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This seems like a classy way to deal with it. Whether it'll be enough is another question:
OLBERMANN: How do you characterize given your long association with him, given the fact that he officiated at the marriage of you and your wife, how do balance this line of what you have to do at this point from a political point of view and from what you have to do from personal point of view relative to these comments and your long history with him? Do you repudiate the man, do you repudiate the comments, do you repudiate both?OBAMA: No, I would do not repudiate the man. As I said, this is somebody who I have known for 17 years. He helped bring me to Jesus and helped bring me to church. And, you know, he and I have a relationship, he`s like an uncle who has talked to me, not about political things and not about social views, as much as about faith and God and family. And he`s somebody who is widely respected throughout Chicago and around the country for many of the things that he`s done not only as a pastor but also as a preacher. But I have to say that the comments that have been played are ones that are contrary to what I believe, what I think of this country, the love that I have for this country and, you know, are ones that anger and distress me.So, you know, I would describe it as a member of your family who does, says something that you really disagree with. They don`t stop being a member of your family, but you have to speak out forcefully on the issue.And here's Obama's direct response:
