On Iraq war, Senate leader Harry Reid in cross hairs

But for his critics, the defining Reid moment is still "this war is lost." On the House side, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee and a presidential candidate, called on Reid to resign. His remarks are sure to have "a demoralizing effect on our troops and an effect of encouragement of the adversary," he said.

So far, the Democratic caucus is standing with Reid. "The larger point he was trying to make was that this war cannot be won militarily, but must be won politically and diplomatically. We need to change course. We can't continue down the same path," says Jim Manley, a spokesman for the Democratic leadership.

"The war is the overarching issue of our time, and Senator Reid has been a bold and decisive leader," says Sen. Edward Kennedy (D) of Massachusetts.

"Are we winning the war?" quipped Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) of Vermont, responding to whether the Democrats supported the majority leader's remarks. "He has a caucus that ranges from those who are for the war to those who oppose it. He's done a very good balancing act."

Reid did most of his work under the radar. He's best known for cutting deals and counted votes – and building the Democratic majority.

As the No. 2 Democratic leader in 2001, Reid took the lead in persuading then-Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont to switch party affiliation from Republican to Independent, including giving his own committee chairmanship to Senator Jeffords. The move gave Democrats control of the Senate – and won Reid gratitude from his caucus colleagues.

His skills as behind-the-scenes leader are in evidence as the Senate closed in on a vote on the supplemental bill. The bill passed the House with a 218-208 majority on Wednesday, and is headed toward an all but certain presidential veto. [Editor's Note: The original version mischaracterized when the vote occurred.]

But the charge that Reid is calibrating war policy with an eye to prospects for building a majority in the 2008 elections also threatens his credibility in that fight. "We're going to pick up Senate seats as a result of this war," said Reid, in comments reported in an April 13 interview.

"Reid is so fixated on expanding the Democratic majority, because he realizes how little he can do with 51," says Don Wolfensberger, director of the Congress Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Like Vietnam War-era majority leader Mike Mansfield (D) of Montana, Reid must also negotiate with the White House an end to a war he personally opposes. "Harry Reid is following in big footsteps down a similar path. Unfortunately, with one eye on opinion polls and the other on the next election, it's not clear he sees where he's going," Wolfensberger adds.

Aides say that Reid, a former amateur middleweight boxer, is taking the jabs in stride. "He understands he is a target and every move is subject to scrutiny. He understands and accepts that. He's a plainspoken individual who calls them like he sees them," says Mr. Manley. But the charge, repeated by Republicans in Thursday's floor debate, that Reid is conducting war policy with an eye to 2008 elections is one "I categorically reject," he adds. "No one wants to succeed in Iraq more than Senator Reid."

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