Bill Clinton urges Nevadans to back Reid

Former President Bill Clinton said Thursday that Nevadans are right to be angry about record high unemployment and home foreclosures, but he said voters shouldn't punish U.S. Sen. Harry Reid because Republicans -- not Democrats -- caused the economic crisis.

"It's not his fault," Clinton said during a half-hour speech at a rally for Reid at Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, where more than 700 mostly Democratic supporters cheered him on.

Clinton argued Nevadans would be foolish to reject Reid at the ballot box come November because the four-term senator has worked hard to create jobs and clean energy projects in Nevada.

"Why would you give away the Senate majority leader who has delivered time and time and time again?" asked Clinton, the latest Democratic leader to visit Nevada to rescue Reid's re-election chances.

"I know people are frustrated," he added, saying he knows why the Tea Party movement is angry about out-of-control spending. But, he said, "Harry Reid is doing what he can to get us back on our feet."

Clinton said voters have a stark choice between Reid and his Republican opponent, Sharron Angle, a staunch conservative whom the Democrats have labeled as being on the extreme far right.

The former president made fun of Angle, saying she has disappeared from the public and had been ducking tough questions since she won the GOP nomination in Tuesday's primary.

Recalling the children's books and games "Where's Waldo?" Clinton joked, "Now you've got to play 'Where's Sharron?' because she's hiding out, according to the local news. I might hide out, too, if I said I wanted to get rid of Social Security and Medicare."

He also criticized Angle for suggesting Nevada accept the use of Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste dump site, something Reid has successfully fought for years.

Angle has said she wants to turn Yucca Mountain into a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility, which would bring waste to the state. The former Reno assemblywoman also has said she wants to privatize Medicare and Social Security, although over time so that older people's benefits are preserved.

Reid didn't attend the rally because he was working in Washington, D.C.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.