Obama denounces rhetoric but stands behind his pastor
White House hopeful Barack Obama on Friday denounced the controversial statements of his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but said he still had a great deal of respect for the man who married him and baptized his children.
"I have been frustrated by how the church has been described a 'separatist' church -- this is a terrific, welcoming church ... that has a record of helping the homeless and dealing with HIV/AIDS," Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times.
(AP)
But after a report on ABC-TV Friday morning, the television and radio waves were full of excerpts of sermons Wright gave, going back to 2002. "'God bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," Wright said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."
In a sermon after 9/11, Wright said, "The stuff we have done overseas is brought right back into our homes."
He criticized Hilary Clinton, saying she was a rich white woman who had never been called a "n-----."
Obama said he had never heard Wright preach any of those sermons.
"If I had heard Rev. Wright making these statements when I was in the pews," Obama said, "I would have talked to him afterwards and said, 'I am very troubled by these statements.' "
Obama disinvited Wright from his speech in February 2007 announcing his candidacy for president. On Friday, after issuing a statement strongly denouncing his sermons, he said Wright would no longer be serving on an advisory committee.
But, noting that Wright was retiring from the church, Obama said he had no plans to leave the South Side church.
"He's like an uncle you love and respect but has lately said some things that you disagree with," Obama said.