ONE OF the most senior members of the Democratic Party, Harry Reid, resisted calls for his resignation yesterday over racially tinged remarks about Barack Obama, including a suggestion that one of the US president’s strengths is that he does not speak with a “Negro dialect”.
Mr Reid spent time at the weekend on the phone apologising to Mr Obama, fellow Democrats and leading African-Americans after it was revealed that, in an interview in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election, for a book to be published tomorrow, he said he was wowed by Mr Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially a “light-skinned” African-American “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one”.
Mr Reid said he was convinced Mr Obama’s race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination.
Mr Obama and the others accepted his apology, which will help shore up Mr Reid’s position, at least in the short term.
But Republican Party chairman Michael Steele yesterday called for Mr Reid to resign as Senate majority leader. He said if a Republican had made such a remark, the Democrats would have been demanding a resignation.
Mr Reid is already in political trouble, with polls showing support for him tumbling in his home state, Nevada, before November’s Senate election.
In an apology, Mr Reid said: “I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologise for offending any and all Americans, especially African-Americans, for my improper comments.”
Mr Reid said he had been a proud supporter of Mr Obama and throughout his political career had worked for racial integration and “to advance issues important to the African-American community”.
The senator is scheduled to speak at a conference in Nevada today. If it goes ahead, he will face a scrum of reporters.
Mr Obama said: “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.”
Democratic Party chairman Tim Kaine said Mr Reid’s position as Senate majority leader was not in jeopardy. Prominent African-Americans such as house majority whip James Clyburn and the Rev Al Sharpton also came out in support.
Mr Reid is the key figure in Mr Obama’s battle to get a health reform Bill through Congress. Negotiations are ongoing between Mr Reid and house speaker Nancy Pelosi on how to iron out differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives versions.
Mr Reid's remarks are contained in the book Game Changeby journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. – (Guardian service)