Race Emerges as Complicated Issue in US Presidential Campaign

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama's relationship with his controversial former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, has put the spotlight on race as an issue in this year's U.S. presidential campaign. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

Reverend Wright has re-emerged in recent days to become a major distraction for the Obama campaign.

Wright is standing by many of his controversial remarks, including the notion that an oppressive U.S. foreign policy brought about the 2001 terrorist attacks and that the government created the AIDS virus to conduct genocide against African-Americans.

Wright also told an audience in Washington this week that he will not fade into the background if Obama wins the presidency.

"I am a pastor, he is a member. I am not a spiritual mentor, a guru. I am his pastor," he said. "And I said to Barack Obama last year that if you get elected, November the 5th I am coming after you because you will be representing a government whose policies grind under people. It is about policy, not the American people."

Senator Obama told Fox News Sunday that he believes race will not be the decisive issue in either the battle for the Democratic nomination or in the November general election.

"Is race still a factor in our society? Yes. I do not think anybody would deny that. Is that going to be the determining factor in a general election? No, because I am absolutely confident that the American people are looking for somebody who can solve their problems," he said. "If I lose, it will not be because of race. It will be because I made mistakes on the campaign trail, I was not communicating effectively my plans in terms of helping them in their everyday lives." 

Several public opinion polls in recent months suggest Americans are more ready for an African-American president than a woman president.

In two different surveys, more than 70 percent of those asked said the country is ready for a black president, compared to just over 60 percent who said the same about a woman president.