Jesse Jackson
What did Jesse Jackson say
The Reverend Jesse Jackson apologized today for what he said was a ``crude'' comment he made about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama following a television appearance July 6, saying he supports Obama ``unequivocally.''
Jackson, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, was appearing on Fox News when a microphone picked up his remark suggesting that Obama was patronizing blacks.
Obama has been ``talking down to black people on this faith-based,'' Jackson said according to a tape of the comments played on Fox's ``The O'Reilly Factor'' tonight.
``I want to cut his nuts off,'' Jackson then said, according to a report on the Fox News Web site.
Jackson, who didn't know the microphone was on, was commenting on talks Obama has made in black churches about parental responsibility and other social issues.
``Anything I said in a hot-mic statement that's interpreted as a distraction, I offer apologies for that,'' Jackson said at a news conference today.
``I have supported Barack's campaign with passion from the very beginning. I thought the very idea made sense,'' Jackson said. ``We've been there all the way, because I think this campaign is a redemptive moment for America and a great opportunity to redefine America.''
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said Obama ``will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology.''
Not Much Impact
Jackson's comments shouldn't have much of an impact on the presidential race, said David Bositis, a senior research analyst at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based research center that focuses on issues of concern to the black community.
``There is a leader who African Americans have selected. He's Barack Obama,'' Bositis said. ``Any individual black leader who tries to undermine Barack Obama will do so at their own risk.''
The Illinois senator, who in August stands to be the first African American to be nominated for president by a major political party, spent Father's Day last month at one of Chicago's largest black churches telling fathers that they should set better examples for their children and shouldn't abandon them.
``Any fool can have a child. That doesn't make you a father,'' Obama said at the Apostolic Church of God, which has more than 20,000 members. ``Too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes.''
Jackson told CNN today he was suggesting that Obama should also be talking in the black community about issues such as health care, jobs and justice.
``That's a range of issues on the menu,'' he said. ``Then I said something I regret was crude.''
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=azxuvBN.EouE&refer=us
Jesse Jackson
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