Harry Reid makes rare and possibly even useful appearance in health care debate!

Why it seems like it was only yesterday that your lowly Gleaner was on TV unloading on Harry Reid for being wholly uninspiring as a Senate leader generally and AWOL on the health care debate in particular. 

But lo and behold, Roll Call reports that Reid, in an uncharacteristic yet most welcome act of senatorial leadership, has told foot-dragging Democratic Senator and Republican accommodationist Max Baucus to quit wasting time on his knees before Republican senators in the stupid hope that he can suck them into supporting a health care bill:

According to Democratic sources, Reid told Baucus that taxing health benefits and failing to include a strong government-run insurance option of some sort in his bill would cost 10 to 15 Democratic votes; Reid told Baucus it wasn’t worth securing the support of Grassley and at best a few additional Republicans.

Boy is my face red. Okay, not really. In fact, if I was an honest-to-goodness really and truly self-respecting Las Vegan I would boast freely about being a lone voice in the Nevada wilderness who for weeks has been hammering away at Reid for being a no-show on health care, and take credit for his newfound interest in -- and advocacy of! -- progressive components of health care reform.

But while shamelessly taking unwarranted credit would be the Las Vegas way, it would be wrong. Reid was probably just trying to do something to keep skeptical liberals quiet for a day or two. And more importantly, the Gleaner may not be the only one who has been hoping Reid would act -- it sounds like 10 to 15 Democratic senators might have shared some opinions on the matter, too.

Comments

[atdleft]

It's about damn time! Thank you, Senator Reid, for FINALLY using your spine. Now don't give it up and make sure the final Senate health care bill has a strong public option. If Reid & Pelosi make sure Congressional Democrats hold firm on this, it will be difficult for Obama to chicken out on a substantive health care bill.

[Abbie Hoffman]

I fear that this is just lip service...