Reid to Seek to Strip Immunity From Wiretap Measure (Update2)

By Nicholas Johnston

June 20 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid left open the possibility he could support electronic- surveillance legislation that he has publicly criticized in the past.

Reid said the Senate may try to remove a provision from the bill that shields telephone companies from privacy lawsuits. Holding a separate vote on that issue next week may provide political cover for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Even though the attempt may fail, Reid said the vote would allow those opposed to the liability protection to ``express their views.''

``I'm going to try real hard to have a separate vote on immunity,'' Reid said in an interview to be aired this weekend on Bloomberg Television's ``Political Capital with Al Hunt.'' ``Probably we can't take that out of the bill, but I'm going to try.''

While he said he is ``totally opposed to immunity,'' the Nevada senator said ``we'll have to see,'' when asked whether he would support the wiretapping measure, which passed the House today with the backing of 105 of 236 Democrats, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi. President George W. Bush endorsed the House plan, which puts Bush's terrorist-surveillance program under court supervision and would end more than 40 lawsuits against AT&T Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp. and other companies.

`Legitimate Threats'

Obama, 46, said today he would back the House legislation. In a statement, he said, ``given the legitimate threats we face,'' it was important to provide ``effective intelligence- collection tools with appropriate safeguards.'' The Illinois senator opposed an earlier proposal, and he said he would also try next week to remove the immunity provision.

Turning to presidential politics, Reid replied ``absolutely'' when asked if Al Gore would make a good running mate for Obama, and said the former vice president is ``one of America's all-time great heroes.''

He conceded the chances may be slim that Gore could be persuaded to take the job. Asked about the likelihood that Obama's former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, would be asked to join the ticket, Reid was less enthusiastic. He said he has ``tremendous affection'' for her, though ``the only person who can determine that is Barack Obama.''

McCain's `Temperament'

Reid, 68, also renewed his attacks on the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona. McCain, he said, ``doesn't have the temperament to be president'' and has a worse temper than either Presidents Bill Clinton or Lyndon Johnson.

Reading from a piece of paper he pulled from his wallet, Reid quoted Senator Thad Cochran, a Mississippi Republican, who in a January newspaper interview called McCain ``erratic'' and ``hotheaded'' and said the thought of a McCain presidency ``sends a cold chill down my spine.''

``This isn't a quote of Harry Reid, it's a quote of one of the most distinguished Republican senators,'' Reid said. ``That's how a Republican feels about John McCain. I think that says it all.''

Reid wouldn't say whether there would be an ethics committee investigation of the preferential mortgages that Democratic Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd received from Countrywide Financial Corp.

New Rules

In the meantime, Reid said Senate ethics rules should be changed to require senators to list their outstanding home loans.

``Right now, that's not required,'' Reid said. ``I think the rules should be changed so that you do list your mortgages.''

He said the Democrats were unlikely to expel Senator Joe Lieberman from their caucus next year. Reid said he was thankful for the votes of Lieberman, a McCain supporter and independent from Connecticut, who caucuses with the Democrats and often allows the party to preserve its 51-49 majority in the Senate.

While Lieberman has publicly criticized Obama and supports Republicans on Iraq war issues, Reid said a number of Democratic initiatives wouldn't have been passed without his support.

``We could not have gotten a budget but for Joe Lieberman's vote,'' Reid said. ``There are issues like that that have occurred over the last 18 months that we depend on Joe Lieberman for a vote.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 20, 2008 17:11 EDT

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