Reid demands apology this time
WASHINGTON — For a change, Sen. Harry Reid found himself Tuesday on the receiving end of another politician’s verbal miscue.
Reid demanded an apology after Louisiana Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy told a reporter Reid “runs the Senate like a plantation.” Cassidy is running for the Senate against Sen. Mary Landrieu and is trying to tie the incumbent to the Senate majority leader from Nevada and to President Barack Obama whenever possible.
“So instead of the world’s greatest deliberative body, it is his personal, sort of, ‘It goes if I say it does, if not it stops,’ Cassidy said of Reid. “Senator Landrieu’s first vote for him to be re-elected means that every other wish for a pro-oil and gas jobs bill is dead. Reid will never allow a pro-oil and gas jobs bill.”
Cassidy’s remark in an interview was published Tuesday by E&E Daily, an energy and environment news site. It triggered a response from Reid.
“With all the things going on in America today, that’s fairly insensitive. That’s really insensitive. Very insensitive,” Reid told reporters. “And if there were ever a statement that deserved an apology, this is it big time.
“I mean, has he been taking lessons from Donald Sterling? Where’d he get this?” Sterling was ousted from ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers and banned from the NBA for life in April after a recording of him making racist comments became public.
Reid is no stranger to the occasional verbal faux pas. Most recently, he apologized last month after telling two Asian-themed jokes in a speech to the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce.
But Cassidy showed no sign of backing away from his comment. He said essentially if the shoe fits Reid, he should wear it.
“I wish there was as much offense taken by Harry Reid running the Senate dictatorially, not allowing any votes which he does not personally approve of and the result of which he does not endorse,” the Republican said in a statement. “Any other interpretation of my remarks is a false controversy designed to distract attention from policies which are demonstrably crushing jobs and taking our country in the wrong direction.”
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC.
