Harry Reid: One-word answers from now on — or maybe not

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned reporters this week that he would no longer be giving long answers to questions. 

ITK kind of likes short answers, especially because many in the Senate are very good at providing long, filibuster-like responses to the media.

Reid on Tuesday said, “Everybody, the reason I’m giving these little short answers today is I had a lesson recently about one of my predecessors, Sen. [Mike] Mansfield [D-Mont.]. And one reason he had so few problems with the press is he answered all of his questions yes and no. So I think I’m going to start doing that.”

But then mere seconds later, Reid broke his own rule.

Asked about the two Mormons in the presidential race, Reid stunned the Capitol Hill press corps by providing a detailed answer, and picking his favorite White House hopeful. 

“If I had a choice I would favor [Jon] Huntsman over [Mitt] Romney,” he said, bashing the former Massachusetts governor as a flip-flopper. 

On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Sun noted why Reid has a soft spot for Huntsman: Members of Huntsman’s family have donated nearly $25,000 to the majority leader.

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