Obama’s “Return”:

Clinton’s “Trouble”:

The gloves are off it seems.

In a news conference an hour ago, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said he was outraged at “destructive” comments by his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

In his most aggressive comments yet on the controversy, Obama said he was saddened and angry as Wright continues a media campaign defending controversial remarks made in previous sermons - particularly Wright’s appearance yesterday at Washington’s National Press Club.

Obama:

I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday. I have known Reverend Wright for almost 20 years. The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive but I believe they end up giving comfort to those that prey on hate. I believe that they do not portray accurately the perspective of the black Church. They certainly don’t portray accurately, my values and beliefs. If Reverend Wright thinks that is political posturing, as he put it, then he doesn’t know me very well. Based on his remarks yesterday, then I might not know him as well as I thought either.”

Obama also conceded that he had given Wright “the benefit of the doubt” by refusing to disown him in a major speech on race in Philadelphia.

In a controversial video that appeared on Youtube, Wright was injected in the Democratic presidential race, when he said African Americans should not sing “God Bless America” but “God Damn America” over their treatment by whites.

He also said that the September 11 attacks in 2001, were a payback for US foreign policies overseas.

Yesterday, Wright claimed the controversy around his comments was an attack on the black church.

This is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright,” Wright said. “It has nothing to do with Senator Obama. It is an attack on the black church by people who know nothing about the African-American experience.”

With the North Carolina presidential primary looming, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton seemed to pick up some early momentum with an endorsement from NC Gov. Mike Easley.

Taking a shot at Clinton’s rival, Sen. Barack Obama, Easley said at a press conference this morning:

“It’s time for somebody to be in the White House who understands the challenges we face in this country,” Easley said. “There’s been lots of ‘Yes we can, yes we should.’ Hillary Clinton is ready to deliver.”

Clinton responded to the endorsement by complimenting the Governer.

“The governor and I have something in common — we think results matter.”

Easly’s endorsement will be beneficial for Clinton since he is also a superdelegate. He mentioned that Clinton “gets it” when it comes to addressing issues that voters are concerned about.

The endorsement comes as polls show Clinton closing in on Obama’s lead in the state. The primary is on May 6^th

slow news morning

Michael Ramirez

View more RagToons.

MORNING ROUNDUP:

•  Rep. Ben Chandler of Kentucky will endorse Obama.
• The Hill reports that Hillary’s $2.3 billion in earmark requests is the largest ever by a senator.
• North Carolina Governor Mike Easley endorses Clinton.

In a 6-3 ruling today, the Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s strict photo ID requirement, allowing states to require voters to present photo identification before casting ballots.

The law was a Republican-backed measure that advocates say combats voter fraud while Democrats and civil rights groups say would disenfranchise poor, older and minority voters.

The application of the statute to the vast majority of Indiana voters is amply justified by the valid interest in protecting ‘the integrity and reliability of the electoral process,” Justice John Paul Stevens said in an opinion joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy.

The law has been in effect since its passage in 2005 and will be used in next week’s presidential primary.

The court ruled that the requirements enacted by Indiana’s legislature were not enough of a burden to invoke constitutional protections.

Three conservative justices — Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and also agreed with the outcome, but wrote separately. Three liberal justices — David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer — dissented.

Democrats say the laws disenfranchise people least likely to have driver’s licenses or passports and who are most likely to vote Democratic.

Stevens noted that it was “fair” to infer that “partisan considerations may have played a significant role” in Indiana’s decision to pass the law.

But if a nondiscriminatory law is supported by valid neutral justifications, those justifications should not be disregarded simply because partisan interests may have provided one motivation for the votes of individual legislators,” Stevens wrote.

Concern that the Democratic Party is dividing, Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean recently spoke out again about this election. Dean reiterated his call two weeks ago to end the Democratic primary contest in June.

Dean is focusing on winning the general election, and in order to fulfill that goal, measures must be taken soon.

We really can’t have a divided convention,” Dean said. “If we do it’s going to be very hard to heal the party afterwards. So we’ll know who the nominee is and that’ll give us an extra 2 1/2 months to get our party together, heal the wounds of having a very closely divided race and take on Senator McCain.”

On Monday, he made clear that either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama have to drop out of the race to the White House in June after the primaries and before the convention.

He didn’t specify which candidate he wants to see drop out.

We want the voters to have their say,” Dean said. “That’s over on June 3.”

Dean said that both candidates will know it if it is “time for them to go”.

This is not about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,” Dean said. “This is about our country. It’s about a better course for our country. We’ve got to move on and win the presidency.”

So far, Obama is in the lead with 1,714 pledged delegates to Clinton’s 1,589 delegates. Right now, it seems to be all about the math with nine primaries left.

500 of the 800 un-pledged delegates have already said who they are for,” Dean said. “The remaining 300 will do that by the end of June and we’ll know who our nominee is and that’s what we need to do.”