Spike Lee says the Rev. Jesse Jackson's crudely phrased criticism of Barack Obama won't affect the Democrat's campaign, which the filmmaker expects to succeed at bringing "seismic" change to the world.

"I don't think his (Jackson's) comments help anybody. It's just unfortunate," Lee said after taking part in a Television Critics Association panel.

Lee predicted Obama would be elected in November.

"When that happens, it will change everything. ... You'll have to measure time by `Before Obama' and `After Obama,'" Lee said during the panel. "It's an exciting time to be alive now."