Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid praised President Obama’s “humility” in a Wednesday floor speech that thanked him for his leadership, and claimed Obama is the best political communicator of his lifetime.
The Nevada Democrat said he recalled one of Obama’s first floor speeches as a senator, in which he opposed President George W. Bush’s defense policy.
“It was eloquent, thoughtful, powerful,” Reid recalled. “I was so impressed that following his speech … I walked up to him and I said, ‘Senator, that was really terrific. That was really good.'”
“And I’ll never forget his response,” Reid said. “He looked at me without hesitation, without any braggadocio, no conceit, and with humility, looked up at me and said, ‘I have a gift.'”
“This wasn’t a boast, this was a fact,” Reid said. “I’ve never met anyone with the ability to communicate as well as Barack Obama.”
Both Reid and Obama are about to leave office, as Reid didn’t run again for his Senate seat, and Obama is about to finish two terms in the White House.
“We’re leaving together, and I cannot think of a better person with whom to leave public service than Barack Obama,” Reid said.
