By Kristina Wong

Jul 9, 2010 12:08am

President Obama Stumps for Harry Reid, Attacks Opponent Sharron Angle

ABC News' Kristina Wong and Jon Garcia report:

At a Las Vegas, Nevada fundraiser for Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid’s campaign for re-election, President Obama attacked Reid’s opponent Sharron Angle hard, and tried to draw a contrast between hardworking Democrats who fight for the little-guy, and irresponsible, obstructionist, "do-nothing" Republicans defending Wall Street and BP.

The president compared Las Vegas residents to those in the Gulf affected by the BP oil spill – whose livelihoods depend on tourism, and attacked Angle’s stance on the spill, saying her answer was to deregulate the oil industry. He brought up Rep. Joe Barton’s (R-Texas) apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward, in which he called a $20 billion escrow account to compensate those affected a “shakedown.”

“Harry’s opponent agreed with this guy, she called the compensation we provided a slush fund,” the president said. “A few hours later, her campaign puts out a memo saying ‘she didn’t say that’… . They said there was some ‘confusion’. I’m sure she meant ‘slush fund’ in the nicest possible way,” he quipped.

He painted Angle as an extremist whose social and economic views leaned farther right than Republicans in Washington.

“Harry Reid’s opponent doesn’t just believe in these old worn out theories,” the president said. “She favors an approach even more extreme than the ones we have in Washington.” 

He brought up statements Angle had made about wanting to phase out and privatize social security and medicare (to which an audience member yelled, “Phase her out!”).

The president described Reid as a scrappy fighter, despite his soft-spoken demeanor.

“You know Harry used to be a boxer, he likes to brag about that, but he brags in his Harry way: ‘I wasn’t big, obviously, but I could take a punch,’” the president said.
 
“He’s taken his lumps, we all have. But I have no doubt that the people in Nevada will realize the quality of public servant they have in Harry Reid partly because he knows no matter what kind of lumps he’s taking, nothing compares to the lumps folks back home have been taking.”

“He knows what it’s like to see your folks scraping by, and have to tell you ‘No, we’re sorry we can’t afford this, we can’t afford that.’ He’s been there… When he hears stories of Nevadans who’ve lost their jobs…who after doing the right thing, somehow have gotten the short end of the stick, that’s who he identifies with, that’s who he’s fighting for.”

The president reiterated statements from earlier fundraisers on Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri for Senate candidate Robin Carnahan, blaming Republicans for turning a record surplus to a $1.3 trillion dollar deficit, and creating the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

He defended health care reform, and pushed back against Republican attacks on spending, comparing it to drunken sailors lecturing on sobriety.

And as he has during other fundraisers, the president acknowledged some actions taken by Democrats in response to the economic crisis weren’t popular, but said Reid was a strong leader who does what is right, not politically expedient.

“My job isn’t to put my finger up to the wind and see which way the wind is blowing. That’s not Harry Reid’s job. That’s not leadership. Our job is to focus not on the next election, but on the next generation and that’s why we made those decisions.”

User Comments

Obama does not know what his job is!He needs to go and go now!

Posted by: lr | July 9, 2010, 12:33 am 12:33 am

A question for our President: Well, then, Vladimir, since you say you’re not focused on the next election, how come you’re out there in Nevada spewing more of your toxic waste?
Republicans can indeed spend like sailors, but compared to your “Sororities Gone Wild” orgies of squander, Republicans look like sober gentlemen who can lend us all a hand getting our anemic economy and our engorged federal government back into balance.
No Dems in 2010. America can do much better than these tyrants, but first they must be dethroned by our vote.

Posted by: Carol | July 9, 2010, 1:14 am 1:14 am

“Our job is to focus not on the next election, but on the next generation and that’s why we made those decisions.” – Barry
The next generation called. They want their money back.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | July 9, 2010, 1:14 am 1:14 am

If his job isn’t the next election, what was he doing in Nevada again?
“…the war in Iraq is lost…” — Harry Reid.

Posted by: Dell | July 9, 2010, 1:20 am 1:20 am

The only person more unpopular than Reid is Obama… Talk about tone deaf!

Posted by: CBA | July 9, 2010, 1:55 am 1:55 am

Obama attacks opponent of Harry Reid . . . Democrats digging deep for dirt on Republican candidates . . .
They SMEAR because at this point, that’s all they have to show for themselves.
Sleazy. Obama has reduced the white house to a Chicago thug political mob rule by intimidation and underhanded blows.
Surprised? No.

Posted by: EPU | July 9, 2010, 1:59 am 1:59 am

I think O has every chance of helping his Dem buddies as he did when he ran to NJ several times to help out Corzine.
Hoping O has extra visits planned for San Francisco.
Obama should keep saying Bush, and economics as much as he can because it will help bring people to the polls in November.
Best news I have heard from this Administration ever. Go help Dems O.

Posted by: Letscheck | July 9, 2010, 2:12 am 2:12 am

Republicans are full of fear mongering and hot air with religious fanaticism and anti intellectual racist thinking, no ideas and no leadership. Want to draw the country into the pre renaissance era, with superstitions and pseudo hyperreligiosity. With the attitude what else can happen but transform a high tech great country into a third world war mongering one.

Posted by: the centrist | July 9, 2010, 2:17 am 2:17 am

I have to say to Obama on this issue…why bother?
Sharron Angle is a complete moron who exposes herself every time she opens her mouth.

Posted by: Ryan C | July 9, 2010, 3:13 am 3:13 am

There is nothing called a free lunch is this world. If anything needed to be resolved then initiated need a support to be sorted out. Well, it’s amazing. The miracle has been done. Well done. Hat’s off. Well done, as we know that “hard work always pays off”, after a long struggle with sincere effort it’s done.
===========================================
Credit Cards

Posted by: tanygeo01 | July 9, 2010, 4:20 am 4:20 am

Obama claims to stick up for the little guy, huh? Wasn’t it him who was bashing people for giving business and spending money in Las Vegas? And now unemployment in the state is climbing.
If that’s what he means by sticking up for the little guy, no thanks. He should have said he’s for sticking it to the little guy.

Posted by: OhSarah | July 9, 2010, 4:27 am 4:27 am

The GOP will come into November with no ideas but to stop spending everywhere except for the Pentagon. No more unemployment insurance help to the states. No more stimulus. Tighten your belts America. Don’t ask the private sector to invest in America. It ain’t their problem after all. It was Obama who created this mess and the GOP are going to get us out of it come hell or high water. Well – hell for sure.

Posted by: Bob | July 9, 2010, 7:52 am 7:52 am

It’s a political gamble.

Posted by: Dontget818 | July 9, 2010, 8:29 am 8:29 am

That is just really sad!!! Which candidate(party) took the most in campaign contributions during the moast recent election cycle?? I believe it it begins a “d” or and “o”.

Posted by: mj | July 9, 2010, 8:33 am 8:33 am

When President Obama says Harry Reid fights for the little guy he is lying through his teeth.
If Mr. Reid was fighting for his constituents then he wouldn’t have forced through Yeswecan Care. The Nevadans he is supposed to represent didn’t want the type of Health Care reform that got passed.
Harry Reid is a fighter but he fights for Obama and elitist Progressive Democrats.
Obama said so himself, he just uses lawyer language to disguise the truth.
“My job isn’t to put my finger up to the wind and see which way the wind is blowing. That’s not Harry Reid’s job.” – President NoBo
Translation: Harry and I don’t listen to the electorate, we know what’s right no matter what others say. Our job is social reform progressive style.

Posted by: Noz | July 9, 2010, 8:37 am 8:37 am

Day 81. The oil spill continues to destroy commerce, tourism, livelihoods, and animal habitats on the Gulf Coast.
Desperate people are committing suicide. Obama does fundraising for Harry Reid. That’s about all you need to know.

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 8:55 am 8:55 am

Is Angle still suing Reid for posting her primary positions on the web? What kind of person is so embarrassed by their own statements that they sue to stop them from being published?

Posted by: Flash Override | July 9, 2010, 9:00 am 9:00 am

If you think Reid likes the little people, you should read about his cozy relationship with the gold mining conglomerates.. one of the least green businesses in the U.S.

Posted by: Dontget818 | July 9, 2010, 9:01 am 9:01 am

“In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope. In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need…..In one week, we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo. In one week, we can come together as one nation, and one people, and once more choose our better history. That’s what’s at stake. That’s what we’re fighting for.” – Obama Closing Argument Speech, Oct 28, 2008
How’s that “unity over division” thing working out for you, America?

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 9:03 am 9:03 am

“centrist”:
Haven’t you been paying attentions to anything around you? Obama is killing jobs, favors islamic fanaticism over the Christian principles that founded the traditions of our country publicly saying things like “we are no longer a Christian nation”, forcing Cap and Tax on the nation, stopping production, replacing the private industry with big-I’m-from-the-government-I’m-here-to-help bureaucracy, favoring environmentalist extremism over a prosperous economy, insulting you and me by going overseas calling us Americans names, driving a wedge between races, is quick to criticize states’ rights when they protect their own citizens using federal law, divides the country, brings the nation to its knees economically making us a 3rd world non-producing country, fear mongers the country into getting government health care passed against the will of 55% of Americans, forces jobs overseas by sticking the most productive component of our America economy with heavy taxes and levies, fear mongers and rules over us like some 3rd world banana republic dictator.
And you think he’s still a shining example of a ruler?
This I’m-too-prejudice-against-conservatives-to-see-the-truth mentality is why Democrats are losing every one of their campaigns at the drop of a hat.

Posted by: EPU | July 9, 2010, 9:05 am 9:05 am

Flash Override: “What kind of person is so embarrassed by their own statements that they sue to stop them from being published?”
I don’t recall hearing howls of outrage from the left when MoveOn immediately removed their famous anti-Petraeus ad from their website after Obama picked him to be Afghanistan commander.

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 9:13 am 9:13 am

Flash Override: “What kind of person is so embarrassed by their own statements that they sue to stop them from being published?”
Well Ms Angie could have asked Mr. Reid to stop publishing her copyrighted material out of a sense of what’s right but Harry Reid is a Lawyer.
He doesn’t understand plain english and the difference between right and wrong. So Sharron Angle has to talk to Reid in a language he understands, lawsuit.

Posted by: Noz | July 9, 2010, 10:01 am 10:01 am

I thought the GOP was against frivolous lawsuits.

Posted by: Bob the builder | July 9, 2010, 10:10 am 10:10 am

Angle wasn’t accurate about the BP compensation fund being “slush” for the recipients. First of all, BP’s stock rose with the announcement of its implementation. I think that’s because as Feinberg said, that the person receiving it no longer has legal recourse against BP.
It’s also highly unlikely that it’s enough for all the people who need compensation. Besides, it’s a hard judgement call to put a price on the loss of your livelihood along with possibly your home and surrounding environment. But the compensation fund is far better for those who’ve borne the brunt of the disaster than BP’s initial offer of five thousand dollars in exchange for dismissing liability.
On the other hand, there is a potential for abuse with the compensation fund as there was with the FEMA debit cards issued after Katrina. Especially when you make it a priority to settle as quickly as possible, which has been the clearly stated priority.

Posted by: jane | July 9, 2010, 10:36 am 10:36 am

There are some whackadoodles running for office who the right wing is supporting and defending… and then there’s Sharon Angle for whom you have to put wackadoodle in all caps. From Huff Post, Sam Stein, see Sharron Angle’s Advice For Rape Victims Considering Abortion: Turn Lemons Into Lemonade, and from Hullabaloo, see “Lemon zinger tea…” in regards to Angle’s position on girls who are raped.
President Obama is correct to note Angle’s extremism.

Posted by: progressive mama | July 9, 2010, 11:20 am 11:20 am

Noz, you are the most abject, servile apologist possible. There is little doubt that publishing a politicians positions in her own words is fair use. The lawsuit happy republicans will be slapped down hard for this, but they don’t care.

Posted by: Flash Override | July 9, 2010, 11:42 am 11:42 am

“There is little doubt that publishing a politicians positions in her own words is fair use.” – Flash Override
True but that’s not what happened.
You can’t resurrect someone else’s web site.
I could not recreate one of these blogs on a site I controlled.
That would be copyright infringement.
Harry Reid should have just debated the woman’s positions in his own words.

Posted by: Noz | July 9, 2010, 11:52 am 11:52 am

sigh….oh Mr. Tapper, I look onto your blogs and try as i might to find the important news of the day, I don’t. So ABCnews has on its front page Lebron james and Lindsey Lohan, but continues to ignore the HUGE castastrophe in the DOJ Black Panther corruption case, the race politics, and the horrible racial threats made by the BP leader shabazz? why, oh why? Remember, your job as a journalist is to REPORT, any suppression of news goes against journalistic credibility and is likened to the propaganda machine of communist countries. This is why your ratings continue to decline and the public is relying on the internet for information.
why, why, why, can’t you just be a news organization without being afraid to offend the political establishment?

Posted by: decentAmerican | July 9, 2010, 11:57 am 11:57 am

Noz, you have been misled. Reid put some of her content on another site. He merely had to remove some minor thing like email signup boxes and such, and what do you know = fair use. She doesn’t have a leg to stand on and she knows it. The only reason she filed is to try to convince innocent rubes like yourself that she is a put-upon victim.

Posted by: Flash Override | July 9, 2010, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm

Posted by: Flash Override | Jul 9, 2010 12:48:03 PM
Your position on the copyright infringement is debatable.
Regarding the innocent rubes you are so concerned with in Nevada, as long as they don’t send Harry Reid back all will be good. He deserves to lose his seat after how he handled Yeswecan Care.

Posted by: Noz | July 9, 2010, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm

Reid is toast.Obama is extremely unpopular in Nevada currently-but he is all Reid has.

Posted by: Nephron | July 9, 2010, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm

EPU | Jul 9, 2010 9:05:26 AM posted: “fear mongers and rules over us like some 3rd world banana republic dictator.” Wow, the Obama policy changes must be hard on conservatives who long for the good ol’ Bush days to fix everything.
People who voted for this President do not think he is “stopping production” by replacing private industry with “environmental extremism”. And how did this President alone “bring our nation to its knees economically making us a 3rd world non-producing country” when the Recession started in 2007, a full year before he took office? How did Obama “force jobs overseas” when the past 8 years of tax cuts and outsourcing created a pathetic 3 Million new jobs?
So yes, today we need jobs. But returning to the Bush era economy ballooned by a fantasy housing bubble is delusional. Our nation needs new ideas, new options for creating new jobs. So as a conservative, any new suggestions? (Other than going back to trading chickens for medical care like Sharron Angle suggests.)

Posted by: green.goddess | July 9, 2010, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm

Obama’s new slogan “yes we did” is as lame as “yes we can”.
What will his 2012 slogan be “oh no we didn’t close GITMO, repeal DADT, keep unemployment under 8%, end the wars, reform illegal immigration”.
At least Obama won’t need new campaign goals for 2012. He can recycle all of the old unkept promises.

Posted by: kyle | July 9, 2010, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm

ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC slogan, lets focus on anything other then whats important, like the Oil spill, the DOJ telling their lawyers not to prosecude black on white crime. Now for the important news of the day, Chris Matthews still has tingles run up his leg and LeBron signed with Miami.

Posted by: Lizzie | July 9, 2010, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm

Harry and Barry, the perfect couple.
Mr. “I have a gift”
and
Mr. “Tourists stink”
Nevada has truly sent in the clowns.

Posted by: greg c | July 9, 2010, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm

greg c | Jul 9, 2010 3:23:04 PM posted “Nevada has truly sent in the clowns.”
Ya know, normal people, Republicans and Democrats, may oppose the status quo, but they don’t see the value in extremism either. Clowns? Angle sounds like she belongs in Ringling Brothers.
This woman is against unemployment insurance, Medicare, Wall Street reform, and Social Security. Raped and pregnant? Angle suggests it’s “lemonade”. What a crappy candidate. Why can’t the GOP find a sensible centrist?

Posted by: green.goddess | July 9, 2010, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm

Obama was accused of bringing in shills to win the caucus in Nevada.. by his own party.

Posted by: Dontget818 | July 9, 2010, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm

” What a crappy candidate. Why can’t the GOP find a sensible centrist?” – green.goddess
The American people don’t need no stinking centrist.
We need representatives who will stop spending so much money and stop funding so many needless programs and projects.

Posted by: Noz | July 9, 2010, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm

Sylvia, is the economy better now than 18 months ago? Is unemployment better now than it was 18 months ago?Is the debt better now than 18 months ago?And quiet flows the oil…

Posted by: Nephron | July 9, 2010, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm

“over the Christian principles that founded the traditions of our country”
What Christian principles were key to the formation of a democratic Republic?

Posted by: Ryan C | July 9, 2010, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm

“Remember, your job as a journalist is to REPORT, any suppression of news goes against journalistic credibility and is likened to the propaganda machine of communist countries”
Right winger demands all new organizations follow the GOP’s media arm (FoxNews) because if we don’t then we’ll be a communist country.
The right wing…stuck on stupid.

Posted by: Ryan C | July 9, 2010, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm

Ryan C,what is wrong with reporting the news?

Posted by: Nephron | July 9, 2010, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm

“is the economy better now than 18 months ago? Is unemployment better now than it was 18 months ago?Is the debt better now than 18 months ago?”
Let’s pick a more significant statistical sample than the very beginning of Obama’s presidency since obviously he can’t have an instantaneous effect….let’s compare the last 18 months with the previous 18 months. In that case practically everything is going better except the debt which nobody has lowered in ages.

Posted by: Skip | July 9, 2010, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm

Skip: “Let’s pick a more significant statistical sample than the very beginning of Obama’s presidency since obviously he can’t have an instantaneous effect….let’s compare the last 18 months with the previous 18 months. In that case practically everything is going better except the debt which nobody has lowered in ages.”
Democrats have controlled Congress and spending since 2007. Obama was a US Senator during that time, was he not?

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 8:14 pm 8:14 pm

Sylvia K: “It’s a shame the Bush administration doubled the national debt during the ‘good’ economic times. It would have left the country in a much better position once the economy crashed.”
Please list all the filibusters led by Democratic leadership against Bush’s spending.
The economy hasn’t crashed yet. It’s been propped up by trillions of dollars in spending. The crash is still to come.

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm

“Democrats have controlled Congress and spending since 2007. Obama was a US Senator during that time, was he not?”
And you ask when are we going to hold Obama responsible for the state of affairs…how about when you hold Bush and the Republicans responsible for their failed policies.

Posted by: Skip | July 9, 2010, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm

Nov 2006 when Democrats took control of Congress unemployment was 4.3%.

Posted by: Nephron | July 9, 2010, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm

“Nov 2006 when Democrats took control of Congress unemployment was 4.3%.”
You’re going to try and blame everything that went wrong after 2007 on what you yourselves used to deride as the “do nothing” Congress? WEAK
How did they ruin the economy by doing nothing? Oh, now your opportunistic claim is they didn’t exactly do nothing, they passed all kinds of bad legislation which brought down the economy. If so it will be very easy for you to list all the bills that Bush must have signed or they had enough Republican support to override his vetoes….?

Posted by: Skip | July 9, 2010, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm

“You’re blaming the Democrats for Bush’s tax cuts for the rich, the unpaid for senior’s drug program and the two unpaid for wars that doubled the country’s national debt?”
All of these initiatives couldn’t have happened without the support of Democrats. Democrats never once questioned the deficit spending, except that it was never high enough.

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm

Skip: “And you ask when are we going to hold Obama responsible for the state of affairs…how about when you hold Bush and the Republicans responsible for their failed policies.”
When will Democrats like Frank Raines and Jim Johnson be held responsible for the massive $10.6 BILLION in accounting fraud and ultimate collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? They and their cronies were the ones who ran those companies into the ground while earning millions of dollars despite “oversight” by geniuses like Barney Frank and Chris Dodd. Our bailout costs are expected to reach $1 TRILLION over the next few years. When do taxpayers get justice?

Posted by: Mary | July 9, 2010, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm

“All of these initiatives couldn’t have happened without the support of Democrats. Democrats never once questioned the deficit spending, except that it was never high enough”
So Bush and the do nothing Dems were in cahoots eh? No wonder the Republicans became so indignant when Nancy Pelosi said “see? I told you so” before handing them TARP.

Posted by: Skip | July 9, 2010, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm

The GOP will come into November with no ideas but to stop spending everywhere except for the Pentagon. No more unemployment insurance help to the states. No more stimulus. Tighten your belts America. Don’t ask the private sector to invest in America. It ain’t their problem after all. It was Obama who created this mess and the GOP are going to get us out of it come hell or high water. Well – hell for sure.
Posted by: Bob
========================================
Yeah right Bobo – Lets just leave it to the extreme leftist in the White House. Maybe we should all feel really comfy that your willing to keep someone like Barney Frank in charge of things. Or Keep the most partisan Speaker of the House to ramble on & on with extremely intelligent statements like “we need to pass the bill to find out whats in it”.
Dems & Libs now have exactly what they wanted, they have had full control and find themselves on the wrong side of every issue in the eyes of the American people. We have a gov’t that wants to sue a state over enforcement of the existing law that the fed wont enforce, YET wont sue the so-called “sanctuary” cities that blatantly refuse to follow the exact same law. We have a President who destroys jobs at every turn who now thinks that NASA should think more about reaching out to Muslim countries than moving forward with a space program. —OPPS, might as well go talk to those countries – He has NO plan or vision for the future of NASA. We are now the country who won the space race – and we will need a lift from the country we defeated if we want to put a person into space in the next few years. Great Legacy from Barrack Obama – Professor of the United States!

Posted by: Mike_C | July 10, 2010, 12:50 am 12:50 am

“Now that the Democrats are trying to save the unemployed from the consequences of Republican government, the Republicans have shifted their story. Now deficit spending is bad, the Democrats are bad and Obama is bad.” – Charles Tom
So what you’re saying Mr Tom is that the Republicans have learned their lesson but Democrats haven’t?
Maybe so, but I don’t think you should give up on all Democrats, some of them will see the light.

Posted by: Noz | July 10, 2010, 8:48 am 8:48 am

Dear Mary,
Let me put your mind at rest, if the Prez could go and stop the spill himself it would be done,but then you would complain about him cutting off jobs from the clean up crew. Come on people let’s be for real do you think this is a political ploy? One problem is finding repubs that have a legitimate voice to raise against policies that need changing. The young repubs don’t believe in this scare, and black against white tactics that your groups tries to resurrect. Stop the Limbaughs, Becks, Palins, Angles and other off track Americans. Let me tell you about a conversation was overheard between two old church going ladies. They were appalled by the fact that terrorist prayer blankets were being found on the Texas-Mexico border. These are the type of uninformed Americans that thought that Regan and Bush did a good job. God please Bless America and save us from ourselves. We need to ask Him to help a young president that may make some misteps but is trying to help America, shield him from the hate that is leveled toward him simply because of his heritage. Oh, yes by Bible toting Christians.

Posted by: bc1913 | July 11, 2010, 10:03 am 10:03 am

When the leader of the Democrat Senate majority needs the POTUS to save his job, you know that the Democrats are in big trouble…

Posted by: Sigmonde | July 11, 2010, 10:50 am 10:50 am

When the leader of the Democrat Senate majority needs the POTUS to save his job, you know that the Democrats are in big trouble…

Posted by: Sigmonde | July 11, 2010, 10:50 am 10:50 am

Leave a Reply

Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.