Reid skips state dinner with Chinese president

Sen. Harry Reid plans to meet Thursday with Chinese President Hu Jintao, but skipped tonight's state dinner at the White House.

Reid aides confirmed the Senate majority leader did not plan to attend the black tie event in honor of the visiting leader. A spokesman gave no reason but noted that Reid has a separate meeting scheduled with Hu at the Capitol.

The guest list released by the White House contained no mention of Reid. Also absent was House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the Senate minority leader, also was not listed to attend even though his wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, was on the guest roster. She was to be escorted by her father.

Dan Mahafee, a China expert consulted by Bloomberg Businessweek, said the absence of top congressional leaders "sends an unfortunate message that at a time of competition between the two countries, that American politicians are busy looking inward."

At a joint Obama-Hu press conference today, a reporter noted Reid and Boehner were not attending the state dinner and asked Hu about it. The Chinese leader referred the question to Obama, who did not answer it.

Reid's office offered no details or clues as to what Reid and Hu may discuss on Thursday. Besides policy issues like human rights and North Korea, it is possible the Nevadan may tout the state for further investments by Chinese firms, similar to the wind turbine facility that China-based A-Power is opening in Henderson.

The meeting also takes place a few days after the latest Reid slip of the tongue.

In a televised interview with Nevada political columnist Jon Ralston on Tuesday, Reid referred to Hu as a "dictator," but quickly took it back.

"I am going to go back to Washington and meet with the President of China," Reid said. "He is a dictator. He can do a lot of things through the form of government they have. Maybe I shouldn't have said dictator, but they have a different type of government then we have, and that is an understatement."

Reid's comment was broadcast and circulated on multiple news site and the blogosphere, although he drew no criticism for it from official sources.

"Senator Reid himself said that wasn't the best choice of words and corrected it immediately," Reid spokesman Jon Summers said today. "What he was referring to is the different form of government we have than the Chinese."