In a harsh condemnation of his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Sen. Barack Obama said Rev. Wright used "incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and blacks alike."
In a speech this morning at the National Constitution Center, Sen. Obama said he had been present when Rev. Wright made some of his "controversial" sermons. He said Wright's sermons went beyond a
"religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country -- a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America."
But Obama stopped short of fully disowning the controversial minister. "I can no more disown him that I can disown the black community," he said.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4468664&page=1
