African-American group launches Reid re-election effort

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A group calling itself "African-Americans for Senator Harry Reid" is launching a drive to help re-elect the Senate majority leader in Nevada.

The effort announced Thursday comes less than a week after Reid faced criticism over comments he made about President Barack Obama in 2008.

Reid's words added another element to his sagging campaign, dogged by low poll numbers in the Silver State and criticism over health care legislation.

Reid apologized last weekend after a book revealed that during the 2008 presidential campaign, he described Obama as a light-skinned African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Obama accepted the apology called the matter closed. Democrats have defended Reid's record on civil rights, and rejected calls for him to step down.