Reid on Playing Politics (Wizbang)

Today Harry "no one knows what to do" Reid is accusing John McCain of playing politics.

"But it would not be helpful at this time to have them come back during these negotiations and risk injecting presidential politics into this process or distract important talks about the future of our nation's economy. ... We need leadership; not a campaign photo op."

But earlier this week, yesterday actually, Reid said it was important that McCain be involved:

Fearing a political backlash against Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has told the White House that it must serve up support from Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) if it hopes to ensure bipartisan backing for a massive economic bailout package by week's end.

Reid also said yesterday, "I got some good news in the last hour or so ... it appears that Sen. McCain is going to come out for this."

Update: A good point was made in a Fox News interview with Michael Brown a few minutes ago. McCain and Obama (and Biden for that matter) have held onto their Senate seats, unlike some in the past, such as Bob Dole, have done when running for President. Since they are both still sitting Senators shouldn't they still be doing their jobs? I guess Obama can vote "present" as easily from the road as he can in DC, but if they want to really influence the negotiations it probably is best to be there in person.

Update II: From Bookworm:

Harry Reid's statement supporting Obama was predictably stupid: "Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid issued a statement saying the debate should go on because 'we need leadership, not a campaign photo op.'" If I understand this correctly, rolling up your sleeves and getting to work on an imminent crisis that needs to be addressed immediately is not leadership, it's a photo op. Appearing on a stage for a two hour debate that could just as easily be rescheduled to another day, is leadership, not a photo op. Bizarro World, my dear readers, Bizarro World.

Comments (12)

Harry needs to make a decis... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by SAHMmy | September 24, 2008 5:39 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

SAHMmy:

Harry needs to make a decision. Yesterday McCain was paramount to getting this deal done. Today he calls him up and says, "We don't need you here."

Maybe he thought that McCain would just phone it in.

Posted on September 24, 2008 17:39

Maybe he thought that Mc... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Clay | September 24, 2008 5:52 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Clay:

Phone it in? Like, oh I dunno, the other candidate?

Posted on September 24, 2008 17:52

What a freak show the Democ... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Pretzel Logic | September 24, 2008 6:02 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Pretzel Logic:

What a freak show the Democrat Party has become.

Posted on September 24, 2008 18:02

Harry needs an example of w... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by marc | September 24, 2008 6:10 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

marc:

Harry needs an example of what a photo op truly is.

Take this one for example.

In Harry's world, not to mention pelosi's that's an opportunity to share a "world view" and a way to "get them to LUV us"

Posted on September 24, 2008 18:10

Whatever happened to rep... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Clay | September 24, 2008 6:34 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Whatever happened to representation of the people? We are facing the single largest bailouts in U.S. history, and we the people will foot the bill. McCain is first and foremost one of Arizona representatives in Washington, D.C. Don't the people of Arizona deserve the representation for which they voted?

McCain is doing what's right and honorable. I'm not surprised that this concept would be foreign to both Reid and the other presidential candidate. Obama also owes that representation for which his constituents voted.

Posted on September 24, 2008 18:34

I'm not surprised ... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Stan25 | September 24, 2008 6:44 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

Stan25:

I'm not surprised that this concept would be foreign to both Reid and the other presidential candidate. Obama also owes that representation for which his constituents voted.

Reid's and Obama's constituents are the same people that got us into this mess in the first place. They don' t give a shit about the poor taxpayer, they are out for the main chance and to hell with the people who are supposed to be their bosses.

Washington DC has become a cesspool of liberal deal making and the sooner we get those money grubbing bastards out of there, the better off the whole country will be. Reid and Obama are scared shitless and desperate as they see their power slowly eroding away. That is why they are doing what they are doing.

Posted on September 24, 2008 18:44

Harry Reid is obviously OLD... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by GarandFan | September 24, 2008 6:53 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

GarandFan:

Harry Reid is obviously OLD, TIRED, and CONFUSED. How could the Democrats rely on an OLD, CONFUSED majority leader in the Senate at a time like this? Oh wait, OLD only applies to Republicans. Sorry, my bad.

Posted on September 24, 2008 18:53

I'm sorry, but I can't take... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Oyster | September 24, 2008 8:18 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Oyster:

I'm sorry, but I can't take Reid or Pelosi seriously at all, ever again. I can't even look at Reid (or think about him) without remembering Dennis Miller's glorious smack down of him. Talk about the Peter Principle, these two define it.

Posted on September 24, 2008 20:18

And now that I think about ... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by Oyster | September 24, 2008 8:21 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

And now that I think about it ... when Harry says, "We need leadership," one has to wonder what their damn jobs are.

Posted on September 24, 2008 20:21

I think McCain's playing po... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by James H | September 24, 2008 10:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

James H:

I think McCain's playing politics by "suspending his campaign" to go back to Washington. And I think it's a damned good bit of political maneuvering. Makes McCain look presidential and sucks the initiative away from Obama.

While some partisan barbs are going back and forth, I've noticed a distinct lack of BS from both sides on the bailout. If the current set of clowns, who find partisan rancor in the statement "this is Thursday" are going bipartisan, it makes me think they're scared ... well, I can't use the final word on a family blog.

Posted on September 24, 2008 22:54

"Playing politics" is one w... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Oyster | September 25, 2008 9:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

"Playing politics" is one way that some will look at McCain's decision, James H. But then one has to pretend that it's not his current friggin' job to be there. It's one of those "damned if you do/damned if you don't" scenarios. Harry Reid is the one posturing here. "We need leadership," says Harry Reid, House Majority Leader.