Harry Reid is already making Tom Daschle look like LBJ. When asked by Tim Russert about passing the intelligence reform bill, he directly endorsed Bush’s (incorrect) mandate claims:

MR. RUSSERT:  What must the president do [to pass the bill]?

SEN. REID:  The president, who controls both houses of Congress, should use his power.  And he has said that he has power.  He has a mandate.  Let him pull a few bucks out of that pocket of mandate and give it to the House and Senate and say, “Here’s part of my mandate.  I want this legislation to pass.”

What a fool.

Update 1/7/05: A reader suggests Reid was speaking sarcastically. I still think it’s a terrible strategic mistake regardless, but we need video to be sure about his inflection.