Statement by Wade Henderson Regarding the Comments of Majority Leader Harry Reid

“Much has been said about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s comments during the campaign regarding President Barack Obama. While Senator Reid may have chosen his words poorly, the fact is, many Americans – even veteran politicians who support civil rights – sometimes stumble in seeking to talk constructively about race, which was certainly an element of the 2008 presidential campaign. To his credit, Senator Reid recognized his error and apologized to the president.

To a great degree, this story has been overplayed in the media, fueled in part by a deplorable attempt by some to equate Senator Reid’s mistake to former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott’s glorification of a campaign to preserve the disgrace of racial segregation. As many have rightly noted, they are not remotely similar.”