Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, made a personal phone call to each of the two Muslim women who said they were denied seating behind him at this week’s rally in Detroit because they wore Islamic head scarves known as hijabs. Obama called Shimaa Abdelfadeel and Hebba Aref Thursday to personally apologize for the actions of two volunteers who asked that the women not sit in view of the television cameras behind the podium at the Joe Louis Arena on Monday night.

Abdelfadeel told the Detroit Free Press that Obama called her “to personally convey his deepest apologies and acknowledge that this was inexcusable.”

“We both immensely appreciate the Senator’s phone call and his commitment to remedy this issue,” Abdelfadeel told the Free Press. “We commend him for displaying qualities befitting an effective President.”

Both women say they still support Obama, and hope that he continues to be aware of and discourage discrimination in the future.