Harry Reid Announces He Won’t Run for Re-Election, Compares Himself to an Athlete

SENATOR REID: "These bruises I have on my face, on my eye, are an inconvenience. But trust me, they're nothing compared to some the bruises I got when I was fighting in ring. When I was a boy, I dreamed of being an athlete. I've listened to those games on the radio, baseball games, and I envisioned me as a man out in the centerfield in Yankee stadium or Fenway Park in Boston. But the joy I've gotten with the work that I've done for the people of State of Nevada, has been just as fulfilling as if I had played centerfield at Yankee Stadium. The job of minority leader in the United States Senate is just as important as being a majority leader. It gives you so much opportunity to do good things for this country and that's what I him focused on. But this accident has caused us for the first time to have a little downtime. I have had time to ponder and to think. We've got to be more concerned about the country, the Senate, the State of Nevada, then us. And as a result of that, I am not going to run for reelection. My friend Senator McConnell, don't be too elated. I am going to be here for 22 months and you know what I'm going to be doing? The same thing I've done to take since I first came to the Senate. We have to make sure that the Democrats take control the Senate again and I feel it is inappropriate for me to soak up all those resources on me when I could be devoting those resources to the Caucus and that's what I intend to do. The decision I've made has absolutely nothing to do with my injury. It has nothing to do with me being minority leader and it certainly has nothing to with my ability to be reelected because the path to reelection is much easier that probably it has been anytime that I've run for reelection."

MRS. REID: "I get a little upset sometimes when I hear politicians say that they're going to go and spend time with their family after they decide that they're not going to be in politics anymore. He is a wonderful husband and a wonderful father so that's been more important than the other things that he has done with his life."

SENATOR REID: "Someone of my background, my upbringing, to have the experience I've had is really a miracle and I want people of the State of Nevada to know that I am so grateful and I have done my best. I haven't been perfect I've really tried my hardest to represent the people of the State of Nevada."