Harry Reid Compares President Obama to Chilean Miners

The ubiquitous rescued Chilean coal miners can add one more appearance to their collective resume´: the 2010 midterm election stump. Embattled Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), speaking to supporters at a Las Vegas event, compared President Obama to the survivors of the 69-day subterranean ordeal, saying “It was like the Chilean miners, but he, being the man he is, rolled up his sleeves and said ‘I am going to get us out of this hole.'”

While the complete metaphor may be imperfect, it’s an irresistibly topical soundbite that should get lots of play from talking heads on the left, right, and everywhere in between, and will no doubt result in dozens of obvious late night monologue quips.

While few would argue with Reid’s assessment that the Obama administration inherited an economy that had been driven into a Grand Canyon-sized ditch, the fate of Obama’s efforts to rescue it is still up in the air. Democrats would argue that, while Obama has “rolled up his sleeves,” Republicans have, as the President says, “(stood) on the sidelines.”

Republicans, meanwhile, could point out that, after two years of digging, perhaps it’s time to give someone else the shovel, or to cut spending and let the survivors mine their own way out of the hole.

Finally, the nation’s late night hosts are likely to emphasize the “hole” aspect of Reid’s quote, with a “shaft” or two thrown in for good measure.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.

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