Harry Reid Explains Why Democrats Are Losing

It's Tim Johnson and Joe Lieberman's fault.

I'm not kidding.

That was Senator Harry Reid's contention today in an NPR interview.

First, the meandering, banal preamble:

NPR Reporter: "Democrats have tried and failed to pass resolutions mandating troop withdrawals, or timetables... What exactly do you plan to lay out in the coming weeks?"

Reid: "We're gonna continue to lay out for the American people the fact that we need a change of direction in the war in iraq. We clearly need that.

Reporter: "What specific change?"

Reid: "The mission needs to be changed, the mission needs to be changed. It needs to be changed by having American troops begin to start coming home in signifcant numbers, and that troops that are left there be used for counterterrorism, and protecting the assets we have there. And on a very limited basis, perhaps, and only on a limited basis, to help train Iraqis.


"Remember I've - I say that the Iraqis have been trained, and trained and trained - what we have from the president is continually: 'we need patience, we need patience.' Well, my patience has worn out, as has the patience of the American people."

I can hear Harry Reid's re-election song now: "Changes" by David Bowie. Here in reality, the reporter has actually lost patience with Reid:

Reporter: "So you've lost patience. Some wonder why the Democrats aren't more aggressive in making their next move."

She basically asked Reid why Democrats bent on defeat abroad, seem doomed to defeat at home?

Reid: "Make sure that everyone understands that listens to this program: We're in the majority, but it's a very slim majority. All the votes that have taken place to this point have been with Tim Johnson being sick. As a result of that, he's been recuperaing, he's back now and we hope to have him with us now.

"But, on the Iraqi issue, with Joe Lieberman, who votes with us on virtually everything else, voting with the Republicans, I'm in the minority. I have 49 Democrats, and there are 50 Republicans. So we have been in the minority, and I think we have fought very hard to have the President change course."

That is perhaps the most pathetic excuse I've heard yet from a politician. Democrats are suffering repeated tactical defeat after defeat, not because they have a losing policy, or because their will is vastly weaker than that of their opponents, or that they suffer from a vacuum of ideas.

No, it is the fault of one previously comatose Democratic Senator, and another Democratic Senator who votes his conscience at the expense of his own party's vitriol.

Reid (and Pelosi) fared no better with another reporter when openly asked why they continue to fail time and again.