In Senate, Dem natives are restless

On Capitol Hill this week, Senate Democrats met behind closed doors for three consecutive days,  reportedly blowing off steam from the bad election season just passed and trying to figure out how to avoid a replay in two years.

On Thursday, according to a report today in Politico, fingers pointed to President Barack Obama, during what one senator said was "a raucous caucus."

Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader "calmy presided over the gripe session, allowing members to have their say," the news site said, citing sources.

Reid, meanwhile, has been retooling the leadership structure in a series of staff shuffles, including this one and this one.

"Reid’s moves amount to an admission that the Senate majority, which lost six seats on Nov. 2 and has more at stake in 2012, needs a more agile and effective way of telling constituents what it is doing and why," Politico said in an analysis of the changes.