Harry Reid: “I have heard, since I have been in Washington these many years, about what a tough town it is. I rarely have felt that…”

“I have heard, since I have been in Washington these many years, about what a tough town it is. I rarely have felt that in my work here. But today I feel what some have said. For Harriet Miers, this is a tough town. Here is a fine woman, gentle and kind, has a lengthy career. Her record: First woman to become a member of a large law firm in Texas; first woman to be president of the Dallas Bar Association. The Dallas Bar Association is larger than most State bar associations. She followed that with being the president of the Texas Bar Association, one of the three or four largest bar associations in the United States. She has served in elective office for a short period. She has had extensive experience in the courts. I was in Texas this past weekend with a bunch of Democratic lawyers, members of the Democratic Party. They all said the nicest things about Harriet Miers. She was a fine litigator. It is no secret I thought she would be an appropriate nomination for the President. I suggested that to the President in a meeting that was attended by the distinguished majority leader. I believe the 35 to 40 percent of the people who have served on the Supreme Court with no judicial experience before getting there have been equally as good as those people who have come to the Court with judicial experience.…”