Reid: Don’t jump to conclusions on health care case

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid cautioned against jumping to conclusions that health care reform is in trouble based on how arguments appeared to go Tuesday at the Supreme Court.

"I think you cannot base what the court is going to do based on an oral argument," said Reid, D-Nev. "It's good to speculate as to what might happen. But believe me those nine men and women are extremely smart. And a lot of times they probe with those questions, not in any way to tip their mitt as to how they're going to vote on it.

"We know it's going to be a close opinion. But we don't know how close it's going to be," Reid said.

Conservative justices threw hard questions at the key portion of the landmark law requiring people to buy health insurance, according to multiple reports.

Reid in one of his major actions as Senate majority leader helped form and then shepherded President Barack Obama's health care overhaul through the Senate in 2009 and 2010.

In his weekly meeting with reporters on Tuesday, Reid was asked about comments of legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who emerged from court saying, "This law looks like it's going to be struck down.

"I think this law is in grave, grave trouble," Toobin said on CNN.

Reid said the courtroom "is one thing I know a little bit about. I wouldn't bet on this, but I'll bet I've been in court a lot more than Jeffrey Toobin, and I had arguments, federal, circuit, Supreme Court and hundreds of times before trial courts. And the questions you get from the judges doesn't mean that's what's going to wind up with the opinion."

A Reid spokeswoman said afterward he was referring to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Reid also said he was not certain that Democrats would be damaged politically if the law is struck down.

He said "a very small percentage" of people will vote in November based on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, with the economy being the bigger issue.

"There's a significant school of thought that the administration, that it puts them in a better position for the election if it's turned down," Reid said. "Now I think it will be upheld, but I don't know."

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760. Follow him on Twitter @STetreaultDC.