"I think all of us ought to focus more on substance and less on stereotypes and caricatures," Watt said.

Sen. Reid delivered the personal insult to Thomas during a Dec. 5 interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," after host Tim Russert asked him whether he thought the lone black justice was qualified to head the court.

"I think that he has been an embarrassment to the Supreme Court," Reid said, before adding: "I think that his opinions are poorly written. I just don't think that he's done a good job as a Supreme Court justice."

With the announcement that the Black Caucus had reprimanded Reid for his attack on Justice Thomas, Rep. Watt becomes the first Democrat to publicly acknowledge that the senator's remarks were racially offensive.

Listen to Steve Malzberg and Karen Hunter, 6 to 10 a.m. weekdays, WWRL-AM 1600, simulcast on the Web at wwrl1600.com/mainframe.html.

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