Politics

Chicago Black Ministers Voice Support For Obama

CHICAGO (AP) ― About two dozen Chicago-area black ministers crowded around a small pulpit in a historic African-American church Friday, pledging their support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign despite the candidate's split from outspoken pastor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"We know that there have been controversial matters that have appeared in the news media as relates to the sermons of Rev. Wright," said the Rev. Leon D. Finney Jr. of the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church in Chicago. At the news conference, ministers refused to specifically speak about Wright.

"We're not here to comment on the sermons of Rev. Wright," Finney said. "As a matter of fact we want to make sure that we help to turn the interest and focus not on Rev. Wright or what he said, but on the real issues."

In a statement, the ministers did say: "It is important to know that Rev. Wright represents and is a member of the black church and he speaks as a member."

Wright, former senior minister at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, has made several comments about the U.S. that has hurt Obama's presidential campaign.

Among the most remarked-upon sound bites was Wright proclaiming from the pulpit "God damn America" for its racism. He accused the government of flooding black neighborhoods with drugs and claimed the U.S. government was capable of planting AIDS in the black community.

Over the past week, Wright has said the criticism of his fiery anti-government sermons was an attack on the black church. After Wright's spirited appearance before the National Press Club in Washington Monday, Obama denounced Wright's comments as "divisive and destructive" and the candidate broke with the man who has been his spiritual mentor for 20 years.

A voice message and e-mail left with the Obama campaign were not immediately returned Friday.

The ministers represented at least eight African-American denominations. One preacher, Bishop Cody Marshall of the Church of God in Christ in Chicago, said Obama will be victorious despite setbacks.

"This is the man of the hour," Marshall said. "This is the one that we look to for leadership."

Instead of Wright's comments, the ministers said Americans are really worried about poverty, gas prices, health insurance, home foreclosures and global warming. They argue their experiences with Obama prove he is the candidate to fix those problems.

"In him we see a rare opportunity to address the critical issues that face not only African Americans, but all Americans," Finney said. "Of all the candidates who seek the high office of the presidency, we know from our own experiences with him that Senator Barack Obama best represents our hopes and aspirations."

The ministers held their news conference just days before Tuesday's Indiana primary and said they are working in Indiana to build support for Obama.

"We've got boots and shoes on the ground and we're knocking on doors," Finney said. "We've got busloads of people leaving from Chicago over the weekend and they will be in Indiana. Ministers and churches across this country are excited and mobilized to make a difference because they recognize the real truth and the real issue. That this is an opportunity to bring about change."

(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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