Harry Reid's 10 biggest gaffes: Will his reelection bid suffer?
Kirsten Gillibrand is the 鈥渉ottest鈥� senator. Delaware Senate candidate Chris Coons is Sen. Harry Reid鈥檚 鈥減et.鈥� And President Obama is popular because he鈥檚 鈥渓ight-skinned.鈥�
In Washington, and around the country, Democratic Senate majority leader Reid has become known for his gaffes.
In most cases, they鈥檙e clear cases of speaking before he thinks 鈥� plus a tin ear for how statements may be perceived.
But in the age of blogging and 24-hour news, Senator Reid鈥檚 comments can take on a life of their own 鈥� and reach a large audience.
And in the midst of a vicious neck-and-neck race for reelection against "tea party" favorite Sharron Angle, Reid may find that his tongue is his worst enemy.
Reid has been a lawmaker in Washington for 28 years. Here are 10 of Reid鈥檚 biggest and most recent gaffes:
鈥� Hot senator? This week, Reid referred to New York Senator Gillibrand as the of the Senate, at a fundraiser hosted by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He says was making a joking reference to Gillibrand鈥檚 place on the 鈥淢ost Beautiful鈥� list put out by Capitol newspaper The Hill.
鈥� "Pet" Coons. Last week Reid characterized Mr. Coons, up for election in Delaware, as 鈥渕y pet.鈥� Coons quickly issued a statement emphasizing his independence.
鈥� Hispanic Republicans? In August, Reid said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how anyone of could be a Republican. Do I need to say more?鈥� He later backtracked, saying that he meant to say that he didn鈥檛 understand how anyone 鈥� Hispanic or otherwise 鈥� could vote for a Republican candidate because of GOP policies.
鈥� Stinky tourists. At a dedication to the new Capitol Visitor Center in December 2008, Reid joked that in the summer, due to high humidity, 鈥測ou could literally coming into the Capitol.鈥�
鈥� "Negro" dialect. Reid was quoted in 鈥淕ame Change,鈥� a book about the 2008 election, as saying Barack Obama would be helped by being a 鈥渓颈驳丑迟-蝉办颈苍苍别诲" African-American 鈥渨ith no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.鈥� Reid apologized.
鈥� Evil voters. In August last year, Reid said town-hall protesters angry about health-care reform were 鈥渆vil-mongers鈥� who use 鈥渓ies, innuendo, and rumors鈥� to drown out productive debate.
鈥� Cheering lost jobs. Commenting on the better-than-expected jobs report in March, Reid said on the Senate floor: 鈥淥nly 36,000 people lost their jobs today, which is really good.鈥�
鈥� Goodbye, Ted Kennedy. When asked how the former Massachusetts senator鈥檚 death would affect healthcare-reform efforts, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to help us.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭his war is lost.鈥� That was speaking about negative developments in Iraq. Republicans pounced on the comment, saying it showed that Democrats don鈥檛 support the troops.
鈥� "I hope you go out of business.鈥� Probably not the to make to the advertising director of the largest newspaper in his home state, the Republican-leaning Las Vegas Review-Journal.
One of the few things Reid has on his side? Ms. Angle, his opponent in the Nevada Senate race, seems to putting her foot in her mouth. Reid has already capitalizing on her statement calling BP鈥檚 oil-spill victims鈥� account a 鈥渟lush fund鈥� and saying that 鈥淎s your US senator, I鈥檓 not in the business of creating jobs.鈥�
