WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In an address to the Democratic National Committee Saturday, Sen. Joe Biden began by apologizing for the much-criticized remarks he made about Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., earlier this week.

"I want to say I truly regret that words I spoke offended people I admire," the Delaware lawmaker said.

Biden was criticized for describing Obama in New York Observer "as the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."

Biden initially defended his remarks in a conference call to reporters and in an interview on Wednesday on "The Daily Show."

"What I was attempting to be - but not very artfully - was complimentary," Biden told Jon Stewart. "This is an incredible guy, c'mon! He's a phenomenon."

In a statement issued Wednesday evening, he said: "I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Senator Obama.