--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I saw a Harry Reid statement saying…" description: "\"I saw a Harry Reid statement saying, there's nothing in the Constitution that says the Senate has to act on any presidential nominee. Well, that was ba..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/nina-totenberg-35290_back-when_i-saw-a-harry-reid-statement-saying-ther_2288615.jpg" --- # I saw a Harry Reid statement saying, there's nothing in… ![“I saw a Harry Reid statement saying, there's nothing in the Constitution that says the Senate has to act on any presidential nominee. Well, that was back when President Bush was president and vice versa. So this is not a pretty carrying-on at the moment.” quote by Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/nina-totenberg-35290_back-when_i-saw-a-harry-reid-statement-saying-ther_2288615.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/nina-totenberg-35290_back-when_i-saw-a-harry-reid-statement-saying-ther_2288615.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/nina-totenberg-35290_back-when_i-saw-a-harry-reid-statement-saying-ther_2288615.jpg) > “I saw a Harry Reid statement saying, there's nothing in the Constitution that says the Senate has to act on any presidential nominee. Well, that was back when President Bush was president and vice versa. So this is not a pretty carrying-on at the moment.” [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constitutional silence on Senate action leads to political maneuvering; context changes the relevance of such statements. **In simple terms:** No rule forces Senate to act. Key Takeaway Recognize political realities. Themes politics constitution senate dynamics Mood concerned critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - campaign planning - policy advocacy - government oversight Key Concepts legislative inertia executive appointments political strategy Questions to Reflect On - How should citizens hold officials accountable? - What reforms could ensure timely nominations? A Different Perspective Legal loopholes can be exploited; political bias may skew interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) ## Related quotes > [The bill then says if the Senate does not act, then H.R. 1 (the House-passed bill that cuts $61 billion) will be the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/the-bill-then-says-if-the-senate-does-not-act-then-h-r-1-the-house/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [ I would hope that the Senate would do its job and confirm the nominee that President \[Barack\] Obama has sent to them. That's the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-would-hope-that-the-senate-would-do-its-job-and-confirm-the-nominee/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Interestingly enough, if you search Twitter, you'd see I have been saying this for 3-plus years now. I cannot believe we are now in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/interestingly-enough-if-you-search-twitter-you-d-see-i-have-been/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) > [I will never be able to endorse a nominee for president whose name is not known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/i-will-never-be-able-to-endorse-a-nominee-for-president-whose-name-is/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [You may have heard that Donald Trum has long refused to release his tax returns, the way every other nominee for president has done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-may-have-heard-that-donald-trum-has-long-refused-to-release-his/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Democratic Senator Harry Reid is expected to make a full recovery after he was exercising with a resistance band that snapped, causing him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/democratic-senator-harry-reid-is-expected-to-make-a-full-recovery/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid likes to reminisce about being an amateur boxer. But his Senate tenure has often looked like an endless rope-a-dope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-melber/senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-likes-to-reminisce-about-being-an/) [Ari Melber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-melber/) > [I am running because I love my country and Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama are ruining it. It is time to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ashjian/i-am-running-because-i-love-my-country-and-harry-reid-nancy-pelosi/) Scott Ashjian > [And if you like 14.4 percent unemployment, if you like the fact that 70 percent of home mortgages in Nevada are underwater, then stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/and-if-you-like-14-4-percent-unemployment-if-you-like-the-fact-that/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) > [I've never seen anything so abhorrent in my life as Harry Reid. He's an equal opportunity basher. He goes after everybody, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-ve-never-seen-anything-so-abhorrent-in-my-life-as-harry-reid-he-s/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [Harry Reid's accusation that President Bush is playing politics with national security may earn him the title of hypocrite-in-chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-schmitt/harry-reid-s-accusation-that-president-bush-is-playing-politics-with/) Tracey Schmitt > [I think it is very good for the country, for the world, and especially for the Democrats that Harry Reid is retiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-think-it-is-very-good-for-the-country-for-the-world-and-especially/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [If we can take Harry Reid out, we can take our country back. I'm not here to preach to the choir. I'm here to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharron-angle/if-we-can-take-harry-reid-out-we-can-take-our-country-back-i-m-not/) [Sharron Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharron-angle/) > [I am a pretty level-headed person, but that person, Harry Reid, has been the most destructive entity in Washington when it comes to civility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-am-a-pretty-level-headed-person-but-that-person-harry-reid-has-been/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) Kimberley Strassel ## More by Nina Totenberg > [If I dress like a schlump, I think like a schlump and I work like a schlump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/if-i-dress-like-a-schlump-i-think-like-a-schlump-and-i-work-like-a/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [I didnt know how much I cared about having a woman on the court until the day there was a woman on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/i-didnt-know-how-much-i-cared-about-having-a-woman-on-the-court-until/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [Under our system of three branches of government, the courts ultimately are the checks on the legislative and executive branches when they exceed or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/under-our-system-of-three-branches-of-government-the-courts/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [I didn't know how much I cared about having a woman on the court until the day there was a woman on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/i-didn-t-know-how-much-i-cared-about-having-a-woman-on-the-court/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [Well no administration ever wants an independent overseer, and there are very good career people who are in charge of this investigation, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/well-no-administration-ever-wants-an-independent-overseer-and-there/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [Judges have no actual power of enforcement. They don't have troops to carry out orders. They have no power of the purse. Yet our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/judges-have-no-actual-power-of-enforcement-they-don-t-have-troops-to/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [What's really amusing is that you see - when you look at everybody's statements that - on both sides of the aisle, they've talked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/what-s-really-amusing-is-that-you-see-when-you-look-at-everybody-s/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [Throughout our history, the Supreme Court has entered national crises, often preventing presidents from doing what they want to do. Indeed, sometimes the court's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/throughout-our-history-the-supreme-court-has-entered-national-crises/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [ \[On Senator Jesse Helms\] I think he ought to be worried about what's going on in the Good Lord's mind, because if there is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/on-senator-jesse-helms-i-think-he-ought-to-be-worried-about-what-s/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [Sometimes you just gotta cry, but you never,ever do it in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/sometimes-you-just-gotta-cry-but-you-never-ever-do-it-in-public/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [I actually think with age comes some level of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/i-actually-think-with-age-comes-some-level-of-wisdom/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) > [ \[On General William Boykin\] I hope he's not long for this world. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-totenberg/on-general-william-boykin-i-hope-he-s-not-long-for-this-world/) [Nina Totenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) [Explore all 13 Nina Totenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-totenberg/) ## More Back when quotes > [Even the Supreme Court, back when it used to makes sense, the Supreme Court has never ruled that a baby born to illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-the-supreme-court-back-when-it-used-to-makes-sense-the-supreme/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I've been playing videogames since before my career in this business, but what happened is several videogame companies were recruiting students back then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-shimomura/i-ve-been-playing-videogames-since-before-my-career-in-this-business/) Yoko Shimomura > [The origin of nursing started out with prostitutes, who would go care for people in jail. That was back when nobody wanted to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-hewson/the-origin-of-nursing-started-out-with-prostitutes-who-would-go-care/) [Eve Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-hewson/) > [We must not allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose. We cannot afford to use methods of which we will be ashamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-must-not-allow-ourselves-to-become-like-the-system-we-oppose-we/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [When you feel yourself in the grip of an emotion such as jealousy or anger or sorrow, detach yourself from it. Take a step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/when-you-feel-yourself-in-the-grip-of-an-emotion-such-as-jealousy-or/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [We humans have indeed always been adept at dovetailing our minds and skills to the shape of our current tools and aids. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-clark/we-humans-have-indeed-always-been-adept-at-dovetailing-our-minds-and/) Andy Clark > [We shouldn't knee jerk anything. The Iraqi government a few years back, when they had a chance to sign an agreement that would keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/we-shouldn-t-knee-jerk-anything-the-iraqi-government-a-few-years-back/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [Chris Chandler reminds me of my own self way back when - listen to him Now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paxton/chris-chandler-reminds-me-of-my-own-self-way-back-when-listen-to-him/) [Tom Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paxton/) > [Bell, book and candle shall not drive me back, When gold and silver becks me to come on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/bell-book-and-candle-shall-not-drive-me-back-when-gold-and-silver/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I've always hate child stars, starting from way back when, when I was a child. The first child star I saw was Shirley Temple.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-ve-always-hate-child-stars-starting-from-way-back-when-when-i-was-a/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [Help is a conversation. If one side talks too much, the other side will get bored. So make sure you help back when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/help-is-a-conversation-if-one-side-talks-too-much-the-other-side-will/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Back when I was looking for my next step and was researching Gannett, I was interested in who was leading the various businesses within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracia-martore/back-when-i-was-looking-for-my-next-step-and-was-researching-gannett/) [Gracia Martore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracia-martore/) > [In later years, holding forth to an interviewer or to an audience of aging fans at a comic book convention, Sam Clay liked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/in-later-years-holding-forth-to-an-interviewer-or-to-an-audience-of/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [By the time I was twelve, I had started my own theater company and was doing plays in the backyard and the front yard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/by-the-time-i-was-twelve-i-had-started-my-own-theater-company-and-was/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Back when I was training, probably the only nutritious thing on the market was Gatorade-that's all that we knew. But now in this day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-jackson/back-when-i-was-training-probably-the-only-nutritious-thing-on-the/) [Bo Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-jackson/) Browse all 178 Back when quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I saw a Harry Reid statement saying, there's nothing in the Constitution that says the Senate has to act on any presidential nominee. Well, that was back when President Bush was president and vice versa. 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