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

[Counterglow]

McConnell has a proven track record as a dirty fighter. I don't understand why he should be offended when he gets just a tiny measure of his own medicine back. Does he honestly believe he should expect courtesy when he so rarely offers any to his opponents?

[RevSpaminator]

Funny, I remember for at least the last 28 years, Republican pundits calling Democrats a bunch of cry babies at every turn.

[Aabby]

bunch of whiners.

[larmarch5]

McConnell could replace Pa Turtle in the Comcast commercials.