as rob said, my name is jim manley. and to clarify shortly, up until last friday, i was the senior communications adviser and spokesman for senator reid. i am now -- i have now joined the ranks of the unemployed while i try and figure out my new options in life. as rob suggested, i have worked on capitol hill for 20 years. i started off as a press assistant for then majority leader, george mitchell, whereas one of my greatest claims to fame is putting together clips every morning. i then worked for senator kennedy, first of all is his press assistant for a year or two. but in 1995 i guess i became his press secretary for the health education committee where ross suggests i have a chance to work on both politics and policy. six years ago, one of the first thing senator reid did after he became democratic leader was to hire me to set up his so-called war room and i was the first -- i was the first after rector for his communications operations. and quite frankly at some point i realized if i do make a choice between manag

as rob said, my name is jim manley. and to clarify shortly, up until last friday, i was the senior communications adviser and spokesman for senator reid. i am now -- i have now joined the ranks of the unemployed while i try and figure out my new options in life. as rob suggested, i have worked on capitol hill for 20 years. i started off as a press assistant for then majority leader, george mitchell, whereas one of my greatest claims to fame is putting together clips every morning. i then worked for senator kennedy, first of all is his press assistant for a year or two. but in 1995 i guess i became his press secretary for the health education committee where ross suggests i have a chance to work on both politics and policy. six years ago, one of the first thing senator reid did after he became democratic leader was to hire me to set up his so-called war room and i was the first -- i was the first after rector for his communications operations. and quite frankly at some point i realized if i do make a choice between manag

. >> i have jim manley in my clutches and i'm not going to let the opportunity get away. the things that speaker boehner said upon taking office was that he wanted to restore what he called regular order in the house of representatives. and by that, i take it to mean that he wanted to have more decision-making at the committee level. the accusation is made about the senate, that leadership also plays a very dominant role in the legislative process, that basically sidestepping committees are taking important decisions away from senate committees and having the final verdict basically shaped. could you comment on that? >> i'm not so sure. you had me until the last part. i think senator reed's -- one of senator reed's strength since he's he's empowered senate chairman. he's a big lever in the committee process that was in contest with then majority leader tom daschle, who oftentimes passed workgroups to do with controversial issues. one of the first decisions senator reid made when he became a democratic leader and then majority leader again was his pledge or vow to again do