Rev Jesse Jackson is forced to apologise for saying he wanted to 'cut Barack Obama's nuts out'

The Reverend Jesse Jackson apologised to Barack Obama last night after 'crude' remarks he made about the presidential candidate were picked up by a microphone.

Jackson told a reporter that Obama came across as 'speaking down to black people' when addressing black churches on morality and added: 'I want to cut his nuts out.'

A spokeswoman for the Fox new channel said the comments came during a conversation with a Fox & Friends guest before a live interview on Sunday.

Jackson said there were other important issues to be addressed in the black community, such as unemployment, the mortgage crisis and the number of blacks in prison.

He added: 'And then I said something I thought regretfully crude but it was very private and very much a sound bite and a live mic.'

Fox News aired the excerpt last night, but bleeped out the offending single-syllable word in its broadcast.

Jackson can be heard whispering to a fellow panelist: 'See, Barack been, um, talking down to black people on this faith based ... I want cut his ---- off ... Barack ... he's talking down to black people.'

He made the remarks to Dr. Reed V. Tuckson, executive vice president and chief of medical affairs for UnitedHealth Group.

Jackson later claimed he doesn't remember 'exactly' what he said but that he was 'very sorry'.

The Obama campaign this morning refused to comment.

In a written statement, Mr Jackson said: 'For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologise.

Pals again: Barack Obama laughing after saying goodbye to Rev Jesse Jackson, reflected left

'My support for Senator Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal.'

Jackson added that he has called Mr Obama to say sorry.

'My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy...,' Jackson's statement said of his comments.

'That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part ... or my pride in Senator Barack Obama,' he said.

Though Jackson is supporting Obama, the two are not close.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton noted that the Illinois senator grew up without his father and has spoken and written at length about the issues of parental responsibility and fathers participating in their children's lives, and of society's obligation to provide jobs, justice and opportunity for all.

'He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology,' Burton said.

Jackson's comments sparked something of a family feud. His son, Representative Jesse Jackson Jr, said he was disappointed by his father's 'reckless statements'.

Strong views: Jesse Jackson was overheard whispering to a fellow panellist during a chatshow last Sunday

'His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee - and I believe the next president of the United States - contradict his inspiring and courageous career,' the younger Jackson said.

Last year, when the Reverend Jackson wrote a column questioning the commitment of Obama and other Democratic presidential candidates to the needs of black voters,

Jackson Jr wrote a response in The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper with the headline: 'You're wrong on Obama, Dad.'

Jackson Snr is the third Chicago pastor to create problems for Obama on the campaign trail.
In March, a videotape of Obama's longtime former pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr created a political firestorm in the primaries.

On the tape, Wright accused the U.S. government of creating Aids and is seen shouting 'God damn America' during a sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

In May, Roman Catholic priest the Reverend Michael Pfleger mocked Obama's then Democratic rival Senator Hillary Clinton during a guest sermon at Obama's former church, from which Obama has since resigned.

Pfleger, who is white, pretended he was Clinton crying over 'a black man stealing my show'.

The comments about Obama are not the first Jackson has had to explain after believing he was off the record.

In 1984, he called New York City 'Hymietown', referring to the city's large Jewish population. He later acknowledged it was the wrong to use the term, but said he did so in private to a reporter.