Sen. Harry Reid tells all on TV’s ‘The Daily Show’

To hypo their efforts, book authors these days have to set aside much time to make promotional rounds ranging from book signing tours to appearances on TV talk shows.

For Grumpy Editor, it was unusual to spot Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) guesting this week on the late night The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central.

The senator is no novice to TV.  After all, C-Span captures him in live action on the Senate floor with what might be called his own Daily Show.

In the long introduction, Stewart displayed a photo from the book, “The Good Fight,” that showed Reid’s humble beginnings with his parents’ very modest home in Searchlight, Nev., where he was born.

Stewart called Reid’s ascension “a remarkable journey.”

“I’m here,” responded the soft-spoken senator, looking uneasy across the desk from Stewart in front of a studio audience looking for laughs.

During the six-minute interview, Reid explained that “I felt it was important to tell a story about who I am in America.  If I can make it, anyone can.”

Overwhelmed Stewart, accustomed to bandying words with personalities such as Ben Affleck and Meryl Streep, said, “That’s a nice story.”

The appearance with Stewart was one of several TV, radio and print interviews scheduled this week for Reid.

Next week for the senator, it’s back to unlimited live TV time --- without commercials --- on C-Span from the Senate chambers.