Harry Reid obituary

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Veteran Nevada senator who shepherded and protected Obamacare on its difficult passage into law

During a long, combative career in US political life, Harry Reid, who has died aged 82, made his most telling contribution as Democrat majority leader in the Senate. There, in 2010, he pushed through and then vigorously defended President Barack Obama’s groundbreaking healthcare reforms.

Given the huge strength of Republican feeling against “Obamacare”, the president needed a streetfighter to drive his measures through to the statute book – and Reid was the man for the job. Quietly spoken but toughened by a hard early life and years spent swimming in the shark-infested waters of Nevada politics, he fought through the deeply polarised atmosphere that surrounded Obama’s health reforms to shepherd the Affordable Care Act through the Democrat-controlled Senate.

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Schumer floats new plan to end McConnell obstruction 

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Senator Harry Reid has passed away at the age of 82, leaving behind a historic legacy. Famous for his low-key style, Reid helped passed Wall Street reform and led the fight securing Senate votes for Obamacare. MSNBC’s Ari Melber reflects on his contributions to America with Obama vet David Plouffe and highlights the lessons Democrats in the Biden era could learn from Reid as they try to end Mitch McConnell's obstruction and push key agenda items across the finish line. 

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