WASHINGTON — House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that Sen. Scott Brown's wisecrack about Democratic rival Elizabeth Warren shows he is clueless about women.

During a Democratic primary debate in Massachusetts Tuesday, Warren was asked about Brown's decision to pose nude in a magazine during law school. Asked how she paid for college, Warren said she kept her clothes on.

"Thank God," Brown said with a laugh during a radio interview about the comment afterward. He later said he was joking.

Nonetheless, Pelosi said Brown should take that comment back.

"I thought it spoke volumes about how clueless Sen. Brown is," the California Democrat said on ABC's "This Week." ''It really spoke volumes about, really, disrespect for women he may not even realize."

Democrats hope to oust Brown from the Senate seat that Ted Kennedy held for decades.

The freshman senator has defended his decision to pose for the magazine, saying modeling was his best opportunity to pay for school.

"Let them throw stones. I did what I had to do," Brown added. "But not for having that opportunity I never would have been able to pay for school."

Brown attended Tufts University and Boston College Law School, both private universities. Warren, a Harvard law professor and consumer advocate, attended the University of Houston and received a law degree from Rutgers University, both of which are public schools.

Warren, speaking to reporters Thursday afternoon, tried to take Brown's remark in stride.

"I'll survive a few jabs from Scott Brown over my appearance," she said.