Liberal Groups' Attack Ads on Moderate Dems Not Helpful: Reid

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says left-wing groups shouldn’t run ads pressuring moderate Democrats into backing President Obama’s budget, Politico reports. “I think it’s very unwise and not helpful,” Reid said today of the efforts by Moveon.org and Americans United for Change to convert moderate Dems. “These groups should leave them alone. It’s not helpful to me. It’s not helpful to the Democratic Caucus.”

The ads’ targets include a group of 16 Democratic Senators who have been meeting to consolidate political capital. Reid stressed that all shades of political persuasion had a place in Congress: “I’m not one who is going to be driven by people on the extremes, saying it’s only my way or no way,” Reid said. “That’s not the way legislation works.” (More Harry Reid stories.)