Presidential candidate Barack Obama just appeared on Keith Olbermann’s show (MSNBC) to discuss the issues relating to his former pastor, Reverand Jeremiah Wright.  Here are the highlights:

• Apparently Reverend Wright “stepped down.”

• Barack Obama says that he hadn’t heard the statements about “God Damn America” and wasn’t in church on that day.  He also says that he never heard such “incidendiary language.”

• Although Wright is “sometimes controversial” and Obama doesn’t always agree with everything he says, he would not have “repudiated” Reverend Wright as a person but does think the comments made are “contrary to what he believes in.”  He finds the comments to be angry and distressing but, like a member of your family who expresses comments you don’t agree with,” he believes persons must respect others’ opinions.

• Obama “strongly objects to these statements” (about 9/11) and had he heard them he “would have objected to those comments personally.”

• Obama notes that Wright is a former Marine, a biblical scholar and is highly respected.  But that Wright comes from a different generation who may not have the same feelings as persons today.  Those opinions must be respected.

• There should not be “guilt by association” and he should be held accountable for what “[Obama] says and believes.”

If you are looking for background on this issue, I covered it today — and gave you my thoughts — in Point 5 of today’s Daily Report (a finely crafted piece well worth the read I say).  My opinion was the same as what he says here, judge people by their words, not others.