Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid ( born December 2, 1939 in Searchlight, Nevada ) is an American politician and one of the representatives of Nevada in the United States Senate. He is a member of the Democratic Party, the party leader in the Senate, and thus also currently Majority Leader.
Political Biography
Harry Reid in 1939 as the third of four sons of a miner Harry Reid Sr. († 1972) and his wife Inez († 1980) in the small and at that time counted no more than 200 inhabitants, mining town of Searchlight in Clark County at the extreme southern tip Nevada, approximately 80 kilometers south of Las Vegas, was born. He grew up with his brothers, Don, Dale and Larry on in extreme poverty. His father worked in a local gold mine, his mother cleaned the laundry for some of the many brothels in Searchlight. In the small town there was only one elementary school that taught only up to the eighth grade, so that Reid was forced to go from 1953 to the Basic High School, about 50 miles distant industrial city of Henderson ( near Las Vegas ). Because of the large distance Reid lived during school hours in Henderson with his father's relatives and drove only occasionally on the weekends home.
On the Basic High School he met Landra Gould Joy ( born June 9, 1940) know, the girl that he, after both had graduated from school in 1959, married. 1961 was the first child of the couple - daughter Lana - born. This was followed by the sons Rory (born 1962 ), Leif (* 1968), Josh ( b. 1971 ) and Key ( born 1974 ). After high school graduation Reid enabled various scholarships first visit to the Southern Utah State College in Cedar City, then studying at Utah State University in Logan take. 1961 Reid concluded his studies at Utah State University and then went to the Faculty of Law ( School of Law ) of the George Washington University in Washington, DC, to here in 1964 to study law with a JD ( Juris Doctor) to finish. At the time of his graduate studies from 1961 to 1964 Reid earned a living for his young family by night he worked as a U.S. Capitol police officer. After he had received his admission ( admission to the Nevada bar), he worked from 1964 to 1966 as an attorney in Henderson, Nevada.
In the years 1968 to 1970 he was a deputy in the Parliament of the State of Nevada (Nevada Assembly). In the years 1970 to 1974 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Governor Mike O'Callaghan below. He applied for the first time in 1974 for a seat in the U.S. Senate, but lost to Republican Paul Laxalt. After a few years in the House of Representatives of the United States 1986, he was elected to the Senate for Nevada, which he belongs since then. There he sits amongst the powerful investment committee. Reid is advertising the introduction of the entry fee.
Prior to the 2010 Senate elections Reid was in the polls long as a candidate for disqualification of the Democrats. It was not until just before the election, he managed to get away from his Republican opponent Sharron Angle and ultimately just carry the day. Since his party also retained the majority of Senate seats, Reid occurs in January 2011 a further term as Majority Leader. His son Rory applied simultaneously to the Office of the Governor of Nevada, but was defeated by Republican Brian Sandoval.
Criticism
During the election campaign for the American presidency in 2008, Reid said he believed Barack Obama for a good candidate because he is " a light-skinned black " and that " no Negro dialect " speak. The American media landscape responded with critical reporting on the above statement. Reid apologized to Barack Obama for the choice of words and this explained the case settled.
Private life
Reid is married and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints.