Jesse Jackson Apologizes for Crude Obama Remarks

Rev. Jesse Jackson was caught making “crude and hurtful comments” about Barack Obama in an interview with a Fox News reporter on Sunday.Unaware that his microphone was still on, Jackson was asked what he thought about Obama speaking in black churches, and at one point says he wants to “cut his n**s out.”The Rev. issued a statement at a press conference in Chicago on Wednsesday:

For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize. My support for Senator Obama_s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment.My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility.

That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms.Fox News will air the Jackson tape tonight on Bill O’Reilly’s show. As soon as there is a video available you can check back here to see the tape from The O’Reilly Factor.