Reid camp swings back at job criticism

Responding to a new American Crossroads television ad that criticizes Sen. Harry Reid on the economy, his campaign today pointed reporters to a video of challenger Sharron Angle telling Henderson voters last month that she did not see her job as a senator to bring industry to Nevada.

In the video taken at May 14 meet-and-greet, Angle (behind that guy's head) says: "People ask me, what are you going to do to develop jobs in your state? Well that’s not my job as a U.S. senator, to bring industry to the state. That's the lieutenant governor's job. That’s your state senators and assemblyman’s job. That’s your secretary of state’s job, to make a climate here in this state, ya’ll come."

Said Reid spokesman Jon Summers: "If they want to talk about the jobs and the economy, they may want to look at their own candidate, who says that it's not her job to create jobs."

According to a transcript that puts the sound bite in more context, Angle said her job as senator would be to create an environment of federal taxes and regulation that would be conducive to job growth.

"How do we expect to compete, how do we expect to keep our businesses here if we tax them out of the country?" Angle said. "How do we expect to keep them there, if we pass regulation after regulation that absolutely strangles them?"

Seeking further to contrast Reid and Angle when it comes to jobs, the Reid camp also noted that Angle last December called Reid "self-absorbed" for his role in pushing banks to continue lending for construction of CityCenter.

On the contrary, the incumbent has viewed that act as a big achievement, even getting MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren to cut a commercial crediting Reid with saving jobs at the megaresort.