Not Going To Take It Anymore

Over the last few weeks, whether for good or bad, Harry Reid has really shown a streak at not backing done of late.

First, his unbelievably hilarious diss at David Broder two Saturdays ago, which could be the funniest smackdown of the year in Congress:

Memorable.

Today, Reid continued to slamback anyone who slams him. First, Republicans urged that Reid apologized for this comments on:

Yesterday, Reid said: “Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all Senate Republicans can come up with is: ‘Slow down, stop everything and start over.’ If you think you’ve heard these same excuses before, you’re right.”

He cited as examples slavery, women’s suffrage, and civil rights. Which prompted Republicans to slam Reid for comparing them to proponents of slavery, oppression of women, and racism — and to demand an apology. Asked to respond today, Reid said:

“I think the point is quite clear, by this point, that at pivotal points in American history, the tactics of distortion, delay have certainly been present.”

Reid basically gave them their favorite word back......."No"

“I think the point is quite clear, by this point, that at pivotal points in American history, the tactics of distortion, delay have certainly been present.”

While it it is sweet news that Reid basically told John McCain, Michael Steele, and any other Republican to shove it, it wasn't sweet at all with how his spokesperson slammed back at Jerry Nadler today.

Nadler is one of the many House progressives not happy with what is going on in the Senate with regards to the public option being replaced by the Medicare buy-in plan. And he let it be known how he felt about Reid and that chamber in general:

Nadler said that Dems wouldn’t have this problem at all “if the Democratic leadership were a little more energetic.”

“Why do we suffer the filibuster?” Nadler asked. “It blocks action of any sort, and it’s highly undemocratic,” Nadler continued. “Even in the House of Lords, you can only delay, and not block, legislation.”

Nadler added that Reid needed to take steps, once health care is completed, to “really reign in the filibuster.”

Nadler’s conclusion: “The Senate ought to be at least as democratic as the House of Lords.”

But Reid spokesman responded right back at Nadler's comments

Appreciate the advice, but as Congressman Nadler may or may not know, unlike the House we don’t have a Rules Committee over here that allows us to jam legislation through.

Being slammed from both sides sure does make a centrist figure put on the fighting gloves.