge Gonzales's appearance before the Judiciary Committee raised serious questions about his ability to be that force in the Justice Department. That is why I am going to vote against him.

Some of you may not like Reid, but he is forging a fighting consensus among the Dems. Slowly, but it's happening. And none too soon.

Anyone who confuses that with cowardice or conservatism is an idiot.

Yeah, I like Harry Reid. If anyone wants to fight, bring it! :P

for his anti-abortion stance. Otherwise, I've heard some pretty insightful views from him.
It's like Lieberman. What is up with this guy? If you saw him on Jon Stewart the other night, he was funny as hell. Where is that guy on the campaign trail? Plus he's one of the main senators going against drilling in ANWAR, which definitely ups his stock in my book. But then he'll turn around and do something totally stupid, like back Gonzalez, or say, since we've been so successful in Iraq, we should do the same thing in Iran. I kid you not.

I can talk all day long and convince people that I am a person of conviction and principle.

However, TALK means nothing, absolutely nothing. If it is not met by true backing up of consistent actions. Reid, so far, is abundantly talkative, speaks prolific words.

Where are the actions and the force needed to be an effective and successful leader? Reid continues to play it safe.