Barack Obama cut ties with his controversial Chicago church yesterday in the wake of racially charged remarks by a pair of the parish’s preachers.
The Democratic presidential hopeful mailed a letter of resignation to Trinity United Church of Christ, where he had been a member since 1992, on Friday, blaming the church’s lighting rod pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, for the move.
“Our relations with Trinity have been strained by the divisive statements of Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict with out own views,” the candidate wrote.
Wright’s remarks about the United States bringing 9/11 on itself, the government concocting AIDS to kill blacks and imploring people to say “God damn America” instead of “God bless America” landed the candidate in hot water with voters.
“It’s a decision Michelle and I discussed for quite some time,” Sen. Obama told reporters last night at a campaign stop in South Dakota.
“This is not a decision I come to lightly. It is a decision I come to with some sadness,” said the candidate, sporting an American flag lapel pin.
But Obama said that he made the move because if anything controversial is associated with the church, “the remarks will be imputed to me.”
“I don’t know what effect this will have on my presidential campaign, but I know it is the right thing to do,” he said.
The bombshell announcement came as Obama, who is inching closer to the nomination, is preparing a blockbuster bash in St. Paul, Minn., Tuesday night, in anticipation of clinching the nomination.
Victory seemed to be nearing for the Illinois senator after the Democratic National Committee voted yesterday to seat only half the delegates from Michigan and Florida.
The decision came as a blow to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had fared well in those states’ contests, which they had moved up on the calendar in violation of party rules.
Last month, Obama cut ties with Wright – who had presided over the candidate’s wedding and the baptism of his two daughters.
“His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate,” the candidate said, after Wright refused to backpedal on his remarks.
And last weekend, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, a guest speaker at the house of worship, mocked Sen. Clinton in a speech, saying she believed in “white entitlement.”
In his sermon, Pfleger, who is white, slammed Clinton for crying before her New Hampshire victory.
“I really believe that she just always thought, ‘This is mine! I’m Bill’s wife, I’m white, and this is mine!’ ” the preacher rapped from the pulpit.
“And then out of nowhere came Barack Obama, and she said, ‘Oh, I’m white! I’m entitled! There’s a black man stealing my show!’ ”
Obama quickly shot back that he did not support Pfleger’s “divisive, backward-looking rhetoric,” and the preacher later apologized.
Clinton’s campaign declined to comment.