Quick Hits From Harry Reid

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) held a conference call with Progressive bloggers this afternoon and, commenting on the Scooter Libby trial, said he has no doubt that the intelligence books were cooked leading to the Iraq war.

"It's obvious that a lot of the intelligence before the Iraq war was manipulated," said Reid. "And that a lot of it came from the vice president's office."

When asked to comment on repeated Republican assertions that those opposing the Bush-McCain Doctrine of escalating the Iraq war are "emboldening the enemy," Reid wondered aloud whether those making such charges also thought their Republican colleagues against the escalation -- such as Senators Warner (R-VA) and Hagel (R-NE) -- were also aiding and abetting the insurgents.

"Anyone who says that is really searching for something meaningful to say," said Reid.

And perhaps the most chilling thing said by Senator Reid was on his gut feel for what's happening at the White House when it comes to Iran.

"I'm getting a lot of the same vibes from this administration that I got prior to Iraq," said the Majority Leader, while making clear his position that negotiating with potential enemies is necessary and a sign of strength, not weakness.

Said Reid: "Nobody should think that you're a peacenik because you're trying to work things out."