Washington Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid should give up his post following publication of remarks he made in 2008 about Barack Obama, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele said Sunday."Racism and racist conversations have no place today in America," Steele told NBC's "Meet the Press." He accused Democrats of following a "double standard," and added that Reid had used "anachronistic language that harkens back to the 1950s and 60s, and it confirms to me a mind-set out of step with where America is."
But Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, chairman of the Democratic Party, said "the case is closed" following Reid's round of apologies for the remarks, which included a call to Obama. The comments "were in the context of praising the senator and acknowledging that the senator could be a great president, but they were still insensitive," Kaine told NBC. Asked whether Reid should resign, he responded, "Absolutely not," and added, "We're moving on."
Authors of the new book "Game Change" quote Reid, D-Nevada, as saying privately during the 2008 presidential campaign that Obama could be successful as a black candidate in part because of his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
The authors write that "Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination."
But while Steele, the GOP's first African-American chairman, went after Reid on Sunday, he was also on the defense over a remark he made last week that has been called racially offensive.
In an interview Monday with FOX News, Steele said the GOP platform "is one of the best political documents that's been written in the last 25 years, 'honest injun' on that."
Sunday on "FOX News Sunday," host Chris Wallace noted that lawmakers from both parties have called that a racial slur. "Well, if it is, I apologize for it. It's not an intent to be a racial slur. I wasn't intending to say a racial slur at all," Steele said.
The book containing Reid's controversial remarks is scheduled to be in bookstores Tuesday.
In a statement to CNN, Reid said, "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. 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," Reid said.
In his defense, he pointed to his efforts to integrate the Las Vegas strip and the gaming industry, among other legislation favored by African-American voters.
"I have worked hard to advance issues important to the African-American community," he said.
And the Senate leader contacted Obama on Saturday afternoon to apologize for the remarks. In a statement issued after the call, Obama said, "As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."
"Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today," the president 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."
An aide to the senator told CNN that Reid also offered apologies to several prominent African-American political figures, including House Democrats Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Barbara Lee of California; the Rev. Al Sharpton; CNN political contributor and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile; NAACP chairman Julian Bond; and the head of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Wade Henderson.
Steele, the GOP's first African-American chairman, was asked about the remarks on both "Meet the Press" and "FOX News Sunday." He told NBC on Sunday he believes Reid is out of touch with "how African-Americans generally feel" about sensitive issues.
Steele was asked by NBC whether he believes the situation is similar to one involving former Sen. Trent Lott, who lost his post as Senate majority leader in 2002 after saying that the nation would have been better off if onetime segregationist candidate Strom Thurmond had been elected president.
"Oh, yeah. There is a big double standard here," Steele said on NBC. He added, "When Democrats get caught saying racist things, you know, an apology is enough." Steele said that if a Republican senator had made the same remark Reid did, Steele himself and the Democratic Party "would be screaming for his head very much as they were with Trent Lott."
Kaine shot back, "Anybody looking at Trent Lott's statements praising somebody who had been a pro-segregation candidate for president will see that there is no comparison between those comments and those of Sen. Reid's."
And Nevada's state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, who is African-American, reaffirmed his support for Reid in a statement Saturday."While I am disappointed in Senator Reid's comment and choice of words, I accept his apology," said Horsford, a Democrat. "I have known Senator Reid for many years and he has consistently been supportive of advancing the interests of the African-American community as he has for all Nevadans and all Americans."CNN's Dana Bash, Mark Preston and Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.
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