Harry Reid, perhaps emulating the bullying tactics of an out-of-control Obama administration, has openly wished for the Las Vegas Review-Journal to ‘go out of business' - a newspaper which has held opposing political viewpoints with the Senator.
But then, is this really shocking coming from a veiled supporter of the Fairness Doctrine?
The comment came when Bob Brown, the Journal's Director of Advertising, met with Reid at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce luncheon. During the simple process of handshaking, an exchange in which most people with an ounce of class can pull off without issue, Reid said to Brown: "I hope you go out of business."
In retrospect, perhaps Brown should have been relieved that he wasn't classified as a smelly tourist or an evil monger by the esteemed Senate Majority Leader.
To their credit, the Journal did not take this bullying tactic lying down. A quick thought on the LVRJ response after the jump:
Publisher Sherman Frederick posted an Op-Ed column in which he called Reid's tactics childish, ugly, boorish, creepy, and asinine.
This piece is such a powerful retort to a threat from the U.S. Senator - a man who's career is defined by the words childish, ugly, boorish, creepy, and asinine, that adding further commentary seems unnecessary.
Frederick's column ends with this thought: "...we serve notice on Sen. Reid that this creepy tactic will not be tolerated." The question remains, will Nevadans also serve notice come the election in 2010?
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
What a .......
August 30, 2009 - 21:53 ET by BEGRUNTpompous ass!!! I hope he gets his head handed to him in 2010.....just deserts!!
"A nation can suffer it's fool's, but cannot survive the traitor"
Cicero
not that nevada doesn't have an arid climate,
August 30, 2009 - 21:59 ET by puredmashiebut it's desserts, not deserts.
swing hard in case you hit it.
LOL.......thats where.....
August 30, 2009 - 22:06 ET by BEGRUNTbelongs then!! LOL!!
"A nation can suffer it's fool's, but cannot survive the traitor"
Cicero
No. It's deserts.
August 31, 2009 - 06:32 ET by heldmywJust deserts
Meaning: That which is deserved. A reward for what has been done - good or bad.
http://www.phrases.o...
Thank you ...
August 31, 2009 - 09:34 ET by CPT_ClawI've now learned my factoid of the day. Very interesting. Thanks.
harry reid's in trouble.
August 30, 2009 - 21:58 ET by puredmashiehe's senator of a state full of small business owners that had a big runup in real estate values, followed by a complete collapse. it's a state full of angry republicans. and his opponent should get a lot of help from the national gop because of the obvious prestige of such an ousting.
swing hard in case you hit it.
Oh yes..I've put my own
August 30, 2009 - 21:59 ET by bigtimerOh yes..I've put my own link here and elsewhere and sent it on to others today.
Fairness Doctrine according to the left side of the aisle.
Dontcha just love it!
Reid is going down...once and for all.
Searchlight needs ya Harry...they've been lonesome without ya.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
Bigtimer, I don't get it.
August 30, 2009 - 22:02 ET by LiberalliesBigtimer,
I don't get it. Daschle went down do to his condescension and arrogance. You would think that Reid, Obama, Pelosi, etc would lear from Daschle's mistake. I have never understood how politicians can be so incredibly clueless. I guess they surround themselves with Yes men/women and are put in a bubble.
La... I don't think
August 30, 2009 - 22:14 ET by bigtimerLa...
I don't think buying a clue will help a good majority of these people at this point, their blatant arrogance and pomposity is going to do them in...they've been there far too long,..the line 'I Can See Clearly Now the Clouds are Gone' is beyond there scope or reach in my opinion...thank God.
Their bubble is about to burst.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
May not be like you think
August 30, 2009 - 22:59 ET by ToenexThey seem to think because of where they are and in the power that they have that they are smart, but only in what they used to get away with and who they have steped on to get where they are. (Note to Dems and Rino's) it's not working the same now days.
They can push back with words, but they are as clueless as box of rocks.
There is only one thing that makes them tremble, being voted out.
Authority isn't truth, truth is authority
"Les Moore"
Potomac Fever
August 31, 2009 - 10:11 ET by boomerconThat's gotta be it. Just totally dilusional.
Can't help it....
August 30, 2009 - 22:02 ET by motherbeltEvery time I see that photo of Dingy Harry, I think of THIS
Scarry Harry.
August 30, 2009 - 22:04 ET by blazermaniacHarry, do all of us American's a favor and DISAPPEAR!
Motherbelt, The wife
August 30, 2009 - 22:04 ET by LiberalliesMotherbelt,
The wife looks just like Reid. Agreed. HA!
Fitting mb... ...yet I
August 30, 2009 - 22:05 ET by bigtimerFitting mb...
...yet I see this.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
Nice link
August 31, 2009 - 07:03 ET by jdlybrandWas Harry displaying his I.Q. or how many friends he had before his dog died?
"What a revoltin' development this is!"
Chester Riley
Weiss, you need a reality
August 30, 2009 - 22:09 ET by NL207Weiss, you need a reality check. Wishing someone would go out of business is not the same thing as directly threatening to cause harm to a person or corporation or their property. Your lede: "Harry Reid Threatens Las Vegas Newspaper" is not justifiable based on the facts you present.
Does Harry Reid like this paper? No! Did he threaten it? Also no. Did he wish it to find a bad end? Yes. Who would I prefer? Harry Reid or a seasick crocodile? I'd take the crocodile. But Reid did not make a threat.
Reality Check? Check
August 30, 2009 - 22:22 ET by Rusty WeissA quote from Sherman Frederick's response to Reid's comments:
Apparently I am not the only one in need of a reality check.
However, having agreed with Frederick's assessment that this was a bullying and threatening comment, makes the lede quite appropriate in my estimation.
You need to get a better
August 31, 2009 - 03:08 ET by NL207You need to get a better estimator.
Better, you need to spend a month or two debating on HuffPost and learn how not to feed the opposition you will meet there. You'll also learn a thing or two about censorship while you are there. I don't suggest dKos or DU since they simply ban Conservatives outright regardless of how the Conservative conducts themselves.
Frederick's opinion is just that, opinion. Reid did not directly threaten to run the paper out of business nor have either you or Frederick explained how Reid might actualize his malice towards the paper in a way that does not also cause massive collateral damage. i.e. How is Dirty Harry going to run the paper out of business? He is a United States Senator, not a Capo in the Mafia. He can't just torch their business place.
All Reid's comments accomplished was to hasten his own departure from power. To that end, reporting this unfortunate expression of Reid's sentiments towards the neswpaper qualifies as a public service.
Teach Me
August 31, 2009 - 06:32 ET by Rusty WeissI tend to agree that when a statement like that is made by the Senate Majority Leader, it is meant to intimidate and thus threaten the person he is speaking to. Not to mention, the tepid history between Reid and the LVRJ, including their piece on him handing out pork-barrel presents, indicates that this wasn't simply a joke or an off-hand comment.
Whether the threat is overwhelmingly obvious or a subtle snap of the mouth can be debated, but it clearly is present in Mr. Reid's statements.
Regarding your other comments - I will have to respectfully decline the career advice. Thank you though. :) It is neither my job or concern to write or 'estimate' with such sources as the Huffington Post in mind. After all, if I start wondering how liberals are going to interpret certain comments, then wouldn't that be the same as feeling threatened by them?
The things I need to learn are many, no doubt. What you need to learn is that perhaps, just because your interpretation of something doesn't match mine, or Sherman Frederick's, or any other various sources who have identified this as a threatening statement, doesn't mean that those people need a reality check.
Scoffing at one's interpretation, telling them they need a reality check, or suggesting that they learn lessons which you have learned in all your ample wisdom, simply because you disagree, is a tactic straight out of the liberal playbook.
Teach you? How? You
August 31, 2009 - 19:03 ET by NL207Teach you? How? You apparently know it all.
Your lede was an exaggeration of the facts as presented. As such it deserves derision. Show me how Harry Reid threatened this newspaper. Show me and everyone else here what that credible threat was. Pretend you are a prosecutor trying to convict Reid of Harassment using only the information in your thread above and no other. Innuendo does not make a case.
As for debate tactics against liberals, you will lose out-of-the-gate with your lede. They will rip your argument to shreds exactly because it lacks solid evidence of a direct threat. Beating them, especially on their own floor, requires forcing them to concede the facts before advancing any conclusions not in immediate evidence. Much of Liberal opinion hinges on false assumptions and erroneous information. Believing that Harry Reid has made an implied theat with his statement requires establishing a modus operandi for him to actually force LVRJ out of business. To defeat the liberals on this set of facts is impossible because you cannot establish that mechanism first, before exposing Reid's remark.
I think a far better approach is stick with the the facts you can demonstrate. If you can show a threat mechanism, lede with that: 'Reid plan threatens LVRJ existence'. If you can't show a credible threat, then lede 'Embarassing Reid Gaffe' or 'Harry Faux Pas' and go on about what Reid said and did and how poorly witnesses thought about it. People will connect the dots for themselves.
We COULD follow the 'lede' of the MSM.
September 1, 2009 - 17:24 ET by TailgunnerBREAKING: DID SENATOR HARRY REID THREATEN TO BURN LAS VEGAS PAPER TO THE GROUND AND ORDER OFFICIALS' MURDERS??
Mike Grant, AP
*BREAKING*
In a shocking revelation yesterday, it has been alleged that US Senator Harry Reid may have threatened violence against a Las Vegas, NV newspaper and a key administration official.
According to anonymous sources, in an emotionally charged atmosphere at a posh and exclusive Vegas retreat, with several Reid cronies looking on in shocked amazement, Reid confronted Robert 'Bob' Brown.
The following events were later recounted by shaken and horrified bystanders:
Reid began by physically assaulting Brown. Grasping him on the upper body with an iron grip, Reid effectively trapped Brown, preventing him from escaping the inevitable menace that speedily followed.
With a furious look and piercing eyes, and an ominous growling voice, Sen. Reid emphatically advocated the total destruction of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the 'termination' of Mr Brown.
Unconfirmed reports from the scene also indicate that Sen Reid called for 'fire and brimstone' to 'rain down' upon the LVRJ, incinerating the newspaper and senior administration officials.
Although security forces at the venue were immediately alerted, they concluded that Sen Reid's actions, though certainly alarming, did not constitute sufficient reason to evacuate the venue or notify local, state or DHS officials.
Mr Jones did not pursue assault or battery charges against Sen Reid. He is expected to make a complete recovery but is believed to suffer significant psychological trauma from his public ordeal.
Reid's dire words were seen as chilling and intimidating in light of his known hostility to dissenting viewpoints re his political and personal missteps, at one point even culminating in a direct official Senate letter to Clear Channel Communications demanding administrative action against their premier host, Rush Limbaugh, who has repeatedly challenged Sen "Dingy Harry" Reid on his policies.
Left unstated in the letter, but obvious to all involved, was Sen Reid's veiled threat to use the regulatory powers of the Federal Communications Commission to retaliate for any reluctance by Clear Channel to comply with Sen Reid's 'wishes' regarding Rush.
(Later examination of transcripts of the conversation show Sen Reid 'hoped' the paper 'would go out of business'.)
Rusty Weiss contributed to this report.
-----------------------------------------------
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
Mr. Weiss....Neither Sherm Frederick's
August 31, 2009 - 20:46 ET by JerNeither Sherm Frederick's characterization of the remark, nor your agreement with his characterization, renders it accurate. It takes a lot of stretching to twist Reid's rather benign, albeit inappropriate, comment into a "full-on threat".
But Frederick got what he wanted. Hannity and Levin have hyped his column and Frederick's email count must now run into the thousands praising him for taking on the Marxist thug--with a few death threats to Reid sprinkled in for good measure.
And scores are promising to subscribe immediately and join the crusade against the senator.
Jer
don't usually say this
August 31, 2009 - 20:53 ET by candancebut I agree with Jer. Reid's remark was a rude thing to say, but it wasn't a direct threat. Everyone loses their temper sometimes. Not that big a deal.
Well thank you, candance...
August 31, 2009 - 21:03 ET by JerI thought your observations today had seemed especially sharp. I've already bookmarked your post to put in my favorites folder.
For the record, imo Reid is an unmitigated disaster. I seriously doubt he will be re-elected. I thought Daschle was unfairly smeared. But not Harry. He's earned it.
Jer
Please. Anyone who's watched the Sopranos knows...
August 31, 2009 - 21:20 ET by Tailgunner...you don't just come right out and say something directly.
-Reid 'hopes' this paper 'goes out of business'.
-Reid is a US Senator with direct or indirect authority over media regulatory bodies.
-Reid has shown an eagerness to abuse his direct authority against media outlets he doen't like by indirect threats to use said media regulatory agencies as a blunt object.
Direct threat? No. At least nothing to go to court over.
But then, professional thugs always know how to get their point across to the suckers.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
OMO
August 31, 2009 - 21:28 ET by candance-Real life is not just one big episode of The Sopranos.
-Sometimes a flippant remark is just a flippant remark.
-Reid is losing influence fast and probably couldn't bully his way into a free car wash at this point.
-Unless you can show me a link where Reid has power to hurt their business, I'm not assuming it.
I'm not trying to say Reid intended to make a threat.
August 31, 2009 - 21:54 ET by TailgunnerWhat I am saying is that Reid's position and history tends to show that bad things happen to people who displease Dingy Harry.
I might not be terrorized by such a comment, but I would be concerned.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
I think Reid has been
August 31, 2009 - 21:29 ET by JerI think Reid has been effectively emasculated in this case. If something happened with his fingerprints on it--and don't think for a moment they wouldn't be discovered and disclosed if present--Harry would find himself out of Congress and ensconched in Leavenworth making license plates.
Jer
Wasn't it Reid who sent a letter to Clear Channel about Rush?
August 30, 2009 - 23:33 ET by TailgunnerLet me tell you something. When something like that comes from someone as powerful as a Senator, it has meaning.
Reid has a lot of friends in DC nowadays who are not shy about kneecapping political opposition, seizing, intimidating and/or impoverishing businesses.
Reid also has direct control over huge amounts of taxpayer money going to his state.
If Harry Reid was mad at me for getting under his feet, and I ran a business in Nevada, I'd be justifiably concerned over those words.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
"When something like that
August 31, 2009 - 02:53 ET by NL207"When something like that comes from someone as powerful as a Senator, it has meaning."
Yes. When its done in public as this was, it means he isn't going to be a Senator much longer.
"Reid has a lot of friends in DC nowadays who are not shy about kneecapping political opposition, seizing, intimidating and/or impoverishing businesses."
And what would be the consequences to those 'friends' and Reid himself if such malice as Reid's were converted into action? I'd like to think it would lead to both criminal prosecution in Nevada and loss of public office.
Besides, the political capital of that crowd is now nearly spent. They are much too concerned about getting their agenda enacted to risk any of that trying to screw one individual newspaper. They are more likely to throw Harry Reid under the bus as they have done all their other allies who have outlived their usefulness.
So, what's your point...........
August 31, 2009 - 04:41 ET by old croHe was elected to be a representative of ALL the people, which includes business' also. Your opinion that the the title of the piece is misleading don't mean squat. The story is that harry reid's been called out in newsprint and I for one await his reaction.
Maybe you don't understand
August 31, 2009 - 19:33 ET by NL207Maybe you don't understand the meaning of the word 'Libel'? Making accuasations of criminal conduct against public figures you can't substantiate places yourself at risk.
Or could it be you don't have a clue how to win over other minds not in tune with Conservative thinking about Reid? There are millions of people in America who voted for Obama who are not liberals. Many of them are confused and I think a large number of them are Conservatives and do not know they are Conservatives. We won't attract them to Conservatism by making accuasations that are easily and credibly dismissed by the opposition. We will win them by factually reporting and discussing the unacceptable things Harry Reid and others of his persuasion do daily and showing them they agree with Conservatism on these points.
I will save my expectations for the day Harry Reid is called out at the Ballot Box.
Unless I'm mistaken, public figures can't sue for libel.
August 31, 2009 - 20:04 ET by TailgunnerOtherwise George W Bush would be richer than George Soros.
And Reid's not doing so good in the polls. So what?
You were saying Reid would pay a real price for following through on a threat against a newspaper.
I provided a textbook example of Reid abusing the official power of the Senate to intimidate a private corporation and a private American citizen expressing an opinion Reid didn't like.
And Reid did this in direct violation of the First Amendment.
There was no 'fallout'.
There was no 'criminal prosecution'.
I don't think Reid was even censured.
And he hasn't 'lost his public office'.
So I'd be worried if I was on Harry Reid's 'sh*t list' and lived in Nevada.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
TG...
August 31, 2009 - 20:25 ET by JerThey can sue. It's just that the threshold of proof is so daunting for a public figure--false statements accompanied by actual malice or a reckless disregard for the truth--that it is hardly worth the time, effort and expense involved in pursuing it.
Jer
Wow. Bush would still clean up. Thanks though.
August 31, 2009 - 20:33 ET by TailgunnerAt least Bush would hold the deed to Martha's Vineyard if he really wanted it... :-D
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
"And what would be the
August 31, 2009 - 17:24 ET by Tailgunner"And what would be the consequences to those 'friends' and Reid himself if such malice as Reid's were converted into action? I'd like to think it would lead to both criminal prosecution in Nevada and loss of public office."
Where was the fallout when Reid abused his office to send an official letter to Clear Channel 'asking' them to spank Rush Limbaugh?
Rush, a private citizen, was expressing an opinion which, under the First Amendment, is protected from attacks from liberal despots like Reid.
Clear Channel knows there's an iron fist, called the FCC, under Reid's velvet glove.
When a Democrat Senator 'suggests' something, it's no different than Don Corleone 'making you an offer you can't refuse'.
Reid's abuse of his office was in direct violation of the Constitution.
And Clear Channel showed integrity and stood on principle in defending Rush.
(Of course, 500 million bucks or so a year is another pretty good reason to stick up for Rush, too.)
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
"Where was the fallout when
August 31, 2009 - 19:04 ET by NL207"Where was the fallout when Reid abused his office to send an official letter to Clear Channel 'asking' them to spank Rush Limbaugh?"
How is dirty Harry doing in the polls these days?
RUNNING REBELS...
August 31, 2009 - 17:09 ET by danybhoyHarry Reid is everything you said Tailgunner, but he is also in big trouble when it comes to getting elected again. One interesting dynamic is his main rival appears to be Danny Tarkanian, who has 11 point lead in polls right now. Something else, Tarkanian does'nt need to build his name recognition. He is the son of & played for his dad Jerry Tarkanian in the glory days at UNLV. Tark was royalty in Vegas, & his kid looks like he is poised to KO Harry "The Body" Reid. I hope he does, America needs it to happen.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
Precisely the point.
August 31, 2009 - 19:06 ET by NL207Precisely the point. Reid's boorish behavior is no small contributor to this state of affairs.
reality check?
August 31, 2009 - 00:16 ET by BigVooComing from some Joe Schmoe, this isn't a threat. Coming from a corrupt Harry Reid who has connections and the ability to do something about it, it's a threat.
Weiss didn't demonstrate
August 31, 2009 - 02:39 ET by NL207Weiss didn't demonstrate Reid has any ability to run the paper out of business. Indeed, I suspect the paper may have the ability to run Harry Reid out of business, which would be no loss in my humble opinion.
Here's a reality check for you, NL.
August 31, 2009 - 02:11 ET by Mike BrattonIf I wish you ill will, and I have the wherewithal to see that ill will visited upon you, have I made an idle remark or a real threat?
Before you answer, I'll give you a hint for your reality check: The answer isn't "idle remark."
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport...
I wish somebody would cut
August 31, 2009 - 03:13 ET by NL207I wish somebody would cut your thing off!
So is that a threat or an idle wish? For all you know I could be the curmudgeon with the collection of swords who lives two doors down from you, dislikes the smell of your laundry soap and your loud parties and plans to shorten your sail a bit at the first opportunity. But you don't know that, so the 'threat' is not credible and therefore must be regarded as idle malice.
Stop being an idiot like Weiss. Construing Reid's remarks as any more than idle malice in the absence of a credible threat gives credence to the Left's charges that conservatives are a collection of wingnuts.
If Reid had said, "I am going to run you out of business", then I would agree with you. But he didn't. If Weiss had demonstrated Harry Reid has an available mechanism to run the newspaper out of business, that might lend Reid's threat some credibility, but Weiss didn't.
A more productive use of this space might have been Harry Reid's misuse of the public authority and funds he has been entrusted with to enrich himself and his friends. Some of his land deals positively reek to high heaven. Some of his friends and business associates in Nevada have questionable backgrounds. Reid is vulnerable to charges of corruption and cronyism.
NL207, if events over the
August 31, 2009 - 04:09 ET by Dan The Man 2NL207, if events over the past year or so had not conspired to produce the situation we have now and the power structure in place then I would tend to believe it blather from Ried. But we live in perilous times and must evaluate each threat with different standards than we normally would have before.
NL207... At the risk of
August 31, 2009 - 06:58 ET by JerNL207...
At the risk of harming your credibilty by endorsing your position, I at least conditionally agree with your take on the matter.
Reid has proved to be a buffoon and an ineffectual senate majority leader, and I am at least one Democrat who would welcome his ouster. That said, the "bullying threat" scenario just doesn't ring true. It smacks more of a manufactured controversy ginned up by a financially strapped newspaper enterprise [as many are] to generate "David vs. Goliath" public support. In other words, much like the ploy of a football coach who, desperate to motivate his team, seizes upon words of an opposing player--no matter the context--to create faux outrage.
My guess is this was just a silly quip by Reid or another clumsy phrase such as his puddin'headed "smelly tourist" comment. Unless and until there is evidence of past, present, or future overt or covert actions against the newspaper, I will adhere to that view. By the way, a powerful Speaker of the House from Georgia had a lot of unkind words about the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, but, to my knowledge, Newt's words were never manipulated into a potential threat of harm to the AJC.
Jer
A sad day when Jer agrees
August 31, 2009 - 19:19 ET by NL207A sad day when Jer agrees with me, but I doubt it will have any impact on my credibility. I am perfectly capable of besmirching that on my own, thank you.
Now I will disagree with Jer. You have produced no evidence that the LVRJ is in any financial jeopardy nor have you demonstrated how they might be 'trumping up' this controversy in a plot to engender public support. Pure speculation.
Is it not possible that Harry Reid is no more than a boorish buffoon, a corrupt politician, undeserving of a seat in the US Senate and the LVRJ is no more than a newspaper reporting what a clown Reid is to his other constituents? Indeed, does not the preponderance of evidence indicate exactly this?
Apparently, NL207 is Lorena Bobbitt!
August 31, 2009 - 20:47 ET by Mike BrattonOr not...
If "stop being an idiot" is the best you have, you are empty-handed.
Do you have the ability to follow through with a threat? Well, in this particular case you have precisely zero ability to follow through--which is what differentiates you from Harry Reid.
To brush the scales from your perception, "I am going to run you out of business" is exactly what Reid said, only with some degree of subtlety. Do you honestly think Reid doesn't have a "mechanism" to carry out his threat?
Mr. Weiss was under no burden to make such a demonstration. Your own references to Reid's corruption and cronyism, to his "business associates" and the like indicate that, somewhere, you understand that Reid isn't the curmudgeon down the street, but someone much more formidable.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport...
Perhaps you're the one who needs the reality check....
August 31, 2009 - 08:33 ET by FlatlinerYou attempt to correct Weiss, who is merely reporting the incident. You attempt to argue Reid didn't threaten the Sun. Perhaps you should have read the Sun's take on his comments. Because THEY felt it was a threat.
They wrote:
But to fully capture the magnitude of Reid's remark (and to stop him
from doing the same thing to others) it must be called what it was -- a
full-on threat perpetrated by a bully who has forgotten that he was
elected to office to protect Nevadans, not sound like he's shaking them
down.
Your criticism of Weiss is not justifable based on the facts presented.
Dang.. there is an annoying
August 31, 2009 - 19:20 ET by NL207Dang.. there is an annoying echo in this room ...
I already dealt with your argument above and you simply aren't worth the time.
NL207,I see your
September 1, 2009 - 10:20 ET by fitzfongNL207,
I see your point. However, having read the article in question before seeing the NewsBusters posting, it struck me that Reid was effectively threatening the paper. As a Senator from Nevada, Reid has an obligation to support the preservation of private business (especially one that employs hundreds of his constituents) in his State. To do otherwise because of his petty grievances would be putting his personal interests above the greater good of his State.
Now, at the very least, he owes his constituents his public neutrality with regard to the success/failure of the newspaper. His public declaration of his wish for one of the State's larger employers to go out of business is not only a breach of his obligation to support (or at least maintain public neutrality towards) the preservation of a private business in Nevada, it can also be construed as a signal to his most active supporters (e.g. SEIU) to organize around harassment of the paper in order to make the operations more difficult and expensive. When you couple that with Reid's preference for silencing opposition through vehicles like the "Fairness" Doctrine (not to mention his "Phony Soldiers" letter), it suggests a willingness to employ extraordinary tactics to damage his adversaries. In that context, Reid's declaration is, at very least, a loaded comment...and while not the direct threat that the headline on this posting may suggest, it certainly appears to be at least an implied threat.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
If the RNC can't clobber
August 30, 2009 - 22:13 ET by fitzfongIf the RNC can't clobber Body Odor Reid in next year's election, the Party should just pack it in. Nevada's a Red State, "represented" in the Senate by an angry, corrupt, arrogant, pinko blowhard who seems perfectly comfortable with his President threatening businesses from patronizing Las Vegas in the heart of a recession. The foreclosure and unemployment rates in Nevada can be posted at his front door...for effect, on one of his illegally acquired properties. This scumbag must go down in 2010.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
fitz... I agree...just
August 30, 2009 - 22:28 ET by bigtimerfitz...
I agree...just don't forget about the corruption in Nevada either...ACORN was still instrumental in a lot of the leftist side of the aisles tricks of the trade...heck they had ACORN workers from Ca. coming in and joining forces, helping them out in every neighborhood, the likes of which people who live in the area have never seen....and then there is the regular BS cheating they have always done in the past...Reid knows all about that.
Dumpsters seem to ring a bell.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
What a ....... August 30,
August 30, 2009 - 22:13 ET by RR GOPWhat a .......
August 30, 2009 - 22:53 ET by BEGRUNT
pompous ass!!! I hope he gets his head handed to him in 2010.....just deserts!!
So what if he does? I'm telling you all...even if these guys get voted out of office they have more than enough money to retire on, businesses may hire them for "consulting" and the like, or they can get a state or Federal job...doesn't look like there's any end in sight to Dear Leader appointing czars, and I think that's where a lot of these folks will end up.
They really don't care from what I've been seeing from their behavior. Besides, we don't know what is going to go on in the elections next year with ACORN, the SEIU and the like possibly doing their dirty work,,,or maybe even something more dramatic.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
RR...you have......
August 30, 2009 - 22:55 ET by BEGRUNTa very valid point!!
"A nation can suffer it's fool's, but cannot survive the traitor"
Cicero
So what if he does? I'm
August 31, 2009 - 06:23 ET by motherbeltSo what if he does? I'm telling you all...even if these guys get voted
out of office they have more than enough money to retire on, businesses
may hire them for "consulting" and the like, or they can get a state or
Federal job...
The biggest loss to Harry will be that of the spotlight. But the upside of that is that we won't have to see him pursing his lips and lecturing us any more.
Czar
August 31, 2009 - 07:41 ET by jdlybrandReid could be appointed the Anti-perspirant Czar and help draft legislation that insures all Americans have quality affordable access to deodorant.
Chester Riley
Reid
August 30, 2009 - 22:23 ET by sevenRepresenting a state that makes it's wealth on "smelly tourists"
Death Councils
August 30, 2009 - 22:28 ET by upcountrywaterIs just 2 words...
That's the key!! MSM will never post a paragraph..
Anything longer than a Twitter post will be trashed.
I camped in Searchlight what a wild night, I saw the search light lighting up the dessert floor..never saw the light source Ø..
Dingy harry, whore house harry Public servant POS..
Hello harry "I hope you go out of business."
State controlled health care is Tort Reform.
Hello harry "I hope you go
August 30, 2009 - 23:48 ET by bigtimerHello harry "I hope you go out of business."
Amen!
I Second that Motion....
...and last but not least...
Hear! Hear!
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
"I hope you go out of business."
August 30, 2009 - 22:47 ET by NDanielsonthat's funny, i think Obama wants business to go out of business, too.
Reid is an arrogant, pompous...
August 30, 2009 - 22:59 ET by PrairieSkyass, and is about to go the way of Tom Daschle. He has way overstayed his usefulness in the Senate (not that he was ever useful), and I will be extremely glad to see him go. We donated to John Thune's campaign when he ran against Daschle and won in 2004, and we will be sending a donation to whichever Repub challenges Reid in next year's Senate race.
The sooner that moronic loser is gone, the better.
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan
Prarie Sky
August 31, 2009 - 00:49 ET by Redrowan2000You hit the nail on the head. Daschle was as smarmy and arrogant as Reid. If you really want to make a difference contribute to his opponent and run his ass out of politics in Nevada or anywhere else. Whats the adress to send checks to his oppponent?
"Don't let the bastards grind you down."
Red
At least Daschle's smart.
August 31, 2009 - 00:57 ET by JerAt least Daschle's smart. Reid's a buffoon.
Jer
I disagree..........
August 31, 2009 - 04:47 ET by old crowith your basic postulation.
You don't believe Reid's a
August 31, 2009 - 07:20 ET by JerYou don't believe Reid's a buffoon?
Jer
A 'buffoon' is usually not dangerous.
August 31, 2009 - 11:24 ET by TailgunnerWhen Reid said, 'The surge has failed, the war is lost', he stopped being merely a 'buffoon' and became a seditionist.
Harry Reid surrendered to the Iraq insurgency on behalf of the US government.
His words encouraged an enemy who has already murdered thousands upon thousands of US troops, coalition troops, innocent men, women and children.
Reid's words of US defeat inspired Islamic murderers to kill more of the same to achieve the imminent victory Reid had just handed them.
Reid is only one of many Democrats who have actively worked to betray this nation to its sworn, mortal enemies.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
Tailgunner...
August 31, 2009 - 11:58 ET by JerA 'buffoon' is usually not dangerous.
Agreed. Dan the Man 2 is a perfect illustration of your point.
But any buffoon in a position of power, such as that occupied by the lamentable and feckless Senator Reid, is inherently and potentially dangerous--to his party, to his constituency, and to the nation.
That said, you may be overstating his influence on the Iraqi insurgency just a bit. While imprudent and unhelpful in promoting our objectives in the conflict, Reid's addle-brained remarks concerning the surge seemed to have had little impact on the ability of the enemy forces to gain any strategic advantage. Fortunately.
Jer
WE understand how Reid fits into the structure of US government.
September 1, 2009 - 13:37 ET by TailgunnerBut to Islamic murderers who didn't take Citizenship 101, Reid is a very senior figure indeed.
And if they were to read the MSM, they'd get the entirely justifiable belief that Reid, Pelosi, Kennedy (RIP, Mary Jo), Durbin et al were the government.
At any rate Reid's treacherous comments would be an encouraging sign to al-Qaeda of what already was obviously a very high-level split in US counter-terrorism policy.
In asymmetrical warfare (i.e. terrorist insurgencies) a key goal of the insurgents is to split the populace and by extension their government, thereby weakening their resolve and creating momentum for a negotiated solution which solidifies terrorist gains and provides breathing space for the next 'jihad'.
If one were an Islamic murderer, one would be justified in believing that by killing a few hundred or thousand more innocents and US troops, more Reids and Durbins and Kennedys (RIP, Mary Jo) would push the US into full retreat from Iraq...for starters.
Vietnam immediately springs to mind.
And, having reached what was for them a major 'benchmark', there would be no thought at all of retreating on their own.
It probably took a lot more US, coalition and civilian deaths than would have been previously necessary to undo the major morale boost Harry Reid handed to al-Zarqawi and al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
I don't believe dashle's smart.
September 1, 2009 - 05:15 ET by old cro.
Jer lied ... people died.
August 31, 2009 - 07:01 ET by Dan The Man 2Jer lied ... people died. You said you were leaving, do it soon.
I pity you, Dan...
August 31, 2009 - 07:18 ET by JerYou know Dan...
I did leave about three months ago, decided to post a little bit while my wife is visiting relatives in Texas, and planned to go back on hiatus upon her return in a couple of days.
But, now I might just hang around to irritate you. There are many smart, civil, and well-informed members here who enhance the image of NewsBusters. Alas, you are not one of them. There are occasions when you are capable of of posting a half-way intelligent remark. But mostly you simply enlarge the stain you leave at this site every time every time you touch the keyboard and click on "Post comment".
This is your cue to once again pass judgment on my soul and salvation. Be my guest.
Jer
This is your cue to once
August 31, 2009 - 08:12 ET by Dan The Man 2This is your cue to once again pass judgment on my soul and salvation. Be my guest.
Are you rooming with Teddy? You irritate me as much as a bug on the sidewalk I just squashed.
Why you're just quite "The
August 31, 2009 - 08:35 ET by JerWhy you're just quite "The Man" aren't you, little one. Yes, you may have a cookie and play on the neighbor's tire swing for awhile. But remember to clean your room, or no watching "Saved By The Bell" reruns for you.
Jer
→ Jer
August 31, 2009 - 08:43 ET by Cool ArrowStill don't understand how Elizabeth Berkeley missed out on that Oscar nomination, do you?
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Cool...
August 31, 2009 - 08:47 ET by JerI believe it had something to do with her choice of wardrobe.
Jer
→ Maybe
August 31, 2009 - 08:49 ET by Cool ArrowOr lack, thereof.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Jer, Nice ! wife out of town so you are whoring around here..
August 31, 2009 - 08:20 ET by upcountrywaterThis is your cue to once again pass judgment on my soul and salvation.
The Godless playing god...
Jer sez: Nobody has or can prove me wrong about that murdering bastard Koresh.
I have read the official reports. The evidence that he ordered the
fires set which burned innocent children is irrefutable.* I have
listened to interviews of the surviving children. Koresh is a
loathesome rapist. If there is a God in Heaven, that son of a bitch is
surely rotting in Hell. Please don't defend that monster.
* Lier
Run away now, and hope to your god your wife doesn't click on your trolling history.
State controlled health care is Tort Reform.
Good grief...What an
August 31, 2009 - 08:46 ET by JerGood grief...What an embarrassing ignoramus you are. A pathetic liar who can't even spell the word. The NB staff must surely cringe every time they see you post such unadulterated garbage.
Jer
Jer, A person or thing that lies, as in wait or in ambush.
August 31, 2009 - 08:54 ET by upcountrywaterState controlled health care is Tort Reform.
Right, ucw... Remember
August 31, 2009 - 09:08 ET by JerRight, ucw...
Remember the Rule of Holes. Now run along and play with Dan.
Jer
What's it to you? If you
August 31, 2009 - 09:47 ET by fitzfongWhat's it to you? If you don't like what Jer posts, try to debate him or just move along. It seems to work for the rest of us here. This site isn't your personal forum to dictate who's worthy of being here and who isn't. I'm not a particularly religious person, but I can't help but read some of the attacks on the likes of Jer, JasonC, balboa and shawn228 and be reminded of the mob calling for Barabbas...you'd much sooner tolerate the presence of common trolls than those who disagree with you but might challenge your conventions by standing their ground.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
And I say to you "Take the
August 31, 2009 - 10:08 ET by Dan The Man 2And I say to you "Take the plank from thy own eye". What's it to you? If you don't like what Jer posts, try to debate him or just move along are you not guilty of the same as I? What I post is my business fitz, lets not quarrel over a lowly troll like Jer; so lets leave it at this ok? If we quarrel the troll has won.
Dan... I realize you're
August 31, 2009 - 10:17 ET by JerDan...
I realize you're not very bright, but even a dullard like you should be capable of operating NB's search engine or utilizing the tracking function.
So, how about providing just a few examples in support of your "lowly troll" accusation.
Jer
I wasnt going to comment to
August 31, 2009 - 10:45 ET by Dan The Man 2I wasnt going to comment to you and this was between me and fitz. But it is common knowlege you are a troll and as such you are not worth my research time. Almost not worth my time commenting to you, but to me its a laugh for a bit. Just to see you jump up an own to catch my attention like my wife's little dog; soon we will train her to sit and roll over. But trolls are not usually trainable and most never house trained; so you are a lost cause.
Sorry son...but when you
August 31, 2009 - 10:56 ET by JerSorry son...but when you call me a "lowly troll" in a post addressed to someone else, I reserve the right to take issue with it.
Common knowledge I'm a troll? How about some evidence of same, sport. Otherwise, it will be just further proof of your laziness, cowardice, and stupidity.
Jer
→ Jer
August 31, 2009 - 11:54 ET by Cool ArrowYou're absolutely right!
It's not "common knowledge".
Glad I could help ;-)
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Cool...
August 31, 2009 - 12:01 ET by JerAnd it's much appreciated. Thanks...
Jer
→ No prob, Jer
August 31, 2009 - 12:04 ET by Cool ArrowI know that one was a cheap knockoff of the old "sh*t sandwiches" joke, but I couldn't resist.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Not really, Dan. When you
August 31, 2009 - 10:42 ET by fitzfongNot really, Dan. When you try to run someone off the site because you don't like him being here, you are essentially substituting your will for the wills of everyone else here, myself included. Some don't like Jer posting on NewsBusters, others do. As someone who doesn't appreciate his presence, you can easily avoid him by not reading what he has to say...this produces the same net effect for you that Jer leaving the site would do. Now, if you simply avoided reading what Jer posts, those of us who appreciate him will still have the benefit of his contribution...but running him from the site would deny us that benefit. There is a big difference between a "troll" and someone who holds opposing viewpoints. To characterize Jer as a "troll" just illustrates laziness.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
I'd cut Jer some slack if I were me.
August 31, 2009 - 11:11 ET by TailgunnerI don't consider him a Koolaid drinking blind partisan troll like most other libs on this forum.
I think he deserves more respect than he gets here much of the time.
(Even though he's usually wrong.)
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democrats are the party of killers, racists, pedophiles, bribe takers, serial sexual harassers, liars, perjurers, obstructors of justice and treasonous frauds.
Dan The Man 2
August 31, 2009 - 11:48 ET by Noel SheppardDan,
This is over the line. To enter a thread with this kind of hostility is unacceptable. You may have your differences with Jer, but this is going too far. Please refrain from such in the future, or better yet, apologize for what clearly was an ad hominem attack.
Noel
Reid captured in a painting
August 30, 2009 - 23:10 ET by caiobabeEverytime I see a picture of that self-absorbed idiot Nevada state senator I think of the stoic pose of that old farmer with the pitchfork in Grant Wood's American Gothic painting.
With respect to the Americana aspect of the great painting, I see a picture of a lifeless, bored, and basically "in charge of his little wife", man with nothing to offer. My friends, I give you...Harry Reid.
I hear they are coming his way
August 31, 2009 - 00:31 ET by ToenexPitchforks in 2010
Great for removing unwanted crap in the stall
Authority isn't truth, truth is authority
"Les Moore"
I see his pic and think...
August 31, 2009 - 02:35 ET by Army Brat'How can you have any pudding when you don't eat yer meat?"
Obama is a liar and Truth is killing his Marxist agenda.
What's the big deal?
August 30, 2009 - 23:43 ET by andrew - des moinesI don't see any problem with an elected representative saying such things. Media is a force in politics and as they are rarely mediums for unbiased reporting, they should be subject to criticism by politicians. Just think if this were a Republican saying this about a liberal paper. In any case it was not a threat....at least until the government bails out newspapers nationwide with notable exceptions.
If Reid has a problem with the paper's reporting
August 31, 2009 - 01:10 ET by lsudolemitethen write an op-ed or a letter to the editor like everyone else. Schoolyard bullying and intimidation tactics are--or should be--beneath his office and are beyond childish.
While you're at it, if you find an example of a powerful Republican threatening a liberal paper let me know. On second thought, don't, because it'll be front-page news for a month in the NYT, WaPo, and Boston Globe amid the howls of censorship from Olbermann, Matthews, et al.
And if you honestly see nothing wrong with the most powerful Senator in the United States Congress saying that they want a business to go under, then you must be truly naive. Hell, Obama keeps telling us this is the worst economy since the Great Depression, you'd think Reid would do all he could to keep a small business afloat...you know, since the Dems are ALL about the little guy.
Idle comment?
August 31, 2009 - 09:10 ET by Willis_Leon_JohnsonRemember GM?
They hoped that GM would fail too, AND made it happen!
http://gjresult.com
Exactly - it was a completely crazy thing to say
August 31, 2009 - 09:31 ET by SickofLibsObama wins Nevada, then 2 months later tells businesses not to hold their conventions in Vegas. Now this jerk follows up with a death wish for a large employer.
Wake up, Nevadans.
Clearly Reid saw the recent
August 31, 2009 - 00:01 ET by deerjerkydaveClearly Reid saw the recent polls which show he is not headed for re-election, and so he is getting desperate.
Does anybody know if the Republican candidates in Nevada are real conservatives or are they liberals like McCain?
Based on Reid's recent polling numbers
August 31, 2009 - 00:39 ET by lsudolemiteI think an appropriate response to "I hope you go out of business" would have been "You first."
Isu... LOL... Appropriat
August 31, 2009 - 00:43 ET by bigtimerIsu...
LOL...
Appropriate indeed.
Slam-dunk.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
Tyrants...
August 31, 2009 - 02:33 ET by Army Bratshould always be taken seriously...
His was not a passing comment, nor a wish. It was a threat, pure and simple and should most certainly be taken as one.
Obama is a liar and Truth is killing his Marxist agenda.
good response
August 31, 2009 - 05:35 ET by OldJoeThat was a great editorial!
Let Me Get This Straight
August 31, 2009 - 06:14 ET by kilrodJust some Mon. morning grins.
Let me get this straight.
Obama's health care plan will be:·
Written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it,·
Passed by a Congress that hasn't read it,·
Signed by a president who smokes,·
Funded by a treasury chief who did not pay his taxes,·
Overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and·
Financed by a country that is nearly broke.
What could possibly go wrong?
If an unborn child cannot trust you, why should I,??
I sure hope the people of
August 31, 2009 - 06:26 ET by msh1973I sure hope the people of Nevada send Harry packin, that would be sweet justice. A girl can dream, can't she? Anybody know who is running against Harry?
Defeat current Dem leadership in 2010
August 31, 2009 - 08:50 ET by kevinm13Harry Reid wouldn't survive 15 minutes without lies. Dem philosophy is to lie to the constituents that voted them in and be nasty to anybody who isn't in their district. Lies, lies and more lies. When will the stupid voters learn that these idiots can't be trusted and should be tossed. Harry Reid should get a firestorm of TRUTH thrown at him by these guys and they should keep it up until he and all the other Dem leftsists are defeated.
Massachusetts comes to mind
August 31, 2009 - 09:19 ET by jon_torlinYou mean like Barney Frank?
When it comes to information being distributed, it gets redistributed and watered down to where people who vote for these representatives don't know any better. And therein lies the problem, if they represent the people of their state/district, does that mean the people are the problem? The dumbing down of America is a roaring success.
-Jon
Separated at birth?
August 31, 2009 - 08:59 ET by V the KHarry Reid and Granny Clampett?
http://tehresistance...
forget tarkanian as the one to unseat reid
August 31, 2009 - 09:06 ET by soosanI vote for Sue Lowden. She's got common sense, Jersey street smarts, and definitely doesn't have that "one size fits all,we all have the same barber and tailor, WASP" baggage that most of the party drags along.....
Reid
August 31, 2009 - 09:38 ET by jessieHReid will be gone for good in 2010. Next stop- Pelosi.
I wonder?
August 31, 2009 - 11:25 ET by Patriot III can never keep it straight.....is Reids i.q. 26, or 27....geez thats confusing......this moron...whats wrong with the people in Nevada that they have kept this moron this long?