The trouble with Harry

Building a bit on my last post, Harry Reid is feeling victorious. And it's true he's has some successes to point to:

He ultimately won a fifth term — and a raft of legislative victories in a chamber best known recently for gridlock. Repeal over the weekend of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy barring gay, lesbian and bisexual members from serving openly in the military joined the economic stimulus package, the national health care legislation, new financial regulations and a huge tax-cut bill on a list of accomplishments that even Republicans can’t help admiring.

The trouble with this list is, outside of the DADT repeal, which I repeat ended up winning as a stand alone bill, the rest of these accomplishments were pretty much watered down and not nearly as effective as they could have been had he taken a harder line from the start instead of caving to the GOP's threats.

Nonetheless, he's looking forward to more victories as minority leader.

For his part, Mr. Reid predicted, “We’ll get some things done,” naming comprehensive immigration legislation as one possibility.

If Republicans’ vulnerability among Hispanic voters does not persuade them to compromise, he noted, “they have real problems with their mental capacity.”

Tough talk now and you have to love it. But let's hope he can walk it when the time comes to deliver.