The Screwups of Campaign '08

Presidential campaigns are so carefully stage-managed that few things are as entertaining as the mistakes politicians make on the trail. Throughout the 2008 race, check out TIME.com's ongoing chronicle of each candidate's gaffes, and then vote on just how big a screwup each one is

Mistakes Were Made

Obama's Gospel Glitch

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Chris Graythen / Getty

Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin

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Barack Obama
Oct. 24, 2007

"I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin's views and will continue to fight for these rights as president of the United States."

—Obama, on recruiting gospel singer Donnie McClurkin, who advocates curing homosexuality with prayer, for a series of campaign-sponsored concerts in South Carolina — a move that angered gay activists and liberal bloggers alike, who called on Obama to remove McClurkin from the performances. Obama refused to do so


— M.J. Stephey


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