Mitch McConnell Won't Speak To Harry Reid

Roll Call reports that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell isn't speaking to Majority Leader Harry Reid:

[D]espite a previously solid working and personal relationship with his Democratic counterpart, McConnell chose to ignore both the election night call and a subsequent follow-up call from Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), whose party had dumped more than $6 million into Kentucky in an ultimately futile push to knock off the Republican leader.

In fact, according to Democrats and Republicans familiar with the situation, while McConnell and Obama spoke on the Thursday following the election, it took McConnell some nine days to ultimately respond to Reid's overtures.

Republicans warned that Reid should be prepared for a full-court press during his own 2010 re-election bid, and that the sudden deterioration in relations, no matter how short-lived, is a direct result of what they view as an overly aggressive Democratic effort to unseat McConnell.

"The Majority Leader made a tactical error that could potentially cost him his job when he signed off on $6 million of attack ads the last few weeks in Kentucky. McConnell never takes political attacks personally, but he is someone who has never hesitated to repay his opposition for their courtesy," a senior Republican official said, adding that identifying a high-quality opponent to challenge Reid will be a priority for the party in the coming months.

As Steve Benen notes, McConnell seems to be unusually sensitive.

So, let me get this straight. The relationship between the two parties' Senate leaders is in "tatters" because the Republican leader thinks the Democratic leader supported an effort to win a competitive Senate race. The Big Bad Harry Reid was mean in trying to help his party gain another seat.

What, did McConnell think his leadership role left him immune? Funny, I don't remember him encouraging Republicans to scale back their efforts to take down Tom Daschle in 2004.

Comments

[doublels]

Too bad, so sad for Mitch. He's just a plain old sore loser. Whaaaa!

[Blue in NH]

What a jerk!

[Loki11467]

don't they remember South Dakota and Daschle?

[oldguru]

Mitch McConnell is a petulant child! Being elected to the US Senate should require a more mature mindset. Shame on Kentucky for sending this infant back for 6 more years.

[stevi]

What an incredibly poor sport little mitch is!! So very sorry that a political rival intruded upon you. You poor baby mitch....... So stomp your foot and take your ball and go home.

[Progress08]

Who cares. McConnell like all republicans is a petulant child throwing a tantrum. You d umb f u kk republicans have only yourselves to blame. You've sculpted a party of bible-thumping wack job libertarians for the last 20 years and when the american people soundly reject your crappy, tired, lame ideas you want to take your ball and go home. Get over it you F'n crybabies.

[Ajegunle]

4UK THAT DINOSAUR---

HE IS EXTINCT!

[SoldDowntheRiver]

Mitch McConnel is simply, a spoiled brat. Unfortunately, after the Lieberman fiasco I believe that all of our Senators are spoiled, self-serving, narcissistic brats.

Why are none of them ever held accountable for their actions?

Think people. There are only 100 of these "adults" that basically make policy for all of the rest of us.

Why don't we hold them accountable, responsible, or ANYTHING!!!!!

[Nomccain]

Good ole bipartisian McConnell. Sore loser and needs to go home and sit on the front porch since he can't further King George's agenda anymore.

[mkg489]

Among all the important and inspiring things Obama mentioned in his victory speech, he mentioned the "immaturity" going on in Congress.

This is a grown man with significant responsibities bestowed upon him by the public. And yet he behaves like a immature schoolboy.

Can we just be done with this generation??

[katlade]

Both Reid and McConnel should be replaced with some younger senators with backbones.

[sonoffestus]

I'm sure Harry doesn't mind.

[honeydiva]

who cares, most dems don't want to speak to his kiss a@@ either.

[Paisano]

McConnell is irrelvent!

[bobdob]

The upside, of course, is that Harry Reid might be defeated. While the setback would be temporarily devastating, the upside would be that Democrats would no longer be saddled with a feckless, spineless mental dwarf who has gone out of his way to make many words but commit to precious little action.