LAS VEGAS — Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called President Bush "a loser" during a civics discussion with a group of high-school students yesterday.

"The man's father is a wonderful human being," Reid, D-Nev., told students at Del Sol High School when asked about the president's policies. "I think this guy is a loser."

Reid called the White House to apologize shortly after the event, his spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said. Reid spoke with Bush adviser Karl Rove, asking him to convey the apology to Bush, who was traveling in Europe.

Reid expressed "regret for the comments, that it was inappropriate," Hafen said. The senator was giving a late speech in Salt Lake City and was unavailable for comment, she said.

Reid visited the school to discuss Congress and the debate over judicial filibusters. He repeated that Democrats will use various tactics to bring the Senate to a standstill if Republicans change the rules regarding filibusters to hasten the approval of Bush's judicial nominees.