Here in Las Vegas, attendees of the Netroots Nation conference are taking their seats for a question and answer session with Majority Leader Harry Reid. A live video feed is below, and I'll be blogging the session live.
Update 1: Things are about to get underway, but before they do, allow me to point out the latest Angle-ism, in which she claims that she already apologized for saying unemployment benefits coddle workers, but restating her opposition to them. She also says, and I quote:
"Creating jobs is never the job of government, and we've seen that through the stimulus."
I guess at least she's acknowledging the stimulus created jobs, even though she thinks that's a bad thing.
Update 2: Joan McCarter, the moderator of this afternoon's session, has just walked and stage and kicked off the program. Reid will be appearing shortly.
Update 3: A mostly standing ovation along with cheers and applause for Sen. Reid. Reid's first comment: asking the audience to recognize Lt. Dan Choi for his heroic leadership in the same week that he was "wrongfully" discharged from the military, in Reid's words. Reid said Choi illustrates the need to end DADT.
Update 4: Next, Reid compares the Netroots to the revolutionary pamphleteers who helped deliver independence to America, and casts it as an essential tool for democratizing the media, which he says has all to often become a tool of the "rich and the powerful" to expand their political influence and control. Now, he says, the Netroots gives citizens the power to "overpower the powerful." (Small update: the Netroots are a "megaphone for the masses."
Update 5: "I'm told, there are times I get on your nerves. (Laughter.) And there's also times when you get on my nerves. (More laughter.)"
Update 6: Reid says he's glad the blogosphere is expanding, noting that there are more than one-quarter million users registered at Daily Kos.
Update 7: Reid lists the accomplishments of this Congress, including health care reform, Wall Street reform, national service program, public land reforms, emergency unemployment benefits, and the Lily Ledbetter act. Reid thanks bloggers in general for helping to pass these laws, singling out Joan McCarter. Reid says he knows many progressives wanted more -- and he says he does too. Specifically, he says he wants a public option. And he says that we will eventually get one -- it's just a question of when.
Update 8: Reid blasts Republican obstruction, and says the biggest problem with the GOP is that there are only two moderate Republican Senators -- that every other Republican Senator is an extremist, far to the right a significant portion of the GOP base.
Update 9: Reid addresses the filibuster, saying that the GOP's abuse of the filibuster is novel in American history. He says we have no national energy policy because of the Republican filibuster. But, he says, "we're not going to do nothing because we don't have a partner on the other side." Reid says that the energy legislation he'll introduce on Monday is not the comprehensive reform we need, and that once it passes, the fight will continue. He calls it the first step and says it will focus on safety in the wake of the BP disaster and efficiency and job creation through the Home Start program.
Update 10: Reid ends his speech focusing on the importance of winning in November, underscoring that what's at stake in this election isn't just partisan control of Congress, but also the well-being of the American people and the strength of the economy. Next up: Q&A.
Update 11: At the start the Q&A period, Joan McCarter presents to Majority Leader Reid a token from Lt. Dan Choi: his ring from West Point, a reminder of the importance of ending DADT. Reid says when the bill repealing DADT is signed into law, he'll return the ring to Choi, because, he says, Choi is the one who earned the ring. Choi then walked on stage and thanked Reid for his pledge.
Update 12: On energy reform: Reid walks through the procedural road blocks that the GOP has put in place. He says that perhaps some work can be done in the lame duck session, and recognizes that comprehensive reform still must be passed.
Update 13: On immigration reform, Reid -- as with energy reform -- says that we need it, but expresses frustration that the very same Republicans who say it is a federal problem refuse to allow the Senate to move forward on reform, singling out Jon Kyl and John McCain in particular for criticism. Reid says immigration reform "is not amnesty, it's fairness." On the DREAM Act, Reid says passing it is of critical importance. He says that to bring it to floor, he wants 60 votes, because he doesn't want to bring it to a vote unless it can pass.
Update 14: On Social Security, Reid blast the GOP myth that Social Security is in peril of going broke. "Social Security is the most successful social program in the history of the world." He says that that to strengthen Social Security for the long-term, the trust fund needs to be repaid and fraud within the program needs to be reduced.
Update 15: On the filibuster: "We're going to change it." Reid says he is working with Charles Schumer to develop rule changes that would end the abuse by Republicans of the filibuster.
Update 16: The program concludes with Reid offering his thoughts on the career and passing of Senators Ted Kennedy and Robert C. Byrd, two of his great friends and heroes. At the conclusion of his remarks, Reid gets another round of applause from the attendees.
