Ferraro surprised at continued controversy

Former Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro complained Wednesday that Sen. Barack Obama drew a comparison between her and his controversial pastor in his seminal speech about race relations in the U.S. Gene Maddaus in the Daily News.

In a 37-minute speech Tuesday, Obama sought to place racially charged remarks by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright in a broader context, including them on a continuum with Ferraro's comment that Obama's race was a major factor in his political success.

"To equate what I said with what this racist bigot has said from the pulpit is unbelievable," Ferraro said in a telephone interview from Florida.

"(Obama) gave a very good speech on race relations, but he did not address the fact that this man (Wright) is up there spewing hatred."