The Closing Argument: Part 1

No, that's not a fabrication. That's what we're seeing here in Nevada. Harry Reid has been out and about, talking with Nevadans about what we want to see done. And Sharron Angle?



I guess when one constantly insults our very state, she has to stay in hiding.



And that's essentially the closing argument the GOP is making here... They're not expecting us to think. They're not expecting us to realize what kind of damage she'd cause our state. They're not expecting us to realize why we're in the mess we're in.

They're wrong.

We haven't forgotten. They're just betting on amnesia.



Tom Breitling, the famous local entrepreneur who made history with his online hotel reservation system (that was later merged into Expedia) and who later joined with Tim Poster to bring life back into The Golden Nugget, just dropped something pretty major...

I am not the kind of guy who walks into the voting booth and checks all the boxes on the Democratic side of the ballot. It’s important for you to understand that because it brings more meaning to what I’m about to say. I am pro-business. I am conservative. My track record demonstrates that.

I believe in creating a culture where innovative ideas power businesses that give every level of society a better future. In short, I generally line up on the Republican side although, like many Nevadans, I tend to vote for whom I feel is the best candidate.

Which is why I feel it important to come out and tell you that on Election Day I will enter the voting booth and check the box next to our Democratic U.S. senator, Harry Reid.

Why? It’s very simple. I don’t need to cite a long list of statistics to tell you how hard our state has been pounded by the recession. I only need to ask one question: Which candidate for Senate stands the best chance of lifting our state out of its current problems?

Do we put our faith in Sen. Reid, a man who has been an economic and political force in Nevada for 40 years, who wields great influence as the Senate majority leader and who has the ability to protect Nevada with his knowledge of the Senate and its inner workings? Or do we put our faith in Sharron Angle, who would have no status as a freshman senator?

Think about it. Tom Breitling did.

This is no time to lose his experience and influence. Nor is it time to endure a learning curve for a freshman senator who would be scrambling to gain on-the-job training. Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the nation. We need results now.

Sen. Reid has protected Nevada in the past and this will be his legacy term. We need him to enhance a business climate that will create well-paying jobs. We need him to help Las Vegas recharge itself. He knows how to do this because he understands the qualities that have made Las Vegas great in the past. He recognizes that those same qualities, along with real innovation and dedication, will ensure the city’s vibrancy in the future.

We need someone like Sen. Reid, who has been, and will continue to be, responsive to the needs of the gaming industry that is so vital to the economic well-being of Las Vegas. To my knowledge, Mrs. Angle hasn’t even taken the time to reach out to its key players. I have no idea what solutions she plans to bring to the table. All we seem to hear from her are attacks on Sen. Reid.

For Mrs. Angle to remain aloof and avoid communication with this state’s largest industry is not only a huge disappointment, but it also suggests an ominous future. Mrs. Angle seems to pride herself on her independence and the inflexibility of her positions. But we know that during her tenure in the Nevada Legislature, these traits left her isolated and ineffective. These are hardly the characteristics we need to help get things done for Nevada. A vote for Mrs. Angle is a vote to replace a savvy train engineer with someone who doesn’t understand how the engine runs.

Nope, we don't need this kind of crazy. We need someone who can deliver good results. Harry Reid can. Sharron Angle can't.

Now I know he isn't perfect. Trust me, I know.

But right now, we don't have "perfection" on the ballot. (And frankly, I wonder if "perfection" can win in a volatile climate like this.)

We have Harry Reid. And he's not just our best choice... He's really our only choice to get this state and this country back on track.

He may not be the most glamorous politician around...



But he's done plenty to help Nevada in our time of need.











We can't afford to lose the Majority Leader. We can't afford to lose someone who's listening to us. We can't afford to lose the kind of expertise that Reid has on all things Nevada.

We need Harry Reid... It's really as simple as that.