Harry Reid To Obama: “Back Off” On Earmarks, You’ve “Got Enough Power”

Video

by Matt Schneider | 9:23 am, January 27th, 2011

» 18 comments

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is not happy with President Obama and specifically with one line from the State of the Union address. When the President warned both parties that he vows to veto any bill with earmarks in it, Reid remarked, “the President thinks this will help him a little bit. More power to him, it’s just wrong.”

Reid was just getting warmed up though, and dismissed Obama’s stance on earmarks as merely “an applause line” and “an effort of the White House to get more power,” to which Reid cooly cautioned, “they’ve got enough power as it is.” Adamant that earmarks mean nothing in the grand scheme of the debt, Reid made explicit his complaint, in case it wasn’t clear already:

“[Obama] should just back off. He’s got enough to do without messing in what we do.”

NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell conducted the interview and asked Reid whether this issue has caused a rift between him and the President. O’Donnell claims Reid said it hadn’t, yet after an implication in this interview that Obama was merely “some bureacrat” in Washington, she might want to ask that question of Reid again now that this interview has aired.

Watch the clip from NBC below:

Earmarks, Harry Reid, Kelly O'Donnell, President Obama, State of the Union, Today Show

notsofast

Oh, Harry- will your racism never end?
Ricia

Pot and kettle syndrom again—here we go
Ricia

There is no joy in Mudville-how will stammering Gibbs handle this one?
ProgLib

Was he drunk during this? Beer-muscles?
notsofast

Next, Harry will say BHO “doesn’t sound like a negro unless he wants to.”
Probably NOT wrong

Is there anyone on this Planet that thinks
earmarks are going to disappear?
screwauger

Give harry time and his mouth will have his foot in it. I LOVE watching the Left freak out.
screwauger

Hey harry, what’s the problem? Getting sick of that stench wafting into your office whenever Obowmao strolls down the hall. That stench of Power. hahahahaha
Harry Flashman

Poor Harry. Without earmarks how will he repay the unions and the Indian groups whop backed him and were promised so much?

This is a truly “eat your own young” moment. The Dems wil start to turn on each other, especially if their new tactic of “civility” (read: emasculate the Repubs and Tea Party by being able to accuse them of not being nice enough while you manuever in the background) doesn’t work.

No earmarks, no paybacks. Where will Harry be then, poor thing?
Seeing 2012 From My Window

Harry’s isn’t the brightest bulb in the package. He said this on MTP:

SEN. REID: One of the things that always troubles me is, when we start talking about the debt, the first thing people do is run to Social Security. Social Security is a program that works, and it’s going to be–it’s fully funded for the next 40 years. Stop picking on Social
Security. There are a lot places we can go to…

MR. GREGORY: Senator, you’re really saying the arithmetic on Social Security works?

SEN. REID: I’m saying the arithmetic on Social Security works. I have no doubt it does. For the next…

MR. GREGORY: It’s not in crisis?

SEN. REID: No, it’s not in crisis. This is, this is, this is something that’s perpetuated by people who don’t like government. Social Security is fine. Are there things we can do to improve Social Security? Of course. But don’t, don’t…

Sorry Harry, but the CBO disagrees:

The Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday that Social Security will pay out $45 billion more in benefits this year than it will collect in payroll taxes, further straining the nation’s finances. The deficits will continue until the Social Security trust funds are eventually drained, in about 2037.
Previously, CBO said Social Security would start running permanent deficits in 2016. In the short term, Social Security is suffering from a weak economy that has payroll taxes lagging and applications for benefits rising. In the long term, Social Security will be strained by the growing number of baby boomers retiring and applying for benefits.
writer

You’re not fooling us, Harry. That was a jab at the president’s ear size, wasn’t it?
Knowledge_Is_Power

Harry Reid is an a**!!

If a Republican had said this all hell would be breaking loose right now. Now let’s see how many news channels report this!? I bet hardly any do! Double standard?
Nacho

Good for him for saying what he feels.
He is correct in that he has better knowledge of what the people want that voted for him as their representative.
libra blue

Since the House was dropped on Botox Nancy, Harry is the last “puppeteer” left standing.
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Martin/1646024347 John Martin

The rats are turning on each other now, eh?

Amazing.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Elaine-Jesmer/614756658 Elaine Jesmer

Not only is Obama right, but Reid needs to get his act together and respond to what this country wants and needs. And it isn’t more special interest legislation. It’s bad enough the lobbyists run Washington, now the leader of the Senate endorses the money grabs of earmarks. The only good thing about Reid was that he was marginally better than the alternative. Old white men. Will they ever learn?
Penguin60

John Martin said:
The rats are turning on each other now, eh? Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqCpLYtRaeY
X-3

Probably NOT wrong said:
Is there anyone on this Planet that thinksearmarks are going to disappear?

About all we can do I guess is to wish for integrity in government because there clearly aren’t enough people who are willing to get off their asses and DEMAND to their elected representatives that those whom we elect to represent us do what is right for the entire country–not just what is good for a few.

I did note that Mr. Reid seemed to be advising Mr. 0bama to not get too “uppity” on him. Was that a thinly veiled threat? You tell me.