Reid apologetic for ‘Negro’ remarks over Obama

CARSON CITY - US Senator from Nevada Harry Reid has said that he deeply regrets referring President Barack Obama as ‘light-skinned’ and as having ‘no Negro dialect’ in private conversations during the 2008 presidential campaign.

“I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans, for my improper comments,” Reid said in a statement.

“I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama’s legislative agenda. Moreover, throughout my career, from efforts to integrate the Las Vegas strip and the gaming industry to opposing radical judges and promoting diversity in the Senate, I have worked hard to advance issues important to the African American community,” he added.

Reid’s remarks about Obama were revealed in “Game Change,” a book detailing the 2008 race by Time’s Mark Halperin and New York magazine’s John Heilemann, The Washington Post reports.

Meanwhile, several African American leaders have called the remarks careless.

“I think more than insensitive, the remarks are enlightening about the racial psychology in the country,” Al Sharpton said. (ANI)