The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> NO RECESS br> With Sen. Harry Reid coming under increasing criticism from inside his own caucus for failing to bring direction to this term of the Senate, and after several embarrassing missteps that have seemingly given the Bush Administration a bit of momentum, the majority leader is looking to play tough with the White House. /p>

So he has set a Senate session schedule that would essentially bar President Bush from using the usual weeklong Thanksgiving holiday recess for recess appointments. The White House had intended to use the period to put in place James Holsinger as U.S. surgeon general.

Reid now will put the Senate in "pro forma" session during the recess: Senate employees will show up for work every other day or so and do what's necessary to make it an official session. Reid's decision to play hardball came after the White House refused to bend to Reid's demands to negotiate what amounted to a parliamentary truce similar to the one they agreed to earlier this year for the August recess, whereby the White House wouldn't make recess appointments and the majority agreed to move some nominations through the process.

Playing into Reid's decision is growing concern among his advisers that his leadership ability is being questioned by some within his own caucus, not the least of whom is his deputy leader, Dick Durbin, a man who has made no bones about his desire one day to take the leadership post.

Reid, who chose to stick with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's plan to continue opposition to the Iraq War, has seen support for that position crumbling over the past three months as better news and military reports indicate the surge and other military tactics that Reid and his caucus largely opposed appear to be working.

"Everyone in the Senate knows that it is extremely hard to remove a majority leader," says a Democrat leadership aide. "It's just plain tough to do. Reid knows this, and he's doing what he can to show he hears the criticism and will adjust accordingly."

p> CNN'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE br> At last week's Democrat presidential debate, CNN used the Nevada state Democrat party, the DNC press office, and contacts with communications directors at U.S. Senate offices to identify and vet those in attendance who would ask the candidates questions. /p>

topics:
Harry Reid, Abortion, Law, Military, Iraq, NATO