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Priest apologizes for mocking Clinton while at Obama church

  • Story Highlights
  • Sermon at Sen. Barack Obama's church took aim at Sen. Hillary Clinton
  • The Rev. Michael Pfleger said Clinton cried because she felt entitled to presidency
  • Obama says he's "deeply disappointed" by what he calls a "divisive" sermon
  • Pfleger apologizes, says his words were inconsistent with Obama's message
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(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama said he was "deeply disappointed" by a sermon at his church this week that mocked Sen. Hillary Clinton.

A video making the rounds on YouTube shows the Rev. Michael Pfleger mocking Clinton for becoming teary-eyed before the New Hampshire primary in January.

In the video, Pfleger wipes his eyes with a handkerchief and suggests Clinton wept because she thought that as a white person and the wife of a former president, she was entitled to the presidency.

"And then, out of nowhere, came 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama,' " Pfleger said during a sermon Sunday at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. "And [Clinton] said, 'Oh damn, where did you come from? I'm white! I'm entitled! There's a black man stealing my show!' " Video Watch Pfleger mock Clinton »

The video shows the congregation laughing and cheering.

Pfleger is a Catholic priest at St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church on Chicago's southwest side.

He is also a friend of Trinity's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, from whom Obama distanced himself in April.

At the time, Obama said he was "outraged" by Wright's remarks suggesting the U.S. government might be responsible for the spread of AIDS in the black community and equating some American wartime efforts with terrorism.

Obama has known Pfleger for more than 20 years.

His campaign condemned Pfleger's comments.

"As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that that unites us," Obama said in a statement Thursday.

"That is why 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."

The Clinton camp also condemned Pfleger's remarks.

"Divisive and hateful language like that is totally counterproductive in our efforts to bring our party together and have no place at the pulpit or in our politics," the Clinton campaign said.

"We are disappointed that Sen. Obama didn't specifically reject Father's Pfleger's despicable comments about Sen. Clinton and assume he will."

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Pfleger apologized for his comments Thursday evening.

"I regret the words I chose on Sunday," he said in a statement. "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."

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