The problem is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 Presidents. Bush 43 added $4…

We also don't want a church subjected to the scrutiny that a presidential campaign legitimately undergoes.

She's an outstanding public servant.

She is an outstanding public servant and she and I will be working together in November.

I emphasized to her what an extraordinary race that she has run and said that there are not too many people who understand exactly how hard she has been working.

I have no idea how it will impact my presidential campaign, but I know it's the right thing to do for the church and for our family.

Father Pfleger, who is somebody who I've known, who I consider a friend, who has done tremendous work in Chicago. But made offensive statements that have no place in our politics and in the pulpit.

My suspicion at that time, and Michelle, I think, shared this concern, was that it was going to be very difficult to continue our membership there so long as I was running for president.

I suspect if you were in my shoes it seems plausible at least that you wouldn't want your church experience to be a political circus.

My faith is not contingent on the particular church that I belong to.

There's no doubt that had Reverend Wright's controversial statements not surfaced then this would not have been as -- this would not have been a prominent issue.

I am not going to approach this as a political exercise.