So presumably, Reid doesn't think he needs to compromise with the liberal groups!

Nico Pitney has a slightly different take on this: The DNC's given the go-ahead to the ads and Reid himself has been critical of the Blue Dogs, so all this may be Reid playing it up for the cameras while giving it the nod behind the scenes.

What a load of BS. I'm sure that Reid is saying that because he hears from people like Evan Bayh that they don't like getting targeted like that. Well, tough crap to Bayh. Some of us care about things more important than upsetting the pampered life of a self-important Blue Dog.

If the implication here is that pressure from the left will cause Bayh and others to react NEGATIVELY and move further towards the right, then they all just need to be voted out of office, like right now.

When will the Dems in the Senate get a chance to drop this guy from the leadership. He's a nightmare.

"I still have no idea why Reid would find progressive pressure to be 'very unwise and not helpful.'"

Because Reid is not a progressive.

Suck my harry nutsack, Harry.

Reid thinks the elite should make the choices they want to make without the input of any outside actors like, you know, voters and interest groups.

Deep thought: Is there anything or anyone more flaccid and pathetic than Harry Reid?

I've never contributed money to or voted for a Republican in my life (I don't live in NV), but I plan to contribute to Harry Reid's GOP (or PRIMARY) opponent if such a candidate is viable.

What a putz.

So Reid feels that, if your views are more liberal than his, then you need to abdicate your right to petition? No deal.

The positions Reid calls 'left' are supported by a majority of Americans. Poll after poll has indicates we want universal health care and many other 'left' leaning proposals.

Keep up the pressure, progressives. First Bayh, now Reid. We're getting to them.

Because the Senate is not a democratic body. All attempts to inject democracy in it are received with extreme hostility.

Reid thinks the elite should make the choices they want to make without the input of any outside actors like, you know, voters and interest groups.

Dirty secret: basically EVERY SINGLE SENATOR THINKS THAT. It's a condition of doing their job.

Because Reid is not a progressive.

Progressives need to keep pushing until he's pushed right out of the Majority Leader's chair.

Isn't it time to get a Senate Majority Leader who is in step with the President and the Country. Reid is stuck in his sleepy little non-confrontational world.

Personally, I'd like to see Russ Feingold in the Majority Leader's chair. (I can dream, can't I?)

At the risk of being extremely repetitious, as I have said numerous times before: "Harry Reid MUST go!"

With a democratic president, Harry Reid is a worthless, spineless, wimp of a majority leader; just as he was with a rethug president.

Joe LIEberman should have been kicked out of the democrats senate caucus for his crap spouted last year against Obama.

Evan (DLC/DINO/Rethug-Lite/Corporatist) Bayh should be punished for what he is doing.

If there continues to be no repercussions for dumbocraps sabatoging what little progressiveness there is within the Obama agenda, it will never stop short of getting rethugs back in power. While it may be said that corporate democrats like Bayh are better than corporate rethugs, at least with the rethugs there is no doubt where they stand.

In The Village, liberals are supposed to know their place and play by the rules. And that place is to be a whipping boy, to be quiet and to be very happy with whatever crumbs they get.

Tough shit, Harry.

So, on the right, we find the wingnuts who drive the themes and "ideas" of the modern Republican party. Exhibit A: Michele Bachmann, Michael Steele, Sarah Palin, a group so weird that it makes Newt Gingrich seem sane.

Meanwhile, on the left, we have the majority leader in the Senate telling the progressive wing of the Democratic party to shut up. It is hard to comprehend; We need better Democratic leadership!

Also, how many other groups in American society has Harry Reid told to STFU? Wall St? Grover Norquist and crew?

What's happening is that these ads are being effective and their shaking up the BayhPartisans. no doubt the BayhPartisans are whining about being driven in to arms of the right wing.

Shame on Harry Reid for being punked on this.

"Shame on Harry Reid for being punked on this."

"Punked"? Are you serious? Reid isn't being "punked" by the blue-dog dems, he *is* a blue-dog dem. He's a pro-life conservative. Of course he doesn't want the liberal wing to make themselves heard. He's saying it doesn't help because, from his political perspective, it doesn't.

Bottom line: he's not on our side.

Shorter Reid:
"Thanks for your votes, progressives. Now go fuck yourselves."

Meanwhile, on the left, we have the majority leader in the Senate telling the progressive wing of the Democratic party to shut up. It is hard to comprehend . . .

Not that difficult. As it has always been, people don't mind critcism from their social equals and superiors, but their social inferiors are supposed to mind their place and keep their foolish opinions to themselves.

For the last twenty years, conservatives have been the Cool Kids in Washington Junior High and liberals are the Losers picking their noses in the back of the room. How dare you presume to help pick the floats for the homecoming parade!

A conservative could call Harry a liar, a traitor, and a fool and he wouldn't mind. They've a right to their opinions. Liberals he just wants to shut up and stop irritating him.

"Not that difficult. As it has always been, people don't mind critcism from their social equals and superiors, but their social inferiors are supposed to mind their place and keep their foolish opinions to themselves."

Amen!

What do you expect when you choose a Mormon to lead progressives? If that isn't an oxymoron I don't know what is. It's like choosing Sarah Palin to lead Mensa.

Not helpful to the right of incumbency, no. But then, that's not exactly what we care about, is it?

If Reid was actually interested in a progressive agenda, he'd welcome pressure from progressive groups.

As FDR reportedly said, "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it."

Apparently Reid does not agree with them and does not want to do it. But regardless, we should make him do it.

Or, even better, get rid of him.

The President and his chief of staff are not liberals either. Obama self-identifies as a "New Democrat" and has invited all but his liberal supporters to the White House for conferences. Why do you think Reid dares to speak up like this?

Since Reid's electoral challenge is far too long off IMHO, what can be done to pressure his removal as Majority leader?

Seriously, who do we need to contact and lean on to get this done? Other than our own Senators, of course.

But if there are particular powers-that-be within the Democratic Party/Senate that can also be pressured I'd like to know.

We need change NOW instead of the usual carping that goes on here.

The President and his chief of staff are not liberals either.

Well, duh.

When you say "I still have no idea why Reid would find progressive pressure to be "very unwise and not helpful." you are overlooking the obvious.

Harry has his mind made up, and does not want to have to change is strategies for getting legislation passed just because some disagree with the way he is trying to do it or because of what many of us see as his warped priorities. It makes his life a lot more difficult.

Tough. In that way he is just another Washington insider suffering from a bad case of grandiosity. Ill support his correct decisions and fight his incorrect ones. I just find that he is right a lot more often than any Republican or conservative living.

If we got lucky and all the conservatives were suddenly caught up in the Rapture, We could all work harder to correct Harry's sometimes warped views. At the moment, he is generally the lesser of two evils - my a long shot.

It may be "Well, duh," shortstop but evidently some people here don't realize that Harry is only looking for brownie points.

And does that excuse Obama's exclusion of his supporters on the left from having input into policies as all other constituencies represented in Washington have had?

Harry Reid sure has a knack for ticking off progressives. I invested a lot of my money to help get Obama elected. If Reid thinks that I am now going to sit around and see him and the Blue Dogs sabotage my investment, he had better think again. Obama represents the change I want in my government. If Reid and his pals are too weak-kneed to carry through with that change, then they need a swift kick in the pants to make them take notice.

no, he should just be ushered off the stage like the confused old man he is.

dear god there is serious business going on and we have THIS guy in charge of the Senate. how on earth did this happen, and why?

someone really needs to just flat-out kick Reid's ass. just - anything to shut his stupid ass up.

Sometimes I think that the only thing left that Republicans still have going for them is Harry Reid. I have absolutely no idea why he is still Senate Majority Leader. He is just such a pitiful wimp.

"..."Legislation is the art of compromise. Consensus-building." ..."

Words words words. Practically speaking ...Legislation is the art of preventing a minority from ruining the will of the majority for political gain...abusing procedures like the filibuster just to stop any legislation from getting passed. You don't compromise with terrorists do ya'...well you can't compromise with thugs either. For the last 8yrs republicans haven't compromised on anything and America has elected it's consensus. Reid doesn't stand for anything any longer except avoiding conflict in the 'good ole boys' club.

No healthcare plan will get passed because the republicans have vowed to filibuster ANY health care reform presented by the dems because it will make them to popular. Blue Dog dems have joined with republicans to make sure health care cannot be passed by the budget reconciliation process which requires only 50 votes that way either.

That's your compromise...that's your consensus building Reid...No health care reform...no national healthcare plan. It's the same with cap n trade. Times call for someone with some balls Reid, not someone who is afraid to rock the boat. Stop trying to compromise away what the majority of Americans are demanding...what they voted for. Reid is incapable of being Bold. In the words an ex-boxer (yeah, right)should understand...you don't win rounds by clinching all the way through.

WE need these groups to stand up for what you should be standing up for. You've allowed this blue dog group to obstruct healthcare from getting through the senate and you hate it that we see what they are doing...forcing a filibuster to prevent the passage of a national health care plan. There will be consequences Reid...this IS the majority you're compromising.

btw...how'd that letter condemning Rush that came after the repubs got all the dem senators to condemn Moveon for its betrayus ad...you know, the one you left at the podium for republicans to sign...did you even get one repub senator to sign it?...that's your consensus building. Why don't you ever learn???

DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY HARRY.

Wait till the G-20 next week. The left is going to be REEEEAAAALLL helpful and Europe is going to run you and the bankers off the scene.

Anyone who sees blowhards like Sirota as not "not helpful" needs his head examined.

As if my job were to help the Democratic caucus, instead of the country.

It is interesting (and tragic) that Sen. Harry Reid tries to sugar-coat the "moderate Democrats" by using the word "moderate," when we all know that these so-called "moderate Democrats" are to the Democratic Party of today what the DixieCrats once were to the Democratic Party...ultra-consrvative, liberal, progressive-deniers, one step away from switching parties to become a member of the culture of corruption and corporate greed Republican Party...and just as dangerous to the future of our nation's children...as they proved over and over again during the Bush/Cheney years when these "moderate Democrats" sided over and over again with the most corrupt and criminal Republican administration (and Congress) in American history...and which these "moderate Democrats" want to see happening again but with President Barack Obama in the white House now.

The DLC DINO Democrats have created a monster in the Democratic Party, a Republican malware that continues to subvert our liberal democracy and liberal, progressive principles, with "moderate Democrats" still apparently pursuing a "permanent Republican/conservative majority" even though the American electorate has soundly repudiated such a nefarious, totalitarian, monopolistic, right-wing agenda for our freedom-loving country. I guess the "moderate Democrats" just haven't gotten the message yet...but they will, they certainly will...because American citizens are fed up with culture of corruption conservatives, of whichever party.

REID SEES LIBERAL PRESSURE AS 'NOT HELPFUL'

Instead, maybe that should read:

LIBERALS SEE REID AS 'NOT HELPFUL'

It boggles the mind that Pelosi and Reid are still in charge of the House and Senate given their abysmal performance over the last two years. Democrats never lose an opportunity to lose an opportunity, do they?

Is there no one in the House and Senate with more charisma and backbone than these two? Really? Because that's sort'uv the implication when you promote and retain people in leadership positions.

Simple. Reid honestly thought he and all the Democrats, especially the Dinos, would get cart blanch similar to Bush and the Republicans. He has no clue what liberals truly want. Talk about not listening to your constituency.

"I think it's very unwise and not helpful," Reid said Friday morning. "These groups should leave them alone. It's not helpful to me. It's not helpful to the Democratic Caucus."

Yeah -- Reid's busy enough bowing to reight-wing pressure.

Feh.