Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:44 pm
Instead of a statement after Harry Reid’s passing, former president Barack Obama shared the final letter that he wrote to Reid.
President Obama provided the letter to PolitcusUSA:
Harry,
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I got the news that the health situation has taken a rough turn and that it’s hard to talk on the phone. Which, let’s face it, is not that big of a change cause you never liked to talk on the phone anyway!
Here’s what I want you to know. You were a great leader in the Senate, and early on you were more generous to me than I had any right to expect. I wouldn’t have been president had it not been for your encouragement and support, and I wouldn’t have got most of what I got done without your skill and determination.
Most of all, you’ve been a good friend. As different as we are, I think we both saw something of ourselves in each other – a couple of outsiders who had defied the odds and knew how to take a punch and cared about the little guy. And you know what, we made for a pretty good team.
Enjoy your family, and know you are loved by a lot of people, including me. The world is better cause of what you’ve done. Not bad for a skinny, poor kid from Searchlight.
– Barack
Obama And The Nation Owe Harry Reid A Debt That Can’t Be Repaid
President Obama was correct. He likely would not have gone down in history as such a successful president without the skill of Harry Reid. As Senate Majority Leader, Reid got Obamacare through the Senate. The Obama stimulus and the saving of the US auto industry all would not have happened without Harry Reid.
Obama, Pelosi, and Reid were a formidable team that got much done for a nation that needed it during the Great Recession.
If President Biden is remembered as a successful president, it will be partly because of his partnership with Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi.
President Obama’s letter was touching because he said goodbye to his friend and reminded him that he did make this world a better place through his efforts.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
