Farrakhan: Obama is the 'hope of the entire world'

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Sunday that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the ''hope of the entire world'' that the U.S. will change for the better.

Farrakhan, addressing an estimated crowd of 20,000 people at the annual Saviours' Day celebration at McCormick Place, never outrightly endorsed Obama but spent the majority of the nearly two-hour speech praising the Illinois senator.

Farrakhan also leveled small jabs at Hillary Rodham Clinton in his keynote address

A year ago, Farrakhan made what was called his final public address at a Saviours' Day event in Detroit. He was recovering from complications from prostate cancer and months earlier had ceded leadership of the organization to an executive board.

Sunday, he appeared healthy and joked that he's ''a little on the pudgy side'' at a robust 192 pounds.

''People are wondering 'Is he sick? How's he doing?' '' he said. ''I'm doing fine.'' AP