By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
Posted March 17, 2008 – There was little talk this weekend over about the 14 additional delegates Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) picked up from Iowa and California.  The reason, the hype surrounding controversial remarks made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright the former pastor of Obama’s south side Chicago church.

Wright’s comment, “Barack knows what it means to be a black man living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people,” has brought race back to the forefront. 

Obama has condemned, rejected and denounced Wright’s comments, but the longtime spiritual adviser may have posed the first real threat to the frontrunner’s candidacy.

During a town-hall meeting in Indianapolis, Obama told folks, “We have to come together.  It reminds me: We’ve got a tragic history when it comes to race in this country.”   Adding he didn’t want to see race intruding into the contest.

David Axelrod, Obama’s campaign manager, told reporters, “Rev. Wright married him, introduced him, as he said, to the church, brought him into the church, into Christianity, baptized his children, so this is a painful thing for him because he condemns the things Rev. Wright said, but he also knows him as a person.”

This all comes at the same time Obama is widening his lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the race for the nomination.  The Illinois senator gained nine delegates in Iowa, as the majority of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards’ delegates were awarded to him; and on Saturday, he added five delegates in California, giving him an estimated 119 delegate advantage over Clinton.

Former Sen. Bill Bradley, an Obama supporter said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “Barack Obama has more delegates, more votes, he’s won more states. Last night in Iowa he won 10 more votes. If you take what happened in Mississippi and Wyoming, he won more net delegates in those two races than Senator Clinton did in Ohio and Texas combined,” Bradley argued.  “So I clearly think that we’re heading into a period where, certainly, after last night, she’s [Clinton] got to win more than 60 percent of all the remaining — all the remaining states.”

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), a Clinton supporter said, the New York senator has won more key states and that she is more “electable” than Obama.

Obama is going to face mounting attacks leading up to the Pennsylvania primary, attacks similar to those he would face during a general election.  Pundits, political watchers, and voters will be watching to see how he reacts; responds; and if can rebound.