Jackson apologizes for 'crude' comment about Obama
The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday for ''regretfully crude'' comments he made about Barack Obama's speeches in black churches during what he thought was a private conversation with a reporter.
Jackson told CNN on Wednesday that his comments made Sunday were in response to a question from a Fox News reporter about speeches on morality that Obama has given at black churches.
(Scott Stewart, Sun-Times/AP)
The reverend said Wednesday that he said the speeches ''can come off as speaking down to black people'' and that there were other important issues to be addressed in the black community, such as unemployment, the mortgage crisis and the number of blacks in prison.
''And then I said something I thought regretfully crude but it was very private and very much a sound bite and a live mic,'' Jackson told CNN.
Jackson told The Associated Press that he doesn't remember ''exactly'' what he said Sunday but that he was ''very sorry.'' He planned a 5 p.m. CDT news conference at the Chicago headquarters of his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Messages seeking comment were left Wednesday for Obama's campaign and a Fox News spokeswoman.
''For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize,'' Jackson said in a written statement. ''My support for Senator Obamas campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal.''
Jackson said he has called Obama's campaign to apologize.
''My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy...,'' Jackson's statement said of his comments.
''That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part ... or my pride in Senator Barack Obama,'' he said.