Rev. Wright Still On Voter's Minds

(CBS)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Barack Obama tried to put the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy behind him today by focusing his message on the economy and middle class tax cuts. However, at his first campaign stop here, Obama was asked about Wright right off the bat.

"Recently you have been forced to basically turn your back on someone who had been a good friend for a long time and I wonder if you could tell us how much of a toll this takes on you to be forced by attacks, sometimes unfair attacks, to have to turn your back on people who have been good to you in the past," a voter asked.

Obama explained that it was difficult, but that he had to distance himself from Wright because his comments did not represent his values. "I've made a statement yesterday that was hard to make, but it was what I believed, and what we want to do now though is to make sure that this doesn't continue to be a perpetual distraction," Obama said. "I mean it is true that part of the job when you're running for president is that anybody who is tangentially even remotely associated with you is somehow fair game, and that's unfortunate."

Michelle Obama, who was also at the event, did not comment on Wright. During her opening remarks, however, she said she initially did not encourage her husband to go into politics. "I've spent my whole life trying to convince him not to be a politician," she said. "It's like, teach, write, sing, dance, I don't care what you do, just don't do this! These people are mean!"