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Mar 25, 2008 10:38 pm US/Central

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Citing Security, Obama's Pastor Cancels Appearance

However, Tampa Police Say Plenty Of Officers Were Ready To Handle Event

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor canceled a planned appearance Tuesday night in Tampa, Fla., citing security concerns.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., was planning to deliver a speech to Bible-Based Fellowship Church in Tampa Tuesday. Wright has also canceled other appearances for the next three days.

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. Earl Mason, pastor of the Bible-Based church, said the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department said it would be unable to provide adequate security for the event.

"Last night I got a call from the sheriff's office, saying they wouldn't be here,'' Mason said at a news conference. "We don't know why.

"And to safeguard our speaker and our parishioners and others who may come because of all of the hype we have made a conscious decision to ask pastor Wright to remain in Chicago," Mason said.

However, Tampa police said they had plenty of security available.

"The Tampa Police Department was prepared for Reverend Wright's visit and did not recommend the event be canceled,'' the department said in a statement. "TPD officers assessed the location, gathered intelligence on the event and put a plan into place.''

"We were surprised to hear of the cancellation.''

A spokesman for the sheriff's department also said they were prepared to provide proper security.

"There's another agenda here and I'd like to know what it is," Mason said.

Wright had spoken at the church's anniversary celebration every year, without special security. Mason said the congregation was disappointed that they would not hear him speak Tuesday.

Wright became a focal point after controversial statements made years ago about race and the United States' standing among other nations resurfaced last week.

The Tampa church was to be the scene of Wright's first public comments since the controversy arose.

Wright has been shown making remarks such as, "God damn America," and claiming that, "The government lied about inventing the HIV virus to do away with people of color," among other comments.

In response, Obama has repeatedly said that he strongly disagreed with the statements, and emphasized that Wright's remarks did not match the impression he had been given of the pastor, nor of his church, the Trinity United Church of Christ at 400 W. 95th St.

Wright recently retired as pastor of the church.

Hillary Clinton's agenda on the campaign trail Tuesday included Wright – and criticism of Obama for failing to go further than simply denouncing his comments.

"I'm just speaking for myself and was answering a question posed to me but I think given all we have heard and seen, he would not have been my pastor," Clinton said.

Back in Chicago, WVON radio personality Cliff Kelley is concerned about verbal sniping between candidates triggering a fear of real violence.

"People that are threatening the good doctor over what he said is proof that we have a long way to go," Kelley said.

Wright's next scheduled appearance was to be this Sunday in Houston. However, the pastor of the church there told a local television station that Wright has canceled that sermon due to security concerns.

Wright is still scheduled to attend events in North Texas over the weekend. The minister of communication at Trinity United Church of Christ says Wright's schedule is pending.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine and Dorothy Tucker contributed to this report.

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