Reid faces Sanders supporters’ fury at DNC
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid faced lingering backlash from Bernie Sanders’s supporters in Philadelphia Thursday, months after a contentious party convention in his home state of Nevada.
The retiring Democratic leader faced multiple questions about Sanders, the party as a whole and progressive flash points over a roughly half-hour question-and-answer session at a state delegate meeting.
{mosads}He was immediately questioned by a delegate who asked why Reid didn’t “speak up earlier for Bernie Sanders” after saying this week that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hadn’t been “fair” with him.
“I’ve been in touch with Bernie Sanders through the whole campaign. We talk on a regular basis,” he said. “I don’t have to apologize to anybody for my relationship with Bernie Sanders.”
Reid has repeatedly refrained from criticizing Sanders for refusing to drop out of the Democratic primary and sharply told reporters to “lay off” him amid criticism in late May.
He added Thursday that Sanders “touched a chord in America” — pointing to his influence on the Democratic Party’s platform.
In a contentious moment, a Sanders backer — who described himself and other supporters as “victims” — asked to know Reid’s stance on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) amid groans and murmurs of “no” from other delegates.
Reid — calling the question easy to answer — noted that he has voted against multiple trade deals.
When Sanders’s supporters pushed him to explicitly say “yes” or “no,” Reid — known for his sharp frankness — said, “Well, if you don’t get that answer, you better go back to school.”
Reid has repeatedly spoken out against the TPP, considered a major pillar of President Obama’s second term. He told reporters last year that he was a “hell no” on legislation that would let Obama fast-track the deal through Congress on a up-or-down vote.
The contentious session comes after a raucous Nevada Democratic convention in May, when Sanders supporters tried to change the state’s delegation allocation. Sanders and Clinton backers clashed for hours, and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) was booed and later said she felt threatened.
But the meeting also included obvious support for Reid. Even as the Senate Democratic leader plans to retire at the end of the year, he maintains a firm grip on state politics. Attendees of the meeting chanted “Harry,” shouted for him to change his mind and not retire, talked about their memories with Reid and repeatedly thanked him.
Another attendee also brought up a months-old congressional fight, asking Reid if he believed he had been fair to Jesse Sbaih, a former House candidate, and comparing it to the Sanders-DNC relationship.
Sbaih said in late March that Reid had told him not to run for the state’s third congressional district, saying he wouldn’t win because he is Muslim. Reid and top staffers, while acknowledging the two met, have adamantly and repeatedly denied that he ever made that comment.
Reid on Thursday, made it clear there is no love lost between the two men, saying he has “no respect” for the former congressional candidate.
“I’m glad he lost,” he said. “I hope I had something to do with it.”
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