Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) found himself in a bit of hot water Friday when some joking remarks about Asian people went viral due to videotape exposure by a Republican group.

Reid's 36-second gaffe before about 150 people at the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce business luncheon on Thursday brought a quick apology by the senate leader Friday. Saying his comments were in poor taste, Reid apologized, adding "Sometimes I say the wrong thing."

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Real-time print news coverage of Reid's comments during his question-and-answer session with the group didn't even touch on the comments, which went viral when the GOP American Rising group released its video. Chamber members actually laughed at the comments.

Speaking before the Asian Chamber at the political endorsement meeting, Reid inserted foot in mouth as he sought an endorsement for Lucy Flores, his choice in the Nevada lieutenant governor race against Republican Mark Hutchison.

For the record, Reid, told the group the Asian population was very productive, adding he didn't think they were smarter than everybody else, but they had convinced a lot of us they were. It was said in jest and members of the audience laughed.

For good measure, however, Reid later threw in this comment. "One problem that I've had today is keeping my Wongs straight."

The director of the Asian Chamber group, James Yu, said the entire incident was a non-issue. He said a young man with a camera came to the meeting and was told not to video anything. The man said he was taking only photographs, Yu said, adding the man was barred from all future Asian Chamber events.

And, oh, by the way, when the smoke cleared, the group endorsed the Republican in the lieutenant governor's race, Hutchison. Its endorsement is published in dozens of Asian publications in the state including those written in Chinese, Japanese, Tagalog and Korean. Just less than 10 percent of Nevada's residents are of Asian descent.

Reid has made a few quips and comments gone wrong over the years for which he has issued apologies. Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston said he sometimes was a "Machiavelli with malaprops."

Tagsharry reid, Asians, politics, U.S. Senate, Nevada, Asian Chamber of Comemrce, GOP, Reoublicans, Democrats, control of the Senate, Las Vegas