Politics

McCaskill On Vote Against Harry Reid: Dems Got ‘Walloped’ In Midterms, We Need Change [VIDEO]

Al Weaver Reporter
Font Size:

In the wake of her vote against new-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill told CBS’s Bob Schieffer that change in leadership in the Democratic ranks is “common sense” after getting “walloped” in the midterm elections nearly two weeks ago.

McCaskill was joined in opposition to Reid by Democrats from Republican or Republican leaning states: West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and the Virginia duo of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

“You were one of, I think, at least six Democrats who voted against Harry Reid to be — to stay on as your leader in the Senate,” said Schieffer. “Is leadership among Democrats one of the problems here?”

“This was a message from the American people. Our party got walloped and I think they’re saying we need to change what we’re doing, and I think change starts with leadership,” said McCaskill. “It’s just common sense, and it’s not complicated.”

“I think we have to begin to find those things we can work on together,” the Missouri Democrat said, pointing out members of the GOP and Democrats do indeed have areas of agreement, such as national security and infrastructure.

“If we get out of this mode of trying to make the other guys look bad, and get back to working on things we can agree on. That’s why, as the moderate middle in the Senate, I hope to be somebody who is driving people to the center instead of the politics of today which had tendency to be on the edges.”