Reverend Jesse Jackson Apologizes for Crude Remarks About Obama

According to the Associated Press, Reverend Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday for disparaging remarks that he made on Friday about Senator Barack Obama that were picked up by a Fox News Channel microphone.

Reportedly, Jackson's comments were about the way in which Obama was talking to black people and included a coarse reference to male genitalia.

Specifically, Jackson felt that Obama was "talking down to black people."

In his apology, Jackson said, "For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize. My support for Senator Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment."

"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility," he added.

Later on Wednesday, Jackson held a news conference in which he traced the history of the civil rights movement, while stating that he was passionate about Obama's campaign.

Jackson's apology comes after Fox News announced that it would be broadcasting the remarks on The O'Reilly Factor on Wednesday night in an attempt to lessen the controversy.