Obama confronts racial divide in bid to staunch damage from pastor's comments

Democrat Barack Obama called on Americans to move beyond old racial wounds in a sweeping call for unity Tuesday aimed at blunting damage to his campaign from the firestorm created by his former pastor's divisive sermons.

Obama has been disavowing for nearly a week contentious anti-American comments by his longtime spiritual guru Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who has characterized the United States as racist and the government as corrupt and murderous. Continue reading