Harry the eunuch

Senator Harry Reid is probably the worst Senate Minority Leader in my lifetime. He hasn't got a clue what his job is supposed to be about. The good Senator has announced, prior to floor debate, that he will vote against confirmation of John Roberts as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This is the worst case of political premature ejaculation I have ever seen. Because of his statement, Senator Reid has thrown away any leverage, any influence he may have on this issue. Now, it's pretty clear to anyone following the proceedings that he has little or no influence anyway, at least on this particular issue. Roberts will be confirmed with a huge majority (I'm guessing he'll get at least 85 votes), and only Democrats who have no interest in being useful or productive in the current term will vote against him. I'm speaking of course of Senators like Durbin, Kerry, and Boxer, who are all practically worthless anyway. However, the Minority Leader cannot afford to be one of that group. He absolutely must maintain an aura of effectiveness. His job is not to be obstructionist, it's to present an appealing alternative to the Republicans, to point out weaknesses and show a better way. Just saying "no" straight out of the box is not an alternative, it's just petulance.