Story highlights Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor for the first time since the election

Reid: 'I am ready to work' with Mitch McConnell

In his first public comments since the election, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Wednesday pledged cooperation with Republicans when they take Senate control in January.

But he also didn't hide his disdain for past GOP tactics.

Reid pointedly promised not to engage in a "strategy of obstruction," which he has accused Republicans of pursuing while Democrats were in charge.

"I am ready to work with him in good faith to make this institution function for the American people," Reid said while standing across the aisle from Sen. Mitch McConnell, who will take over as the next majority leader. "I saw first hand how a strategy of obstruction was debilitating to our system. I have no desire to engage in that manner."

Reid said he was ready to get past the election loss.

"I've always believed it's wise to follow Will Rogers' admonition: "Don't let yesterday use up too much of today." We have a lot of work to do and no time to linger on the past," Reid said in floor remarks at the beginning of the lame duck session.

Despite the tough rhetoric, Reid also complimented McConnell and said he holds him in the "highest regards."

For his part, McConnell sounded emboldened when making his opening statement on the floor, immediately after Reid spoke.

"Last week the American people sent a strong message to Washington. They voted for a new direction. They called for a change in the way we do things in the Senate and they sent a new team to Washington to carry their wishes forward," he said. "We plan to do just that.

Referring to President Barack Obama's expected controversial executive orders on immigration, McConnell said, "The actions of the next few weeks could help set a tone of the next Congress."

"President Obama has a duty to help build the trust we all need to move forward together, not to double down on old ways of doing business," he said.

After both men spoke, they turned to each other and shook hands, something they don't do very often. Reid then slung his arm around McConnell's shoulders and they stared down at the floor together, sharing a few words. As they turned to leave, McConnell took Reid's forearm and gave it a light tug, as if to say to affirm a personal bond despite their hardened political opposition.