Jackson apologizes for Obama remarks

CHICAGO, July 9 (UPI) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday for saying "hurtful" things about U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

After finishing an interview at Fox News Sunday, an open microphone caught Jackson saying, "Barack, he's talking down to black people." Jackson followed that with a comment about castration, CNN said.

Jackson told CNN's "Situation Room" Wednesday the remark "was very private ... if any hurt or harm has been caused to his campaign, I apologize."

Obama's campaign said the apology was accepted, but Jackson's son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., co-chairman of Obama's campaign, said he was "outraged."

"I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Rev. Jackson's reckless statements about Sen. Barack Obama," CNN reported the younger Jackson as saying.

The elder Jackson apologized again in a Chicago news conference a few hours before Fox News broadcast the taped remarks.