Harry Reid Apologizes For Asian Joke: Comments Were In ‘Poor Taste’

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., left, accompanied by Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., speak to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 22, 2014, to discuss immigration reform. (... Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., left, accompanied by Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., speak to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 22, 2014, to discuss immigration reform. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke) MORE LESS
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) apologized for saying that he did not think Asian Americans are smarter than other people but they’ve convinced him otherwise.

“My comments were in extremely poor taste and I apologize. Sometimes I say the wrong thing,” Reid said in a statement provided by his office.

On Friday Time magazine highlighted video surfaced by the Republican opposition research shop America Rising that showed Reid, speaking to the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, saying “The Asian population is so productive. I don’t think you’re smarter than anybody else, but you’ve convinced a lot of us you are.” The crowd laughed in response.

Later on during the appearance Reid also quipped that “one problem that I’ve had today is keeping my Wongs straight.”

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