Reid

This isn't something you normally hear from a Senator, especially while talking to teenagers:

In the course of a discussion on filibusters and Senate rules, Washington's top Democrat gave the 60 juniors a lesson in partisan politics, particularly about the commander in chief. "The man's father is a wonderful human being," Reid said in response to a question about President Bush's policies. "I think this guy is a loser.

"I think President Bush is doing a bad job," he added to a handful of chuckles.

"He's driving this country into bankruptcy," Reid said, referring to the deficit. "He's got us in this intractable war in Iraq where we now have about 1,600 American soldiers dead and another 15,000 injured."

Republican National Communications Director Brian Jones issued a statement calling the senator's comments "a sad development but not surprising from the leader of a party devoid of optimism, ideas or solutions to the issues people care about most."

After the statement was released, Reid phoned the Review-Journal to acknowledge he thought he crossed the line.

"You know the president is in Europe, probably sleeping," Reid said in an interview this afternoon. "But I called (Karl) Rove and apologized for what I said."

"Devoid of optimism, ideas or solutions" pretty much sums up modern liberalism.

Just to remind everybody, Reid voted yes on sending troops to Iraq.   As far as Reid's apology goes, it won't do him much good ex post facto.  This quote will race across talk radio, cable shows, newspapers and blogs.  Staunch lefties may applaud his comments and for "having a pair" as one phrased it, but he has lost the ability to appeal Republicans to listen to his ideas.

Also note that AP spokeswoman Tessa Hafen reported that Reid also told the high schoolers that if Republicans change the filibuster rules, then they can "no longer count on Senator Reid working with them on the president's agenda."

So let's recap what Harry Reid just did.  The Democrats were having a few good weeks, but suddenly its been crushed with this rhetoric from people like Reid and Howard Dean.  It's also good to know that the head of the Democratic party basically admitted he will never work on the president's agenda and invited the Republicans to demand a vote on all of the judges.  Reid just handed Bill Frist a great amount of ammunition; all he has to do is point to Reid's comment while rousing 50 Republican Senators to vote to end debate and give Bush's judicial nominees a vote.