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Rev. Jesse Jackson in the Hot Seat
Published by Pamela Gentry on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 12:15 pm.
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer July 10, 2008 – The Rev. Jesse Jackson is no stranger to controversy, media spotlight or the ground rules when speaking with the press. But if he had forgotten, his latest slip of the tongue will serve as a pungent reminder to remember past lessons.
On Sunday, while in the FOX News studio waiting to be interviewed, Jackson leaned over to another guest, Reed V. Tuckson, the former chief medical officer for the District of Columbia and President of the Charles Drew University in Los Angeles, and whispered, “Barack has been talking down to Black people. …I want to cut his nuts off.” In a rapid response, the founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition issued a statement denouncing the “crude” nature of his comments and apologized to the presumptive Democratic nominee.
“I apologize,” Rev. Jackson said Wednesday. “My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment. My appeal was for the moral content of his message, to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of Black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility.”
Still, his actions brought swift rejection from the civil rights leader’s son, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), the national co-chairman of Obama’s presidential campaign. In rallying behind his candidate, he proved that political alliances can be stronger than family ties. “I’m deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson’s reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee – and I believe the next president of the United States – contradict his inspiring and courageous career,” Jackson Jr. wrote in a statement.
Jackson said his comments were in reference to visits Obama has made to Black churches during his campaign, at which the 46-year-old senator has said Black folks are responsible for their families and their communities. While Jackson has also been outspoken about Black America’s responsibility to play an active role in improving its plight, he has been careful to highlight the government’s responsibility to provide equal opportunity and racial justice.
But, Jackson knows that everything one says while wearing a microphone in a television studio is on the record. He also knows that a careless remark – even one he thought was off the record – can be costly. After all, it was his clumsy reference to Jews as “Hymies” and New York as “Hymietown” during his 1984 presidential bid that nearly destroyed his lifelong work within the Jewish community. And his gaffe late last year about Obama “acting White” perhaps revealed Jackson’s latent belief that the Illinois senator’s political perspective was out of line with that of the traditional civil rights establishment.
Granted, this was a careless move on Jackson’s part, but I also know it was not intended to do harm to the Obama’s shot at being commander and chief. After hearing his comments had been recorded, Jackson appeared on CNN to publicly apologize, issued a statement to the press and called the senator’s office with his apology.
His immediate actions may slow his roll on political chatter, but what it won’t stop speculation about some underlying dissention among old-school Black leadership regarding Obama’s candidacy. The topic wasn’t on the radar before this and support for Obama appeared unwavering.
Bill Burton, spokesman for the Obama campaign, suggested that the brouhaha was being blown out of proportion. “Of course” the senator accepts the reverends apology, he said. Jackson’s son’s wasn’t so forgiving. “Reverend Jackson is my dad and I’ll always love him,” he said But, “he should know how hard that I’ve worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself.”
Whew, I bet the next family dinner will be a bit tense at the Jackson’s house.
Jesse Jackson Senior should have known better and I think there is some jealousy there. However it saddens me that some of you speak about him or other people with such bitterness. We need to be able to denounce something that someone say or do with out wishing them ill will. Also so we need to recognize that because someone say or do something stupid dose not mean that they haven’t did something good in their life. His son seems to have come out ok. Stop the hate!!!
See Jesse has made me feel bad just because of my last name. I cant believe his ignorant tail got on tv and said some dumb stuff like that. All it is, is jelousy. He couldn’t do what Obama is doing back when he tried to become president. I mean really, he just made a African americans look bad as a whole. Obama already has it hard enough trying to pull in more white votes, bt here comes Jesse making it even harde… And you know it’s something wrong when his own son is speaking against him using his own words lol”Keep hope alive”. I guess
Here we go again Jesse Jackson just want to get his name in the lime light again with something negative to say about Obama.Jesse don’t be Mad cause you didn’t make it this far give the man his PAT on the Back……..HATER……
After reading all of the comments this is much bigger than the comments made it is about us as people. We need to stop hating and let Mr. Jackson deal with his own issues we have bigger fish to fry like get Obama elected President, and leave this mess alone. God will handle Jackson and God will protect Obama. and leave Fox News to them selves (like in the garbage)
I jus saw the video of Jesse Jackson (watch it!!.. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25618980#25618980 )… he was literally sitting in front of the camera…and we all know that that camera neva turns off…especially on a biased network like FOX news and BILL ORIELLY whom would love to see us flop!!!…come on now…that was the dumbest thing he couldv done…and you see the man beside him biting his lip…didnt say a word cuz u knew the mics and cameras were prolly still on!!….Borak wasnt talkin down to Blacks!!…he was being real!!…we all need that person who will b real wit us and tell us r mistakes even if we dont wana hear it and Borak was doing that because he loves his people and wants them to do right!!!…and YES!!!…THERE ARE TOOOO MANY DEAD BEAT DADS N OUR COMMUNITY!!!…SENDING A CHECK DOES NOT MEAN UR A FATHER..CALLIN ON HOLIDAYS DOES NOT MEAN YOUR A FATHER…SENDING CHRISTMAS GIFTS DOES NOT MEAN UR A FATHER!!!….YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY Be ThERE!!!…and i think that is basically wat Borak was tryna say!!!…So Black mean who dont take care of their kids GET URSELF TOGETHA!!!!…and if u dont want no kids GET A VISECTOMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!…and women….STOP SLEEPIN WIT LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barrack Obama is correct. We as Blacks need to take more responsibility for our families and community. Just because white folk still discriminate against us, that is no cause for us to act the way we do. Father children then don’t be there to support them. Sell drugs in our neighborhoods, kill our own kind and just overall act the fool. Those things have nothing to do with the social unjust we have endured. Jesse Jackson missed the point and I believe he feels left out. No one is down what he has done, now let Obama have his turn with the baton. I agree with Jacksons son for blasting his Father. He deserved it.
jesse needs to stand by mr.obama and quit all of this side hatin, it just goes to show we are our own worst enemy ,we will never be able to circle the wagons around each other like the white folks do.
but lets jus remember that no one is perfect.not even borak…so win he makes a few mistakes in the future dont act like he is a failure or a misrepresntation of black ppl. lets hope he doesnt hold the curse of the past Black leaders that made us look bad.
Perhaps Jesse is a little envious because when he ran for President, he didn’t get that far…..LOL!
Yes, Rev Jackson should have known better to say anything while miked up but the comment was one that many of us might have thought or wanted to say. He just got caught.
Jesse Jackson just never stops. It amazes me how he can cal himself a Reverend and commit adultery and have a child out of wedlock. I haven’t had anything to do with him ever since that story broke.
BLACK PEOPLE DON’T NEED NO MORE LEADERS. THOSE DAYS ARE LONG GONE. WE HAVE TO STAND UP ON OUR OWN. THAT’S WHAT MR. OBAMA IS TALKING ABOUT.
Jesse Jackson is what my grandmother calls a SELF APPOINTED REVEREND. In other words he made his own self a preacher, and just for that you can best believe that he has some suffering days ahead of him. It is so sad how some black people are. JUST LIKE CRABS IN A BUCKET…It was apporopriate for Barack to accept his apology, but he better accept anything else from him…SNAKE IN THE GRASS..SMILE IN YOUR FACE AND WILL STAB YOU AS SOON AS YOUR BACK IS TURNED.
This is very reason why Jesse Jackson or anyone like him could never be President of the U S A!!
America does not want to listen to the rhetoric of civil rights!! Those days are long gone….It’s a new day, it is certainly not the days of the 50s and 60s anymore!!!
Jesse Jackson is a hater. He sees this black man doing more for the black people, more for the country, and more for the world than he has ever done in his miserable political career and he is threatened by Obama’s accomplishments. He is an old fart who needs to shut up. He is supposed to be a reverend and you tell someone that you want to cut his nuts off. How retarded is that? Shame on you Jesse Jackson. And Obama wasn’t even talking down to black people, he was trying to bring them up and tell them what needs to happen to make this world a better place. And Obama should definitely not put his trust in Jesse Jackson or anyone he hangs around. His own son said that that was inappropriate and a disgrace.
Truly sad.
Jesse needs to get right with God and then work on relationships with his fellowman. True colors always have a way of revealing themselves. VERBAL GENOCIDE…hopefully one day we as a people will learn to stand together.
And to the ones who say this was a mistake. NO IT WASN’T. A mistake is you spelling something wrong on a test. A mistake is you messing up in a job interview. A mistake is using salt instead of sugar in your cookies. You telling someone just prior to an interview is NONSENSE and STUPID. You were thinking that all of the time, and it just so happens that the man sitting next to him asked him a simple question and JJ felt it was necessary to “SPILL THE BEANS”. How ignorant can he be? That’s like me making love to my husband and calling out another mans name. That isn’t a mistake that was just me having my mind somewhere else and doing things I shouldn’t be doing. Remember those tapes that got Nixon in trouble? Well this is the type of thing that gets politicians in trouble. If you don’t want it repeated you better keep it to yourself.
Aey if Obama is runing around talkin bad about us then somebody needs to address it. We ‘ve had sell-outs and uncle toms since slavery, not calling Obama one but if he is, the worst thing we can do is put him in offence. If they they got him in their pockets then they can get away wit alot more B.S because it can’t be racial if he”s a black Man can. If he’s really for us then I’m behind him 200 percent, but if he ain’t we in trouble!!!!!
Luv
Always finding some kind of division
First of all I want to say to my people, let us hold our heads up high and be proud of this moment in time. We have a viable black man who will be PRESIDENT of these United States. A country where we never asked to come to but we help shape this nation, even though we were made to feel less than human. There have been comments about Sen. Obama’s inexperience, well who is experienced as President when they first sit at the desk in the oval office. These Presidents, I am sure encounter situations that they never even dream of. Sen. Obama is an intellgient man, he’ll figure it all out. As for Jesse Jackson’s comment, let us just consider the source and not dwell on it. There have been so many comments that I want to touch on, but it would take several pages. So I will touch on the comment that was made about Sen Obama’s airplane and Secretary Ron Brown. All that have commented, let us, in our minds make a big circle, with Sen. Obama and his family in the middle and continuously PRAY to GOD for their safety and well being. You know what the Bible says about two or more praying collectively. Amen
P.S. NO WEAPONS FORMED AGAINST THEM SHALL
PROSPER.