searchlight, nevada, found his spirit to our capitol, and that he would exercise his drive and passion and go to distance in this political ring. bless this gathering as we honor his legacy that has touched countless policies and people. now, as he rests from the joy of the work that he has done for this country, having spoken plainly and listened well, may he hear your own well done for his faithful and devoted service to this body and nation. inspire in all who yet serve the same willingness to serve pragmatism even if it is unpopular, and pragmatism that befits this institution. it is your eternal name that we
mentioned in his remarks, i suspect harry himself would not have wanted to sit through this thing. harry did not like being the center of attention. it made him a little awkward. he was uncomfortable when people said too many nice things about him. but as he looks down on us today, harry is going to have to suck it up. because few people have done more for this state and this country than this driven, brilliant, sometimes irascible, deeply good man from searchlight, nevada.
side, to stick with me even when things weren t going my way. my poll numbers had gone down and some democrats thought it might be prudent to maintain a healthy distance from me. his willingness to be there and fight last throughout my presidency. it s a debt to him that i could never fully repay. like every great leader, he led the democratic caucus, just not by speaking, but by listening. by hearing all points of view and finding common ground. harry cared so much about his fellow americans and so little about what anybody thought of him. it was all searchlight, no spot spotlight. reid died late last month at the age of 82 after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
i don t want to do it. save the money. feed the poor. harry reid. his modesty made him unique, you might say, in politics. but his humility was rooted in his strong values from a humble childhood, rising from searchlight to the spotlight and becoming one of the most celebrated and consequential senate leaders in history. yet, throughout his more than four decades of public service and even at the highest levels, he never forgot his north star, to fight for working families like his own and to fight for nevada. indeed, harry loved his home state, you know that. he did everything he could to ensure nevadaens voices were heard. whether protecting the state s natural environment or its political environment, especially its coveted role in the presidential selection
families like his, and it speaks to the point that senator moseley braun made f. you look at harry reid s life, his journey from rock miner s son to being senate majority leader, alex, is so cinematic, parts of it seem invented, even though they re not. his father was a rock miner who died by suicide. he was also an alcoholic. his mother was then left to raise the family, and in this tiny speck of a town, searchlight, nevada, the only two industries were mining and prostitution, and she made money for the family by doing the laundry of the local brothels, and that really is what harry reid was born into. and from there, he was an amateur boxer. he had a stint as a capitol police officer, in fact. and worked his way up to the top of nevada politics and ultimately became senate majority leader. and it s former president barack obama who said that harry reid never lost that chip on his shoulder. and so, yes, he was known for being tough and tenacious. he was tactically ruthless as a