Priest: Clinton remarks brought threats

CHICAGO, June 1 (UPI) -- A Catholic priest who apologized last week for mocking presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton from a Chicago pulpit says he has received threats.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger came to national prominence after a video of his rant was circulated on the Internet and aired by TV news shows. He said he has received "thousands of hate threats," the Chicago Sun-Times reported Sunday.

"They want to kill me," Pfleger told parishioners during a service at Chicago's St. Sabina Church.

The priest made his controversial comments last Sunday at Trinity United Church of Christ, home church of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama's former pastor who drew criticism for some of his sermons.

In his sermon, Pfleger mocked Clinton and suggested it was "white entitlement" that led her to believe the Democratic nomination should go to her rather than Obama.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, Saturday resigned their membership in the church. Obama -- who previously rejected remarks by Wright -- said he was "deeply disappointed" in Pfleger's "divisive, backward-looking rhetoric."

Pfleger has apologized and promised Chicago Cardinal Francis George he will refrain from politicking for the remainder of the presidential campaign.