Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said today that President Bush has not reached out to Congress to make the case for his Wall Street bailout.

“The president has been absent from what may well be the most important debate on economic policy in a generation. Isn’t it interesting … when there’s an issue of such paramount importance, we were always called to the White House,” Reid said.

Reid also said the president alone has the responsibility to press Congress to pass his $700 billion plan. If that is to happen, Reid said the president must get more involved.

“This is not the Paulson plan. This is not the Bernanke plan,” Reid said, referring to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. “This is not the Congress plan. This is the Bush plan, and it’s time for him to take ownership and demonstrate leadership.”