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Obama says US cannot ignore race Obama says US cannot ignore race
(30 minutes later)
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has sought to tackle the issue of race and defuse a controversy over comments made by his former pastor.US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has sought to tackle the issue of race and defuse a controversy over comments made by his former pastor.
Mr Obama said he understood the history of anger between black and white Americans but that the US could not afford to ignore race issues.Mr Obama said he understood the history of anger between black and white Americans but that the US could not afford to ignore race issues.
He referred to the uproar over what he called the Rev Jeremiah Wright's "profoundly distorted view" of the US.He referred to the uproar over what he called the Rev Jeremiah Wright's "profoundly distorted view" of the US.
Mr Wright said the 9/11 attacks were like "chickens coming home to roost".Mr Wright said the 9/11 attacks were like "chickens coming home to roost".
After the remarks resurfaced Mr Obama denounced them as "incendiary" and "completely inexcusable".After the remarks resurfaced Mr Obama denounced them as "incendiary" and "completely inexcusable".
He said he had not been present during the sermon at which the pastor made the comments, and that he had looked to Mr Wright for spiritual, not political, guidance.He said he had not been present during the sermon at which the pastor made the comments, and that he had looked to Mr Wright for spiritual, not political, guidance.
The Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago responded by saying the attacks on Mr Wright had been made by "external forces" that want to "vilify us". 'Racial stalemate'
Speaking in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mr Obama gave a speech that drew on America's long history of racial inequality - and called on the US to move beyond it.
I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community Barack Obama
"The anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races," he said.
As the child of a black father and white mother, he said he understood the passions of both sides in what he called "a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years" - and said he was not so naive as to believe it could be overcome in one election cycle.
However, Mr Obama said, he believed the nation could - if it worked together - move towards healing some of the wounds caused by racial injustice.
And while he condemned many of Mr Wright's more controversial statements, he said it was important to remember that he had grown up at a time of racial segregation.
"I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother," he said, recalling that she had at times used racially-tinged language.
Mr Wright helped Mr Obama affirm his Christian faith, officiated at his wedding and baptised his daughters.Mr Wright helped Mr Obama affirm his Christian faith, officiated at his wedding and baptised his daughters.
'Distraction' 'Tragic history'
Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for the Obama campaign, said he had decided to give Tuesday's speech because "the issue of race has received a tremendous amount of attention" recently.
The row was sparked by sermons given by the Rev Jeremiah Wright
"He thought it was an appropriate time to discuss his thoughts on the issue," she told the Associated Press news agency.
In an interview with the PBS network on Monday, Mr Obama said the row over Mr Wright had "been a distraction from the core message of our campaign... the idea that we've got to bring people together".In an interview with the PBS network on Monday, Mr Obama said the row over Mr Wright had "been a distraction from the core message of our campaign... the idea that we've got to bring people together".
He said it would have been "naive" for him to think that he could become a frontrunner in the race for president as the first African-American in that position "and that issues of race wouldn't come up". He said it would have been "naive" for him to think that he could become a front-runner in the race for president as the first African-American in that position "and that issues of race wouldn't come up".
The row was sparked by sermons given by the Rev Jeremiah Wright
Mr Wright has resigned from an honorary position on the campaign's African-American Religious Leadership Committee, aides to Mr Obama said.Mr Wright has resigned from an honorary position on the campaign's African-American Religious Leadership Committee, aides to Mr Obama said.
'Tragic history'
In a sermon on the Sunday after the attacks of 11 September 2001, Mr Wright said: "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards.In a sermon on the Sunday after the attacks of 11 September 2001, Mr Wright said: "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards.
"America's chickens are coming home to roost.""America's chickens are coming home to roost."
In a 2003 sermon, Mr Wright said blacks should condemn the United States.In a 2003 sermon, Mr Wright said blacks should condemn the United States.
"God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human," he said."God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human," he said.
The Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago said the attacks on Mr Wright had been made by "external forces" that want to "vilify us".
Mr Obama has rejected such comments but said they reminded him that there was "a tragic history when it comes to race in this country".Mr Obama has rejected such comments but said they reminded him that there was "a tragic history when it comes to race in this country".
The Illinois senator is locked in a close race with New York Senator Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, with the significant Pennsylvania primary vote due on 22 April. He is locked in a close race with New York Senator Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, with the significant Pennsylvania primary vote due on 22 April.
On Monday, Democrats in the state of Florida abandoned plans to hold a new postal vote in place of a contested January primary.On Monday, Democrats in the state of Florida abandoned plans to hold a new postal vote in place of a contested January primary.