Reports: Reid recovering his mojo while Republicans fume

Sen. Harry Reid's hardball tactics that forced Republicans to finally agree to debate a Wall Street reform bill seem to have put some swagger back into his step, according to observations in a Roll Call story this morning.

Reid and the Senate Democrats are feeling good about themselves these days, the Capitol Hill newspaper reports.

Since a low point in January when Democrats lost Ted Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts, Reid has found a way to get health care reform passed, overcame objections by Sen. Jim Bunning R-Ky., on a jobless benefits bill, and now got the GOP to back down from a filibuster. Reid called votes three days in a row, challenging GOP senators to keep voting no, and then pounding them in the meantime as a bunch of Wall Street tools.

"People are confident in the path and the tactics we're taking," Roll Call quoted an unnamed Democratic aide.

Adding to Reid's upbeat demeanor is the sudden struggles of political foe Sue Lowden, the Republican Senate candidate who leads Reid in polling back home but whose bizarre "bartering for health care" remarks have given him plenty to work with.

Reid "has had a couple good weeks in Nevada," the story quotes one Reid assistant.

With Democrats feeling good about themselves, perhaps it follows that Republicans are almost beside themselves with frustration. According to a report this morning in Politico.com, the Senate Majority leader seems to have the GOP spooked.

In a closed-door Republican meeting this week, Bunning called Reid an "idiot," Politico.com reported.

Republicans "argue that Reid is being driven by internal Democratic polling data showing the majority party has to recapture the reform mantle rather than compromise -- or risk huge losses."

But also, "Republicans privately acknowledge that the Democrats’ “Party of No” attacks are starting to take their toll politically."

"I think everyone thinks (Reid) is just gaming this thing politically and is a lot more interested in having issues right now rather than having solutions," said Sen. John Thune. R-S.D.