Democrats are rushing to defend Sen. Harry Reid as he faces allegations of racism for comments he made about President Barack Obama.
Despite demands for his resignation, Reid said he's staying put. Republicans call it a double standard and people on both sides of the aisle wonder how it will impact this year's midterm elections.
The criticism came after the release Game Change, a book that sheds new light on the historic 2008 election.
The book quotes Reid saying he was wowed by Obama's oratorical skills and believed that America was ready to elect a "light-skinned" African American "with no negro dialect unless he wanted to have one."
Monday afternoon, Reid went before the cameras and admitted his mistake.
"I've apologized to the president. I apologized to everyone under the sound of my voice that I could've used a better choice of words," he said.
Click play to watch John Jessup's report followed by insight from CBN News White House Correspondent David Brody and Bishop E.W. Jackson.
Also, click here for an interview on Game Change with Dr. Charles Dunn of the Regent University School of Government.
Reid also said he "sincerely apologizes for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans."
President Obama accepted Reid's personal apology, but others aren't so forgiving.
"He (Reid) also said that anyone who didn't believe in his Reid health care bill must believe in slavery," said Sue Lowden, a former Nevada Republican Party Chairman and U.S. Senate candidate. "So it's not just this remark, but it's a series of bad judgments of remarks and it's unfortunate that he's representing Nevada in that way."
Some say Reid should step down.
Republicans argue Democrats are playing by a different set of rules, pointing to the resignation of former GOP Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., after he praised the 1948 presidential bid of Strom Thurmond who ran as a segregationist.
Published reports showing among those who called for Lott's resignation at the time was then Illinois State Senator Barack Obama.
"There's a big double standard here," said Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele. "And the thing about it that's interesting is that when Democrats get caught saying racist things, you know, an apology is enough."
Game Change also discloses other political bombshells, revealing
- Hillary Clinton felt so confident she would win the general election that she had top aides planning her transition for the White House well before Democrats had their nominee.
- Bill Clinton is reported to have said, "A few years ago, his guy would have getting us coffee," about then Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL.
- And an angry Sen. Obama reportedly asked, "How many times is Biden going to say something stupid?," about his pick for vice president.
The book also highlights more fallout within the GOP between the staff of John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.
Through a spokesperson, Palin said an accurate description on what actually happened can be found in her book Going Rogue.