Obama disavows priest’s comments

Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign on Thursday disavowed the remarks of another Chicago pastor, who mocked Hillary Rodham Clinton and her pre-New Hampshire primary tears.

In an Internet video recorded Sunday, Father Michael Pfleger, an activist Catholic priest and pastor visiting Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, of which Obama is a member, says:

“When Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don’t believe it was put on. I really believe that she just always thought: ‘This is mine. I’m Bill’s wife, I’m white, and this is mine. . . .’ And then out of nowhere came, ‘Hey, I’m Barack Obama,’ and she said, ‘Oh, damn. . . . There’s a black man stealing my show.’ ”

Obama expressed disappointment, as he did over remarks by Trinity’s retired pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

“As I have traveled this country, I’ve been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that unites us,” Obama said in a statement.

“That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger’s divisive, backward-looking rhetoric.”

Clinton’s campaign condemned Pfleger’s remarks and demanded that Obama “specifically reject” them.

Pfleger apologized in a statement.