Obama cancels Saturday visit in deference to Hinckley funeral

Barack Obama has canceled his planned Saturday visit to Utah in deference to the funeral for President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Obama, one of the top candidates for the Democratic nomination for president, was expected to come Saturday for a rally in Salt Lake City. The campaign, however, released a statement Tuesday morning announcing the cancellation of the visit.

"Last night I spoke with President Thomas Monson and expressed my deepest sympathies to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley," Obama said in the statement.