Harry Reid: “I talked to my brother a couple of weeks ago. My brother is 22 months younger than I. We are very close. I talk to him…”

“I talked to my brother a couple of weeks ago. My brother is 22 months younger than I. We are very close. I talk to him as often as I can. He lives alone in rural Nevada. The last time I talked to my brother Larry he was very despondent. His dog had died--Smokey. The dog was almost a cartoon caricature, little short legs, a great big stomach. We used to make fun of my brother's dog, but he loved this dog. My brother was very emotional on the phone. He felt bad about his dog having died. We all know that yesterday Senator Byrd's dog Billy died. My brother's dog was Smokey. This caused me to reflect, of course, as we all do in our lives, on the past. My brother's dog was Smokey, and the dog I grew up with was Smokey, a wonderful dog, part Chow, a great dog. He was a great fighter and protector of us. He could appear very mean, but he wasn't mean at all. But he was somebody I grew up with in rural Nevada. He was a companion and a friend. I still remember him warmly, our dog Smokey. When I reflected on Senator Byrd yesterday, I remembered the speeches he gave on the floor where he talked about Billy Byrd, his dog. It was obvious he cared a great deal about his dog.”