Michael Pfleger

Michael Pfleger is the "blue-eyed black soul" pastor of Saint Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois.

Pfleger was ordained as a Catholic priest on May 14, 1975 for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Fast Facts

1. Born: May 22, 1949
2. Pastor for Saint Sabina Catholic Church since 1981
3. Has known Barack Obama for over 20 years
4. Friends with Jeremiah Wright
5. Was suspended for two weeks because of the comments¹
6. Will return to his church on June 16, 2008¹

Mocking Hillary Clinton

In a video posted on YouTube, Pfleger is seen wiping his eyes with a handkerchief mocking Hillary Clinton for tearing-up when answering questions about the stress of her campaign the day before the New Hampshire primary.²

Pfleger suggests that Clinton wept because she felt she was entitled to the presidency because she's white and the wife of former president Bill Clinton.²

The video was shot in Trinity United Church Of Christ where controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright made disparaging remarks about the United States and where Barack Obama is a member. The congregation laughed and cheered for Pfleger.²

Pfleger apologized for his comments on Thursday, May 29, 2008, via a statement sent from Saint Sabina Catholic Church saying "I regret the words I chose on Sunday. These words are inconsistent with Sen. Obama's life and message, and I am deeply sorry if they offended Sen. Clinton or anyone else who saw them."²

Barack Obama was quick to release a statement saying, "I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause."²

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