Barack Obama has vigorously disavowed "Rev." Jeremiah Wright Jr.'s inflammatory remarks. But in a speech today, he refused to disavow the pastor himself or the 20-year relationship he’s had with him. Some political observers say the Illinois senator still has some more mending to do.
"As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. … 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," Obama told an audience at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Juan Williams, a Fox News analyst (and who happens to be black), questioned why Obama allowed himself to remain publicly associated with Wright. He said Obama did not address the "judgment and character" issues that he’s running on.
"I think he had to take responsibility … and that’s what he didn’t do," Williams said.
Obama admitted in his speech that he personally heard some of Wright’s fiery rhetoric. "Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in the church? Yes."
But on Friday, Obama, in the interview with Fox News’ Major Garrett, said: "I had to be very clear about the fact that these are not statements that I'm comfortable with. I reject them completely. They are not ones that reflect my values or my ideals or Michelle's. And that, had I heard them, had I been sitting in the church at the time that they were spoken, I would have been absolutely clear to Reverend Wright that I didn't find those acceptable. Obviously."
A Rasmussen survey taken from March 14-16 of 1,200 likely voters showed 56 percent of those interviewed were less likely to vote for Obama because of Wright’s comments.
Additional reporting by Fox News
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