In Nevada, commentary about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tends to go to the extremes. The right thinks he’s the devil. The left thinks he walks on water.
Beyond the overheated rhetoric of Nevadans who think they know Reid better than the rest of the country (and often don’t), the truth is that Reid is the consummate man in the middle. He’s pragmatic, realistic, a negotiator of compromises. He does not inspire the masses with speeches or goose the populace with pithy sound bites. He just works hard, trying to make things happen.
One of the better articles written about Reid is being published in Saturday’s Washington Post. It’s already on the web, so check it out here. Reporter Shailagh Murray does a fine job of explaining the relationship between Reid and President Obama, as well as Reid’s relations with his fellow senators. It’s a nicely nuanced piece of reporting, explaining Reid through a lens clear of partisan obfuscations.
