Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., just called off the weeklong Columbus Day recess Senators were planning to take to visit family and hold meetings with constituents.
Reid made the announcement on the Senate floor, saying “with all the things going on here, it just would not be right for us to take that week off.”
Of course, Reid is referring to health care reform, and he hopes to bring a bill to the Senate floor by the end of October, perhaps even during the week of the now-cancelled recess.
The Senate schedule will also be packed with votes on spending bills.
But there is probably a much bigger reason Reid called off the break and his decision was politically smart.
Keeping Senators in town will shield them from potential health care reform backlash similar to what developed over the August break at town hall meetings all over the country. October will be a critical time for convincing Senators to go along with a health care reform bill and Reid still needs to come up with a bill that can attract 60 votes. It’s rare for a Senate majority leader to cancel a recess, but Reid’s challenge on health care is unprecedented so it is no surprising.
