Harry Reid's definition of the real world

He has accused judges of the Supreme Court and the American Bar Association of not living in the real world--you know--the one he experienced! James Taranto in Best of the Web [Feb. 12] takes a look at his resume.

Here is a list of the jobs Harry Reid has held, according to his congressional biography: U.S. Capitol police officer (1961-64); city attorney of Henderson, Nev. (1964-66); state assemblyman (1969-70); lieutenant governor (1970-74); Nevada Gaming Commission chairman (1977-81); U.S. representative (1983-87); U.S. senator (1987-present).

By our count, Reid's 50-year career spans some 33 years in elected office, 8 in appointed office (city attorney and the gambling commission), and 3 in a patronage position (the Capitol police). That leaves only about six years during which he might have been in the private sector, most recently in 1982, though during part of that time he must have been busy campaigning for his seats in the Assembly and the House.

Didn't his mother ever teach him that parable about stones and glass houses?