Reid, a Democrat and a former Senate majority leader, made headlines January 2 after he called US President Donald Trump "the worst president we've ever had."
"I think he is without question the worst president we've ever had. We've had some bad ones, and there's not even a close second to him," Reid said in an interview for New York Times Magazine, adding of Trump that "he'll lie. He'll cheat. You can't reason with him."
Reid, who himself stepped down from political service in 2017 to treat his pancreatic cancer, has been a vocal critic of Trump ever since the business mogul and reality TV star launched his presidential campaign.
"He is not immoral but is amoral," Reid said in an interview. "Amoral is when you shoot someone in the head, it doesn't make a difference. No conscience."
"[The media] never label Trump as a racist. But he is a racist. Donald Trump is a racist. Racist is a term I don't throw around lightly," Reid said at the time.
"We've all, with rare exception… have said things that are not politically correct. But I don't know of anyone that, when that happens, doesn't acknowledge it and, if necessary, apologize quickly. But Donald Trump doesn't believe the racist things he does and says are wrong," he added.
However, some netizens with longer political memories were not impressed by Reid's latest outburst. In fact, they pointed out the former Democrat's own less-than-stellar record on lies and apologies.
"The fact Harry Reid, who admitted to lying about Romney's tax returns, is now telling people what the truth is — amazing," Twitter user MooStache wrote, providing a link to a 2016 Washington Post report.
Jimmy Carter hands down. Obama way up there as horrific. The fact Harry Reid, who admitted to lying about Romney's tax returns, is now telling people what the truth is — amazing.https://t.co/nbf7fn22d1
— MooStache (ex Democrat) (@Moostached) 2 января 2019 г.
According to the report, during the 2012 presidential campaign, Reid, then Senate majority leader, accused Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney of having not paid any taxes over the entire previous decade.
However, Reid's escapade was a blow to Romney's campaign, and Reid actually took personal pride in it. Apparently, Reid's motto then was "victory at any cost": years later, he was asked about his misstatement and brushed it off.
"When pressed by CNN's Dana Bash last year about continuing to defend a statement that is not true, Reid responded, ‘Romney didn't win, did he?'" the Washington Post wrote in 2016.
Another interview with the Washington Post, written by Ben Terris, raises the question: "Is there a line [Reid] wouldn't cross when it comes to political warfare?"
Reid himself immediately provided the answer: "I don't know what that line would be."
"It doesn't really matter if what he said about Romney's taxes is wrong. All that matters is that Romney lost," Cillizza wrote. "Few politicians… are as willing as Reid to speak publicly about their disregard for the truth in pursuit of victory. His view on how to win in politics is both remarkable and remarkably depressing."
So, what did you say about "amoral," again, Mr. Reid?
