Harry Reid says immigration reform will pass, web poker requires threading the needle and Gov. Brian Sandoval is God (or words to that effect)

by Jon Ralston Sun, 01/13/2013 - 10:49

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appeared on Vegas PBS' "Nevada Week in Review" on Friday evening and said more than a few interesting things during the live broadcast.

Reid was interviewed by host Mitch Fox and journalists Steve Sebelius and Rikki Cheese and made all manner of pronouncements, including threading the needle on web poker, passing immigration reform and gushing about Gov. Brian Sandoval.

The program eventually will be posted here. But until then, content yourself with my live tweets, which I have generously aggregated here (with a few annotations):

►. on "Nevada Week in Review" says assault weapons ban could "maybe" pass the Senate but not the House. "Take a look at it."

 

(That is, he says he'll take a look at it.)

 

►Reid on guns: "Let's just look at everything. We don't have to look at any one thing." And: "need to look at movies, video games..weapons."

 

(He committed to nothing.)

 

►Reid on being sidelined in fiscal cliff, says only Mansfield held majority leader's job longer, so he "understands" it.

 

►Reid says he wasn't shunted aside by Biden/White House, but need to know he is "sometimes a good cop, sometimes a bad cop."

 

(He clearly is irked by perception Joe Biden and the White House pushed him to the background.)

 

►Reid always calls Krugman "prize-winning columnist," as if people will be impressed that he validates his position on something.
 
►More Reid on debt/fiscal cliff: "The Republicans can never deliver on a big deal. We want a big deal."
 
►An obviously concerned Reid: "The Republicans are creating a terribly bad brand for themselves."
 
►On immigration, Reid says, "We are going to get something significant," including a path to citizenship provision.
 
►Reid on judicial nominee Elissa Cadish being blocked by Heller: "I would say to my friend, Dean Heller, If you want to vote no, vote no."
 

(But don't keep blocking her from getting a vote on the floor, that is.)

 
►In bizarre move, Reid mentions Cadish's husband died unexpectedly, then says probably shouldn't have said that. 
 
►Reid on web poker: "We're going to try to thread the needle. It's going to be harder to do than it was before."
 

(Lots of ReTweets on that line, showing how interested some people are in getting that done.)

 
►Reid: "There should be a talking filibuster." He is talking about multiple cloture votes and quorum calls, surely thrilling the viewers.
 
►More from Reid: He said of nine new Dem senators, "there a couple I may not get" on filibuster reform.
 
►Reid says he had Jack Lew "personally call the governor" (and he called, too) after Sandoval expanded Medicaid..I admire the governor...."
 
(I think I misunderstood this originally. Reid's staff later clarified that Reid got Lew to call Sandoval BEFORE he made the decision. It appears Sandoval indicated to Reid that he wanted to expand, but needed questions answered.)
 
►Reid, president of Sandoval's fan club: "I think that he has always been thoughtful in this, not having a knee-jerk reaction to Obamacare."
 
►By the way, Sandoval supported the lawsuits against Obamacare, but set up exchange and first GOP gov to expand Medicare.
 
►Reid asked about setting record for Capitol Hill service by Nevadan. "The state has been very good to me." Declines to thank Sharron Angle.
 
►Asked about coal plant he wants to shut down: "I'm trying to have a soft voice on NV Energy tonight. I'm going to try to be nice."
 
►Then he's not nice. Says NV Energy wouldn't even talk 2 Indians about solar. And says not to allow NV Energy to claim "junk" to offset RPS.
 
 

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