第6部分(第4/6 頁)

ul　coalition　of　African　Americans　and　white　Americans。

This　is　not　to　say　that　race　has　not　been　an　issue　in　the　campaign。　At　various　stages　in　the　campaign；　some　mentators　have　deemed　me　either　〃too　black〃　or　〃not　black　enough。〃　We　saw　racial　tensions　bubble　to　the　surface　during　the　week　before　the　South　Carolina　primary。　The　press　has　scoured　every　exit　poll　for　the　latest　evidence　of　racial　polarization；　not　just　in　terms　of　white　and　black；　but　black　and　brown　as　well。

And　yet；　it　has　only　been　in　the　last　couple　of　weeks　that　the　discussion　of　race　in　this　campaign　has　taken　a　particularly　divisive　turn。

On　one　end　of　the　spectrum；　we've　heard　the　implication　that　my　candidacy　is　somehow　an　exercise　in　affirmative　action；　that　it's　based　solely　on　the　desire　of　wide…eyed　liberals　to　purchase　racial　reconciliation　on　the　cheap。　On　the　other　end；　we've　heard　my　former　pastor；　Reverend　Jeremiah　Wright；　use　incendiary　language　to　express　views　that　have　the　potential　not　only　to　widen　the　racial　divide；　but　views　that　denigrate　both　the　greatness　and　the　goodness　of　our　nation；　that　rightly　offend　white　and　black　alike。

I　have　already　condemned；　in　unequivocal　terms；　the　statements　of　Reverend　Wright　that　have　caused　such　controversy。　For　some；　nagging　questions　remain。　Did　I　know　him　to　be　an　occasionally　fierce　critic　of　American　domestic　and　foreign　policy？　Of　course。　Did　I　ever　hear　him　make　remarks　that　could　be　considered　controversial　while　I　sat　in　church？　Yes。　Did　I　strongly　disagree　with　many　of　his　political　views？　Absolutely　…　just　as　I'm　sure　many　of　you　have　heard　remarks　from　your　pastors；　priests；　or　rabbis　with　which　you　strongly　disagreed。

But　the　remarks　that　have　caused　this　recent　firestorm　weren't　simply　controv