An MSNBC panel on Wednesday morning blamed Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., for the Democratic Party’s stunning midterm elections losses, claiming that the outgoing-Senate Majority Leader made it almost impossible for vulnerable Democrats to appear moderate.

Reid “never gave the more conservative Democrats a chance to show their independence because he wouldn’t let the votes come up on [the Keystone XL pipeline] and things like that,” MSNBC host Chris Matthews said, playing off remarks made earlier by Meet the Press host Chuck Todd.