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Obama speech to tackle race issue Obama says US cannot ignore race
(about 1 hour later)
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama is to directly take on the issue of race, amid 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.
In a speech near Philadelphia, Mr Obama will present what his campaign said would be a comprehensive look at "race, politics and unifying our country". 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 may be seeking to calm the uproar over what he called "stupid statements" by the Rev Jeremiah Wright. He referred to the uproar over what he called the Rev Jeremiah Wright's "profoundly distorted view" of the US.
He said in 2001 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".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".
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.
'God damn America' 'Distraction'
In a sermon on the Sunday after the attacks of 11 September 2001, Mr Wright told his congregation: "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. 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".
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".
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.
"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.
Mr Obama rejected such comments, but told a town hall meeting on Saturday: "It reminds me: we've got a tragic history when it comes to race in this country... This country wants to move beyond these kinds of things." 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.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.
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.