Update from MarcAmbinder:
Good grief. We are a nation hung up on race. This to me is far more ignorant than much of the republicans' commentary. What was it that Reid was trying to say? That Obama is light skinned, lacked a "Negro dialect" and therefore a more acceptable candidate? Geez Harry, your Searchlight upbringing is showing: WH aide: Reid called President Obama earlier today to apologize. Obama accepts apology.Obama's statement:
"Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today. I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."
CBS News political consultant Marc Ambinder got an early look at "Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime" by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, and notes a passage that will cause Democratic Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid some serious heartburn and further erode his quest for reelection.
In a "private" conversation, Reid discussed candidate Barack Obama's racial profile. The authors wrote that Reid's "encouragement of Obama was unequivocal. He was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama — a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,' as he said privately. Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination."
Reid apologized today CBS
