Greg Sargent notes that right-wing media figures are in a bit of a frenzy over a supposed gotcha that proves Harry Reid flip-flopped on granting citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants born in the U.S. But this isn't a new discovery; Reid has been public about reconsidering his position. Sargent points to transcript of a speech Reid gave on the Senate floor in 2006. Right-wing media figures know this is not news, as Reid's remarks were reported at the time he made them.

Sargent reports, “The Washington Times is the outlet that got the goods on Reid's 1993 bill, which 'clarified' the basis of citizenship." The Times gotcha comes more than four years after the AP reported in an April 6, 2006, article that Reid called his support for the legislation, which would have attempted to end birthright citizenship, “the worst mistake of a 40-year career in politics” (from Nexis):

Senate debate was marked by an unusually personal speech by Reid after GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama had referred to a position the Nevadan had once taken.

In near-confessional tones, Reid said he had once supported legislation to close the borders between Mexico and the United States, “in effect, stop people from coming across our borders into the United States.”

His wife, whose father was a Russian immigrant, confronted him, Reid recalled, and he later held a town hall meeting at which friends told him he had made a mistake.

The bill was a “travesty,” he said, the worst mistake of a 40-year career in politics, and “I have done everything since that meeting in Las Vegas and the conversation with my wife to undo my embarrassment.”

The AP was not alone in reporting on Reid's evolution on the issue. Former Reid spokesman Ari Rabin-Havt, currently at Media Matters, explained to WorldNetDaily at the time:

Ari Rabin-Havt, spokesman for Reid, told WorldNetDaily the Nevada senator has changed his views on immigration.

“He had a change of heart on this issue brought about by several meetings in the community with immigrants and a conversation with his wife,” the spokesman said.

Rabin-Havt explained that not long after Reid introduced the 1993 bill, the senator was influenced by hearing the stories of immigrants and learning more about how his wife's family came to the U.S. to live.