Harry Reid Excoriates Rand Paul Over Patriot Act Objections After Filibustering it in 2005

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky to task on the Senate floor today, claiming that Paul's opposition to firearms provisions within the Patriot Act amounted to "fighting for an amendment to protect the right - not of average citizens, but of terrorists - to cover up their gun purchases." For his part, Paul responded that "[t]o be attacked of such a belief when I'm here to discuss and debate the constitutionality of the Patriot Act is offensive and I find it personally insulting." The issue being fought over was whether or not the government should have blanket authority to search gun purchase records without judicial approval. Missing from major media coverage of the debate in the Senate was the fact that Harry Reid was accusing a Republican of being in favor of terrorism for questioning a provision of the Patriot Act -- which Harry Reid himself opposed when George W. Bush was president.

Harry Reid, May 26, 2011:

"When the clock strikes midnight tomorrow, we will be giving terrorists the opportunity to plot against our country undetected -- [t]he senator from Kentucky is threatening to take away the best tools we have for stopping them."

Harry Reid, December 16, 2005:

"Think of what happened 20 minutes ago in the United States Senate -- we killed the Patriot Act."

That line was followed by cheers and applause from the assembled Democrats standing behind him. Reid was leading a filibuster against the Patriot Act just as it was about to expire. When George W. Bush was president, objecting to the Patriot Act was portrayed as "a great moment for our Constitution and our democracy and a great moment in the fight against terrorism" by Democrat Russ Feingold. Harry Reid didn't charge to the well of the Senate and accuse Feingold of supporting terrorists for holding up the bill. Harry Reid was one of those cheering him on.

Now that Barack Obama is in the White House, and President Obama wants the Patriot Act renewed, Reid has completely reversed his stance. One could reasonably ask when the mainstream media plans to call him on his apparent politically convenient conversion.

It appears that the Patriot Act's "police state" doesn't concern Harry Reid if his Democrats are the State.