“I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama’s legislative agenda.’’
Obama quickly accepted, saying “As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.’’
Obama said Reid has shown “passionate leadership’’ on issues of social justice.
Reid remained neutral during the bitter Democratic primary that became a marathon contest between Obama and then-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Obama tapped as the United States’ top diplomat after the election.
Reid’s comments are included in the book, obtained yesterday by the Associated Press and set to be published tomorrow. “Game Change’’ was written by Time magazine’s Mark Halperin and New York magazine’s John Heilemann.
The book also says Reid urged Obama to run, perceiving the first-term senator’s impatience.
“You’re not going to go anyplace here,’’ Reid told Obama of the Senate. “I know that you don’t like it, doing what you’re doing.’’
Reid, facing a tough 2010 reelection bid, needs the White House’s help if he wants to keep his seat. Obama’s administration has dispatched officials on dozens of trips to buoy his bid and Obama has raised money for his campaign.
Recognizing the threat, Reid’s apologies also played to his home state: “Moreover, throughout my career, from efforts to integrate the Las Vegas strip and the gaming industry to opposing radical judges and promoting diversity in the Senate, I have worked hard to advance issues.’’
Even before his ill-considered remarks were reported, a new survey released yesterday by the Las Vegas Review Journal showed him continuing to earn poor polling numbers. In the poll, by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Reid trailed former state Republican Party chairwoman Sue Lowden by 10 percentage points, 50 percent to 40 percent, and also lagging behind two other opponents.
More than half of Nevadans had an unfavorable opinion of Reid. Just 33 percent of respondents held a favorable opinion.
