Barbara Boxer: “Senator Harry Reid and I were both elected to the House in 1982, and over the last 34 years, Harry has become more than…”

“Senator Harry Reid and I were both elected to the House in 1982, and over the last 34 years, Harry has become more than a colleague to me. He is like family. I call him the ``brother I never had,'' and he calls me the ``sister he never had.'' Only a brother can hang up on you like Harry does. And because a sister's job is to embarrass her brother, I want to talk today about Harry's incredible, extraordinary career and how much he means to me. Harry, his wife, Landra, my husband, Stewart, and I have all grown to be dear friends and enjoy quiet dinners together. Stew and I even invited them to stay with us in our California desert home once--where I cooked, much to Harry's disbelief. Theirs is a truly beautiful love story. They met in high school and have been together ever since. There was one incident early on that could have derailed them. When Harry went to pick Landra up for a date, her father, a Jewish immigrant, was opposed to his daughter dating a man with no religion. But that wasn't going to stop Harry. He actually got into a fistfight with his future father-in-law and punched him in the face. As Harry simply said, ``It wasn't the greatest beginning.'' But love always prevails. Harry and Landra eloped during college, and Landra's parents eventually came around to supporting them. And throughout Harry's career--throughout every campaign, every election, every bump in the road--Landra has been by Harry's side, and he by hers.…”