Reid vs. McCain, post-election edition

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are colleagues once again after a nasty election pitted the majority leader against the Republican presidential nominee.

A story in The Hill asks whether they can mend their relationship. Amusingly, Reid is quoted calling the pair "pretty close" and noting that they went to Congress in the same freshman class.

During the election, Reid cited the same fact as part of his argument that he knew McCain well enough to judge that the Arizonan was unfit for office.

Since then, The Hill notes, Reid has said the two have reconciled, with McCain expressing a desire to work across the aisle in the Senate. But the lovefest may be headed for trouble over the issue of earmarks, opposition to which is one of McCain's signatures. Reid has long held that earmarks aren't necessarily so bad.

Earlier this month, Reid told reporters, "“Please, somebody, write how foolish this earmark situation is. It’s ridiculous. We passed the most sweeping lobbying and ethics reform in the history of the country. Earmarks are transparent.”