Reid raises temper issue

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the latest Democrat to warn about Republican John McCain's reputed volatile temper.

Reid, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the top-ranking Democrat in Congress, told MSNBC today that McCain "doesn’t have the temperament to be the president of the United States. Everyone who’s ever worked with John McCain knows of his temper. It’s explosive to say the least."

UPDATE: Blair Latoff, a Republican National Committee spokeswoman, responded to Reid: “Just as one of Obama’s senior aides is resigning due to special interest controversies, the Obama campaign releases their partisan attack dog Harry Reid to cover up their own troubles. Perhaps Senator Reid could better serve his party and his nation if he could help explain why his party’s nominee doesn’t think rising gas prices are a problem.”

The Globe's Michael Kranish wrote the first major piece of the campaign on the issue, quoting Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, who declared, "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."

Cochran later endorsed McCain after his favored candidate dropped out. And McCain has kept his temper in check, often using humor instead -- as he did just Tuesday when he was interrupted repeatedly by antiwar protestors.