“…so just then, the sea cucumber looks over to the mollusk and says: with friends like these, who needs anemones.” ~ Finding Nemo

Harry Reid has not had a good year. Failure on health care and the likelihood that he will lose in November is the injury. Now here is the insult. Harry’s choice to become U.S. District Judge in Nevada got mixed reviews from the ABA.

According to the association’s 15-member Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, a “substantial majority,” consisting of 10 to 13 members, rated Navarro “qualified,” while a minority rated her “not qualified.” The bar shares its ratings in an advisory capacity with the White House and the Senate, which votes on the nominees.

Showing the ineptitude that led to his sinking poll numbers in Nevada, Harry lashes out at the ABA rating as meaningless.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., criticized the American Bar Association on Thursday, saying it should “get a new life” in how it rates prospective federal judges, after one of his choices got a mixed review.

In remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Reid said the bar association’s ratings board puts too much weight on whether judicial nominees have prior bench experience and overlooks “real world” qualifications.

Apparently forgetting that the interwebs has a long memory (like over five minutes), Harry seems to have forgotten that he argued the exact opposite last year when Sonia Sotomayor was nominated to SCOTUS. At the time, some Republicans were questioning her qualifications and Harry said this.

Today, Senator Graham suggested that Judge Sotomayor has a poor judicial temperament and suggested she may be a “bully” on the bench.

Judge Sotomayor has demonstrated in this hearing her even and pleasant temperament in the face of difficult questioning.

The ABA’s unanimous “well qualified” rating is the best indicator of Judge Sotomayor’s temperament.

Oops. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

When they say what he wants, the ABA is the best indicator and when they don’t, they are not in touch with reality and should “get a new life.”

Oh Harry. You will be sorely missed.

One bit of advice Harry. When you and Patrick Kennedy are all packed and ready to leave Washington this November with the contents of your offices secure in the U-haul, you should do the driving. Just sayin’.