Reid to Republicans: Let’s stop debate on ObamaCare so I can hold a fundraiser
posted at 12:15 pm on December 10, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Harry Reid’s latest maneuver on ObamaCare has less to do with the legislation — or with the poor staffers he wants to spare from another weekend of work — than with his political survival. ABC News reports that Reid demanded that Republicans drop debate on several ObamaCare amendments so that he can send the Senate home over the weekend, supposedly to give staffers a break. But as Byron Wolf informs readers, Harry has a fundraiser he desperately needs in a re-election effort that already appears Quixotic:
But Reid, who wants to get a healthcare bill finished by Christmas, urged Republicans on the Senate floor to forego a debate on several conference reports this weekend in order to give Senators and staffers the weekend off.
“I understand the Republican leader doesn’t want us to do health care. I appreciate that. He and I have different positions on that,” said Reid. “I see no reason to punish everybody this weekend and I hope the minority will give strong consideration to the proposal that i’ve made.”
But in addition to shepherding the health care bill through the Senate, Reid is also locked in a tough reelection campaign.
And in that regard his desire for a weekend off is not so benevolent to other Senators and staffers.
It turns out Reid has a 1,000 plus per plate fundraiser scheduled for Saturday in New Orleans, according to one local paper, which also reports that Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA, a key swing moderate in the health care debate, will also be in attendance.
Say, wasn’t this the same Harry Reid that scheduled a cloture vote to open debate on the bill for a Saturday? At the time, he didn’t want to let his caucus go home and talk with constituents, lest they be pressured into actually representing their viewpoints on ObamaCare. Reid didn’t have much thought for the staffers and their weekend free time at that stage, did he?
Why not just give everyone the weekend off and pick up debate on Monday? Reid’s running out of legislative dates on the 2009 calendar. He wants to push this bill through Congress before the new year arrives. If they’re still debating ObamaCare in January, it won’t be going anywhere — not in an election year, and not with job approval ratings for Barack Obama and Democrats plunging downward at an increasing pace.
Republicans won’t give up their debate time. Reid will either have to skip his Big Easy fundraiser or let the schedule slip. But if he does the former, maybe Nevadans can start asking why Reid needs to go to Louisiana to raise money instead of coming home himself.
Blowback
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Now that’s funny.
booter on December 10, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Keep working Harry, your time in the Senate is very limited.
trs on December 10, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Less CO2 emmissions. The man really cares about AGW.
WashJeff on December 10, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Vote the f*cker out. Hopefully plenty of voters in Louisiana will know about Landrieu appearing with Reid. Bye bye Mary!
NathanG on December 10, 2009 at 12:20 PM
You know he could turn the gavel over to McConnell for the weekend, like they did the other day. However, then the GOP could pass a bunch of admendments that would make sure that the health care bill never passed or that every American can deduct 15000 from their taxes to cover the fine for failing to get insurance
ConservativePartyNow on December 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
How About ‘No’, You Crazy Dutch Bastard!
Rebar on December 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Maybe Landrieu is meeting with Reid to work out the logistics of funneling her bribe money through dead donors in New Orleans into Reid’s campaign?
Maybe not, I’m just asking questions…
darclon on December 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Harry is so doomed, he might as well set up shop permanently in DC.
J_Crater on December 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Dingy will be right at home in NOLA. My late Aunt used to say that rumour had it that Edwin Edwards was spawned on a gaming table. Maybe Dingy\’s looking for the same kind of Kingfish money magic?
Wanderlust on December 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Rebar: good one LOL
J_Crater on December 10, 2009 at 12:23 PM
There are a *lot* of voters in New Orleans whose home address is St. Louis Cemetary #1 and St. Louis Cemetary #2…
Wanderlust on December 10, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Going to Loserana to raise money for reelection in Nevada. Now that’s funny. And I don’t mean funny-haha, I mean funny-crooked.
If the Republican party is a regional party, the Democrat party isn’t even that. It’s the party of tiny blue islands in a sea of red.
misterpeasea on December 10, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Sure Harry .. we won’t call for a cloture vote while you’re gone .. wink .. wink
J_Crater on December 10, 2009 at 12:26 PM
This makes perfect sense. Harry and Mary got together to send 300 million dollars to [somebody] in Louisiana. Now they’re going to get their kickback. Did anybody expect it to work any differently?
joe_doufu on December 10, 2009 at 12:26 PM
So basically, Reid wants to go to Louisiana to collect his finder’s fee for our tax money that was paid as a bribe to Landrieu. And people still think that the US is less corrupt than a banana republic?
Sorry, Reid. You are going to need to do more than raise money. You are attempting to raise the dead.
Vashta.Nerada on December 10, 2009 at 12:27 PM
He just wants to spend a quiet evening at a tranny strip club.
Aviator on December 10, 2009 at 12:28 PM
He is a Democrat so that isn’t out of the equation.
thomasaur on December 10, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Does Reid really think the Republicans are that stupid and that he is that clever?
ctmom on December 10, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Say NO!
xler8bmw on December 10, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Well, what have the Republicans done to disabuse him of that notion?
Aviator on December 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM
I hope the NOLA Tea Party folks are aware of Dingy’s visit, and wil show him the kind of appreciation he deserves.
TXUS on December 10, 2009 at 12:32 PM
He just wants to go down there and free the slaves from the evil Republicans.
BPD on December 10, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Great, I needed a laugh this morning!!! Poor Harry–gonna be late to the party…
lovingmyUSA on December 10, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Harry Reid: Endless incumbency? See Doctor Zero‘s two latest essays in the Green Room on the topic.
publiuspen on December 10, 2009 at 12:35 PM
If the Stupid Party has any brains, they’ll block thi-
Nevermind.
cs89 on December 10, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Harry “Johnny Cochran” Reed: “For a thousand bucks a plate, we must halt debate.”
mwdiver on December 10, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Harry: Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
Let me fertilize your vine,
If you’ll fertilize mine.
Steve Z on December 10, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Just Google the names of residents of houses flattened by Katrina. Who cares if they now live in Texas?
Steve Z on December 10, 2009 at 12:44 PM
I just pray this slug will not be re-elected in 2010.
L
letget on December 10, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Sayyyyyy, isn’t ACORN headquartered in NOLA? Why, yes! Yes, it is!
Mystery solved…..
dmh0667 on December 10, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Absolute outrage. The hypocrisy and dishonesty is so disgusting that it’s just too much for words. These criminals hit a new low daily.
marklmail on December 10, 2009 at 12:49 PM
If the Republicans go along with this they are gutless pigs and deserve the death of their careers.
SKYFOX on December 10, 2009 at 12:50 PM
A couple years ago he didn’t care about the staff when he had them drag out cots to force a real 24/7 standing filibuster.
And what kind of turd asks a favor from the same people he called slavers 72 hours ago?
Rodent on December 10, 2009 at 12:51 PM
A Democrat in general, Harry Reid in specific.
Aviator on December 10, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Actually Harry, I think you should go to Louisiana. Go on, collect some money. Head down to the French Quarter. Enjoy some of the local scenery. Drink a couple of hurricanes (don’t worry, the locals won’t let word get back to the Elders… wink, wink). Let the good times roll.
And while you’re down there, think about staying down there. maybe you can represent the good people of Louisiana.
Because the good people of Nevada certainly aren’t going to allow you that privilege any more.
JohnGalt23 on December 10, 2009 at 12:58 PM
No, he thinks the Guard Dog Media won’t call him on it, eszpecially while they are all swooning over Obama in Norway and Copenhagen. And he is probably right.
rockmom on December 10, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
cmsinaz on December 10, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Anyone else take one look at that picture of Reid and immediately think of The Tall Man from the Phantasm series?
teke184 on December 10, 2009 at 1:06 PM
So Reid must not have the votes, because he could press this baby through if he did.
Why does it always come back to “follow the money”?
englishqueen01 on December 10, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Very true.
Saw this on twitter though…McConnell: I’m confident every Republican will vote against adjourning this weekend (via @wonkroom)
ctmom on December 10, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Yeah just keep on working Harry you don’t have much time left in office so you better do all the damage you can now.
Remember to Obama you are expendible, just like the rest of us.
SgtRed on December 10, 2009 at 1:15 PM
If the GOP doesn’t agree to stop the debate they are voting for slavery!
Captain Kirock on December 10, 2009 at 1:16 PM
The GOP better not back down over this- they’ve been lambasted by Reid for long enough to realise that any goodwill on their part will never be reciprocated.
Somehow, though, I don’t think that will stop them caving…
Jay Mac on December 10, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Recall, this is the same individual who wouldn’t put the Senate into recess for fear Pres. Bush would make a recess appointment or two. Alanis Morrisette levels of irony.
thirtypundit on December 10, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Excellent question doesn’t louisiana have two incompetents already why is reid suckin the bucks outta the state.
Maybe because the quart drinkin, porch sittin, professional baby makin, dope smokin New Orlineans are the constituents for his healthscare fiasco and the rest of the responsible citizens end up payin for the professional baby makers?
Maybe Landrieu is allowin Reid to siphon funds from her constituents since he gave her the big 300 million dolllar payoff in the last healthScare vote?
dhunter on December 10, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Oh and on another note ED! Perhaps a thread on how great Newt the Newt Gingrich thought the WONS Nobel Piece Prize talkathon was!
Ef off newt, Mccain, Grahmnasty and any other pandering RINO who refuses to fight these commie SOB’s!
dhunter on December 10, 2009 at 1:39 PM
dhunter on December 10, 2009 at 1:36 PM
The real reason is mentioned above… New Orleans is the home of ACORN and a stronghold of other organizations like the SEIU, so this is going to be a way for him to get a huge payoff from those groups without it being an obvious one.
teke184 on December 10, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Look, if this can help delay “debate” on this crappy bill, then I’m all for Harry going to as many fundraisers as he can find.
yogi41 on December 10, 2009 at 1:51 PM
One more reason I won’t buy union made if I can help it. I’ll buy China made first they own us anyway.
And I’m buyin more Palin books for Chritmas gifts for my libtard sisters in Minnnysoota and libtard friends.
Helpin Palin reach 52 million sales and given libs a great gift! Ha!
dhunter on December 10, 2009 at 1:58 PM
This is simply breathtaking! The arrogance and corruption of these democrats, but then they do keep getting re-elected which is also mind-boggling. So they’ll never “change” only keep talking about it and making false promises. Hey, it works for them.
mozalf on December 10, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Since we have been branded as the party of, “No” why don’t we live up to our reputation and just say, “NO!”
CH on December 10, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Harry should be more worried about getting a reservation for that moving van. Better to avoid the rush of ‘fall cleaning’ next November.
GarandFan on December 10, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Republicans are stupid if they listen to any requests or rather demands by dumbo Harry.
mobydutch on December 10, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Wasnt’ Reid the guy who tried to put the arm on michael corleone in exchange for his help in buying that hotel in vegas?
DrW on December 10, 2009 at 2:47 PM
You have to hand it to Reid. Not many people take their own prostitute TO New Orleans.
Aviator on December 10, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Well, what have the Republicans done to disabuse him of that notion?
Aviator on December 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM
I second that! The stupid party will probably fall for this ploy and roll over like they always do.
flytier on December 10, 2009 at 3:05 PM
At $1,000.00 a plate, he might get enough to cover the air fare. “check your bags or carry on, Mr. Reid”?
Rovin on December 10, 2009 at 3:28 PM
No. That was well before Harry’s time. Sen. Geary was supposed to represent pat McCarren.
however, the corrupt State Senator/head of the Gaming Commission from Casino was indeed supposed to be harry Reid.
JohnGalt23 on December 10, 2009 at 3:50 PM
But if he does the former, maybe Nevadans can start asking why Reid needs to go to Louisiana to raise money instead of coming home himself.
I love this line. There’s nothing I can add.
madmonkphotog on December 10, 2009 at 5:41 PM