Jesse Jackson apologizes to Obama

CHICAGO – The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday to Barack Obama for making a “regretfully crude” comment about the Democratic presidential hopeful during what he thought was a private conversation three days ago.

Jackson said the “hurtful and wrong” comments Sunday came in response to a question from a fellow guest during a break from taping “Fox & Friends.” The guest asked about speeches on morality Obama has given at black churches.

Jackson said at a news conference that he had replied that Obama’s speeches can come off as speaking down to black people and that there were other important issues to be addressed in the community, such as unemployment, the mortgage crisis and the number of blacks in prison.

He said he was not aware the microphone was still on.

Jackson declined to repeat the comments, but said he decided to apologize publicly after hearing from Fox that it would air them.

In an interview Wednesday, Jackson said he didn’t remember his exact words, but said he was “very sorry.” He told CNN the remark was “regretfully crude.”

Fox News aired Jackson’s comment Wednesday night, including a slang reference to his wanting to cut off Obama’s testicles. The report bleeped out the slang but made clear what Jackson said.

Jackson said he called Obama’s campaign to apologize.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton noted that the Illinois senator grew up without his father and has spoken and written at length about the issues of parental responsibility.

“He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson’s apology,” Burton said.