What now, Harry Reid?

With his staff now calling him Harry Houdini after his re-election last week, The New York Times wonders what now for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"With his Democratic caucus reduced, and Republicans set to take over the House, Mr. Reid may want to brush up on his magic skills: passing bills next year, or even just keeping his senators unified, may require gravity-defying tricks," the Times reports.

It starts with a lame duck session next week, but aides told the newspaper Reid was not ready just yet to talk about what lies ahead.

But after getting back to work on Tuesday, Reid "was quickly back at it," the paper reported. He met separately with deputies Chuck Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Illinois. He spoke with Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, the chaiman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, about upcoming bills, and with Carl Levin of Michigan, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee,  about repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy against gays serving openly in the military.

He met Wednesday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and has spoken with President Barack Obama,  the paper said.