Thread by @AriRabinHavt

Harry Reid man what a life: (a thread)

Reid was the dirt-poor son of an alcoholic hard rock gold miner who grew up in Searchlight, Nevada, a failed mining community in the middle of the desert. His mom made ends meet by doing laundry for some of the thirteen local brothels.

Reid, “learned to swim at a whorehouse.” He credits the owner of that brothel, Willie Martello, with teaching him “honesty” and giving him his largest Christmas present every year: a five-dollar bill. (This happened to be the price of services at His establishment, the El Ray.)

Reid hitchhiked 45 miles to high school, boxed his way to college, worked as a Capitol Police officer through law school at George Washington University, and rose through Nevada’s political ranks when his high school boxing coach and mentor, Mike O’Callaghan, became governor.

He was the gaming commissioner caricatured in the Martin Scorsese movie Casino, who in reality shut down the mob and paved the way for the corporate casinos that now line the Strip.

His car was bombed, with the FBI watching, he beat up singer LaToya Jackson’s future husband after he attempted to bribe him. Reid rose through the Senate to become majority leader by being one of the most hard- nosed and smartest inside players ever to walk in the chamber.

A friend of his once told me that the desert outside Las Vegas was littered with the bodies of those who stood in his way. He was speaking hyperbolically (I think), but also paying Reid a compliment.

The proudest moment of his life was not a political accomplishment, but when, as a teenager, he saved enough money doing work after school that he could afford to buy his mother a new set of teeth.

Harry Reid could be blunt. He would hang up the phone without saying goodbye. But he was also one of the sweetest humans I have ever met. I was lucky to have worked for him. He taught us to fight and taught us to care.