Essentially, outgoing Senator and current Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid thinks that – really, you’re going to love this one – Harry Reid thinks that there’s an organized Republican conspiracy to muck with the Democratic primary in Nevada tomorrow.  Trickery and gimmicks, people!  Trickery and gimmicks! …And possibly spying on people with rays: Reid didn’t actually suggest that, but it sounds like the sort of thing that an old guy with possible neurological damage might shout out in these particular circumstances.

If I don’t seem really concerned at these allegations, well, let me explain that by observing that I’m not.  What Harry Reid is ostensibly worried about is that there may be a horde of Republicans who will illegally descend* upon the Democratic Nevada primary tomorrow and illegally vote in it then illegally vote again in the Republican primary on Tuesday and did we mention that it was all illegal to do that? Because it is. Illegal, that is.

…And, yes, it’s also absolutely pointless in this case. I mean, think about it: who do you want to win the Democratic nomination in Nevada?  The cranky old socialist with strange and dangerous views on how government works? Or Bernie Sanders**? Kind of scratching your head as to which one is worse, right? Well, why do you think that any Republican in Nevada has a better idea than you do over which candidate would be more of a train wreck for Democrats? Or that there’d be a consensus?

What all of this might mean, though, is that maybe Harry Reid is a little worried that Hillary Clinton is going to lose tomorrow – or, worse, win by only 52/48 or something. Just because we know that the Democrats really don’t have a good selection here doesn’t mean that the Democratic establishment is willing to admit it, and there’s money on the table.  A Sanders win would mean that all the cozy crony relationships would be replaced with a whole different bunch of cozy crony relationships, and that must bug Nevada politicians used to operating in a milieu where it’s understood that the house always wins.

So, the Democrats are pre-blaming us for any ‘shenanigans’ that might happen tomorrow. Kind of rude, but what are you going to do? And at that, it’s only rude in absolute terms. By normal Democratic standards these guys are saying ‘hi’ and offering to hold the elevator for us so we can catch it…

Moe Lane

*In the form of an organized conspiracy of College Republicans, apparently.  I suspect that this may be the first time that that particular phrase has been written out in a not entirely sardonic fashion.  or at least on this site.

**Yes, I know.