Obama Clarifies Support for Ground Zero Mosque

President Obama on Saturday sought to clarify his comments supporting the building of a mosque near Ground Zero that have ignited a political firestorm ahead of a difficult election season for Democrats.

During a trip to Florida for a family vacation, Obama said his comments from Friday night were only directed at the constitutional right of the mosque to be there, and whether preventing the mosque's construction impinges on the right to freedom of religion.

"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there," he said in response to a reporter's question after he spoke about efforts to aid the Gulf Coast region. "I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about."

Obama came under instant fire after jumping into the middle of a cultural clash Friday night during an Iftar dinner to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. 

White House spokesman Bill Burton released the following statement on behalf of Obama's stance on constructing the mosque.

i think it's  good what is doing by barack obama for clarifycaation about ground zero mosque