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Murtha apologizes for calling W.Pa. 'a racist area'
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A day after he called Western Pennsylvania "a racist area," U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha said in a statement today "I apologize for making the comment."
He continued, "While we cannot deny that race is a factor in this election, I believe we've been able to look beyond race these past few months, and that voters today are concerned with the policy differences of our two candidates and their vision for the future of our great country," said Mr. Murtha, a Johnstown Democrat.
"Sen. Obama has shown sound judgment and has presented us with a change from the failed policies of George Bush and John McCain. I believe he will win both Pennsylvania and the White House."
In his earlier comments, Mr. Murtha predicted that Mr. Obama would carry the state, but not by the margins shown in recent polls.
"There's no question Western Pennsylvania is a racist area," Mr. Murtha told the Post-Gazette yesterday. "The older population is more hesitant."
Mr. Obama finished a distant second to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the state's primary in April.
First Published October 16, 2008 12:52 pm
