Reid: I'll announce my decision on Iran deal when Senate reconvenes

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he has yet to make up his mind on the Iran deal, but indicated he will announce his decision when he returns to DC next month.

Reid, in a gaggle with reporters after a speech to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, seemed to say he was going to talk to longtime supporters in rthe Jewish community before delcaring his position. Reid also appeared to be saying that he owed them an audience before announcing his stance, which I took as a "I'm probably going for it but I need to let them know first" message. 

It's hard to believe that after what the president has done for Reid (and vice-versa) and how close they have been that he would desert Barack Obama on this issue. But Reid can be, ahem, mercurial.

Here's exactly what he said on the deal at the Four Seasons in Las Vegas:

JR:           Senator, can you talk a little bit about how you’re going to make your decision on the Iran deal?

HR:   I have a folder, I’m going to San Francisco as I’ve mentioned, I’ve got a folder there full of Iran stuff....I got some people I have to visit with, make sure that I don’t offend anyone.  For me, I think every one of these votes is a very personal vote.  Jon Tester from Montana just came out today.  It’s a matter of conscience, and I’m going to make my decision.  And I want to be as deliberate as I need to be and I will be.

JR:   What more information do you need that you don’t have?

HR:   Jon, I have some papers I need to study.  I have finished reading this document, a hundred and some odd pages.  But the one thing I need to do, I have people I need to meet, I need to meet with people who have been very good to me over the years.

JR:   Who are you talking about, senator?

JR:   Well it’s a very personal thing.   You can probably figure out who some of them are and I haven’t done that. 

KSNV's Jeff Gillan:   Senator, did you agree with the Administration, if the deal is voted down, Iran gets a nuclear weapon virtually immediately within the next year?

HR:  Well you don’t need to hear that from me.  Ask anyone from Israel, they’ll tell you that.  That’s what Israel’s been saying for some time.

JR: Senator, just one more question on Iran.  Have you set yourself a timetable?

HR   I know I will probably make the second speech when we get back.  (Mitch) O’Connell will make the first, we’ll make the second.

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