Harry Reid: 'I Don't Work For Obama'

In an interview with The Hill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would not roll over for the new president the way Republicans did for Bush.

Reid stated, "I don't believe in the executive power trumping everything... I believe in our Constitution, three separate but equal branches of government."

"If Obama steps over the bounds, I will tell him. ... I do not work for Barack Obama. I work with him," he said.

The Nevada Democrat gave a similar quote to Politico. "I like Barack Obama very much. He won a classic election, never have we had a better one," Reid said. "But I don't work for him, I work with him."

Reod went on to criticize Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) for bucking the party on seating Senate appointee Roland Burris. Feinstein argued that not seating Burris would threaten all gubernatorial appointments. "That's not valid, her statement," he said. "I told her that. OK?"

Reid also said that he planed to lead the Senate Democrats until at least 2015.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/07/harry-reid-i-dont-work-fo_n_155838.html

Yeah Harry, you're SOOOOOO independent :eyes:

Though, I can't argue with a thing he said. He's technically right.

He rolls over every time the Republicans want him too, but when it comes to other Democrats like Roland Burris and Al Franken he puts up a fight. Screw him.

because he looks to be running out of friends....

I have been trying to figure out who he is trying to please. Best I can figure it is Mitch McConnell. Good thing for Harry that Mitch was re-elected.

:shrug:

It's how every successful party has operated in the US. When the Congressional majority backs the president, the party wins. When Congress bucks the president or, worse, tries to take the lead itself, it fails to accomplish its goals and soon finds itself in the minority.

Harry Reid is a moron.

Which makes him much more dangerous to Democrats than if he was a mere moron.

I cannot fathom why, when we've all lived through the same events, some folks cannot grasp the lessons of history. Republicans have succeeded, in part, because they have always focused on winning. Our party spent a long time out of power because congressional Democrats bucked Carter, because the cooperated with Reagan and Bush, and because they blocked Clinton when they were in the majority, particularly on health care.

You're right, he's not stupid. He's still making a bad choice, one that cannot even help his extremist wing of the party.

Regardless, I think his capitulation on FISA was absolutely unacceptable. What little eroding support I had for him prior to that disappeared after telecom immunity was granted in the FISA bill.

you were all "Well could he wood and watere bere."
As Chaucer said.

Please Harry, step down for the good of nation, and let's get a brave, progressive senator in your chair.

So now that a Dem is in he finds his balls? He and Pelosi need to go.

He talks the talk, but definitely doesn't walk the walk.

What did they offer you & "drain the swamp" Pelosi?

So, when's he going to start?

That's when he'll be out of power and wanting back in.

I guess Obama needs to send him anthrax or blackmail him, or whatever it was that Bush did.

Saying, Thanks Harrry.

He is correct - he doesn't work for Obama. He is the leader of the Senate which makes up one of two parts of the legislative branch. He is reminding us that the US system has three co-equal branches. The GOP made a mockery of that system the past eight year.

Obama's not like Bush in that he doesn't shove his agenda down everyone's throats.

Reid and the rest of Congress will have active input when Obama sits down with them and tries to get them to put some laws together.

Of course, Obama's gonna have a way of lighting fires under Congress' butts if they're too slow in getting necessary legislation through.

At least Congress had better move damned fast with that economic stimulus package. The economy's in such horrible shape that it can't wait.

That and I hope Obama has a strategy in place for when Rethugs, as well as assclowns like Reid, aren't negotiating in good faith. I strongly suspect he does, though it may take some time for that strategy to bear fruit. Still, remember how Obama was always able to cause McCain's and Clinton's attacks to boomerang on them during the election? Something like that turned towards the legislative process.

Fuck you Harry.

This creep is so full of crap - he believes in our Constitution, eh? When will you prove it...

only his personal interests and the COP he's been kissing ass to for years

Put an R next to your name, and resign as Senate leader, you backstabbing two-bit fool.