George,

I would add this to Uriah Field's excellent comment on Reid's remarks. Harry Reid was among the very first persons to say to Obama that he thought Obama did not really enjoy being a senator, wanted to be an executive. Reid did not want him to run for governor of Illinois (a possibility). He suggested to Obama that he run for president. And, as Uriah points out, what he said, in private, indicates one reason why he thought Obama could win.

Paul Gaston (Electronic mail, January 14, 2010)