Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said that there is something he disagrees with President Obama on: Obama isn’t tough enough on the Republicans. The Senate Majority Leader also said he wishes the White House backed him up more during the battle over health care reform.
In an interview on Friday with Jon Ralston, one of the top political reporters in Nevada, Reid was asked for examples of things he disagreed with Obama on. Reid said there are multiple things. When asked for a further explanation by Ralston, Reid’s answer came down more to process and style, rather than substance.
“I think that he is on many occasions — I shouldn’t say on many occasions, on a few occasions — I think he should have been more firm with those on the other side of the aisle,” said Reid. “He is a person who doesn’t like confrontation. He’s a peacemaker. And sometimes I think you have to be a little more forceful. And sometimes I don’t think he is enough with the Republicans.”
Ralston asked Reid for an example.
“Health care,” Reid responded. “That went on for many months. And I think much of that early on scrimmaging was done in the Senate itself, and the White House didn’t come in until later. Now, we came up with a great product, and I’m sure he can look back and say I was right, but boy for me down in the trenches, I know it was a time when I wanted a few folks in the White House behind me.”
Ralston then suggested that Reid was saying Obama wasn’t strong enough.
“He’s a very strong man. He’s calm, he’s cool, he’s deliberate,” Reid responded. “But as I just said, I think sometimes he — I would like him to be more confrontational. He isn’t, that’s who he is. My saying this isn’t gonna make him that way. I know who he is, and I understand him.”
