Is Harry Reid the most formidable Democrat currently holding office?

[Phony Moderate]

Yes, since he's also about the most unpopular Democrat currently holding office....

[Torie]

It helps when your opponent is considerably more unpopular than yourself.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

No.  Furthermore, he's a terrible Majority Leader.  The Democrats could've passed more of their agenda much quicker if they'd have had a competent Leader.

[tpfkaw]

Well, in terms of total resources that he is able to bring to bear, Barack Obama easily takes the cake.  Among senators, probably Chuckie Schumer.

[King]

If Reid were unopposed this year, he would have lost to Write-ins.

[Lunar]

You gotta give Reid credit for an amazing campaign.  He chose Angle as his opponent, so if she's the reason he won, he deserves credit for that

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

He chose Angle as his opponent

How so?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

He used his connections to make sure no one else ran besides a guy who made Fred Thompson look like a vigorous campaigner and a woman who suggested we barter with chickens to pay for healthcare.

[Lunar]

He chose Angle as his opponent

How so?

Um, he's been knocking off potential top tier opponents since 2005? He got Sandoval that appointment to the federal bench, he knocked off Heck (he ran for Congress this year now), he knocker off Porter, and someone started investigating Krolicki.  He got the Republican mayor of Reno to endorse him as well as the Republican governor's wife.  And that's just off the top of my head.

And after that, he took the strongest of his primary opponents, Lowden, and destroyed her in her own primary through a relentless campaign effort against her before the GE even started.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Of course he wasn't responsible for Lowden's brilliant suggestion that the healthcare system be based on chicken-bartering. So a little bit of luck there too.

[Lunar]

Of course he wasn't responsible for Lowden's brilliant suggestion that the healthcare system be based on chicken-bartering. So a little bit of luck there too.

I'm not sure if the tracker for that footage was a Democrat or a Republican, but that wasn't exactly a quote made on primetime TV.

Reid took the gaffe and made a website about it, hired people to follow Lowden around in a chicken costume, and may have done more like TV ads I can't remember right now. 

Democrats were also responsible, if I recall correctly, for the legal complaint about Lowden's RV?

[tpfkaw]

Lowden actually repeatedly made that suggestion on several talk shows over like a week-long period.  Apparently she thought it was some kind of brilliant insight.

[opebo]

His position is not that formidable, but his political skill is wonderful to see.  He's tough and ruthless - something we need far more of in the Democratic Party, considering the diabolical nature of their opponents. 

[Lief 🗽]

It helps when your opponent is considerably more unpopular than yourself.

That's not what the polls said.

[fezzyfestoon]

He's a very good campaign politician, like Obama.  Unfortunately his skills stop there.