What? Reid Calls Robert Byrd and Ted Kennedy Greatest Living Americans

In response to a question asking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid if he could name the "greatest living American," Reid responded with "Ted Kennedy" and "Robert Byrd." One problem (possibly among many), the interview was conducted after Kennedy's and Byrd's deaths.*

David Brody [Interviewer]: Can you think of a greatest living American?

Reid: I'm glad I had the opportunity to know Ted Kennedy. Whether you agreed with him or not, what a life he lead with his two brothers being assassinated, his other brother being killed in World War II. And Robert Byrd who just died. What a-- he was in the Congress of the United States for more than 25 percent of the time that we have been a country. That's fairly remarkable.

Is America so bereft of great figures that Reid must reference two deceased Senators? And if he would have rather named a great American who has died, certainly history's buffet offers many more choices than two recently passed liberal political figures.

The interview is part of CBN reporter David Brody's series of upbeat, playful interviews with political figures. In an e-mail to The Blaze, Brody confirmed that the interview was done in late July (released today), but is willing to give Reid the benefit of the doubt on the timeline issue:

To be fair, I think he was simply saying that when he was alive he considered Kennedy the greatest living American so he didn’t qualify it.

*(The story has been updated to correctly reflect that Byrd is the Senator who passed along with Kennedy.)