Clinton Camp Compares Rev. Wright to David Duke

A Hillary Clinton aide has ratcheted up the anti-Barack Obama rhetoric over his ties to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, comparing the Chicago pastor to white supremacist David Duke.

Niall O’Dowd, a member of Hillary’s finance committee, gave an interview to RTE Radio in Ireland saying it’s “legitimate” to raise questions about Obama’s relationship with Rev. Wright, whose sermons have included anti-American declarations and suggestions of conspiracies against African-Americans.

“It’s interesting that Barack Obama sat in the pews while all this was going on, and never once in any of his books or anything else” did he denounce Wright, O’Dowd said, adding: “He worshipped the man.”

In the interview, which was reported by the Web site TPM Election Central, O’Dowd also said:

“I think the issue that the Clinton campaign has seized on is that Barack Obama never once raised his voice to his pastor and said, ‘I think your language is quite extreme here, and I think your language is probably wrong.’

“Because let’s turn this around. If this was David Duke and he was preaching … and Hillary Clinton was in the pew, there would be outrage about this.

“And there can’t be this double standard. Barack Obama has used race where it suited him, but when it doesn’t suit him he backs away from it.”