My Dad is gonna kill me. But here's Jesse--on Fox News no less--telling some other dude that he'd like to cut Obama's nuts out. Nice. I'm not even sure this hurts Obama in anyway. Even Jesse's own son condemned him. There is a certain strain of the civil right era that really just needs to have a Jack and Coke and call it a day. It's not that we aren't grateful. We so really are. But this is getting embarrassing...
UPDATE: Anyone who thinks this will hurt Obama's support among African-Americans can come meet me on 125th where I will present them a deed for the GW Bridge. I've obviously given my critique of that speech. I don't much care about "talking down" as much as I care about the literal truth of what Obama was saying. Also, given that I mostly like Obama's fatherhood bill, the actual speech is a minor issue for me. That said--unlike Jesse Sr.--I've got sense enough to not confuse my politics, with the politics of the black community. I'm a typical East-Coast, latte-sipping liberal, whereas most of my brethren are Southeners. Expect the difference between my personal politics and the rest of the black communities to roughly mirror the difference between any Chardonnay liberal and any other Southerners. The only difference, I guess, is I still love my people. Even when I think they're dead wrong. They're still my folk.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
I'm pretty sure you can take your Dad. He just doesn't want to admit it yet and you're a good son for pretending he can.
You really have to admire the way the media ignored McCain making a joke about killing Iranians and ignored McCain saying Social Security is a disgrace, but Jesse effing Jackson coming out of the cobwebs to say something out of turn? Now THERE'S a story, folks!
The cutting off nuts part was strange but the rest of what he sais was mostly true. Moving on...
I just think it's creepyfunnycreepyfunnycreepy the way it was whispered. I mean, I know WHY he was whispering, but just the fact of it being whispered kind of sheds a gross light on how everyone is so twofaced and lying about what they believe in. And why his nuts? So much unexplained. Ack!
A link to Andrew Sullivan to Drudge...to "TAPE IN ITS ENTIRETY TONIGHT ON 'O'REILLY."
Even though it already happened, I would not watch O'Reilly. So what was the context, why was he saying it? Is this a thing between the people of the civil right era and Obama? I don't think I heard much about that, but maybe I am under a rock. I heard a ton about 2nd wave feminists and Obama. But civil rights leaders?
Jesse should open a pie shop.
Yes, crude, but not that wrong. (This is coming from a twice-donating Obama supporter.)
@Stephen Sondheim: "There's a hole in the world like a big black pit and the demons of the world inhabit it and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit ..."
Now, if I were a longtime observer of the Chicago political scene, I might suggest that the good Rev. knew exactly what he was doing and where he was doing it.
You see, Rev. Jackson isn't going to lose a whole lot of popularity because of this statement - his place in history is secure. As Ta-Nehisi points out Senator Obama won't be losing much (if any) support because of this either. So, not exactly win-win but more like no harm, no foul. Hand me that Jack & Coke.
However, there are some white folk of my age (50+) & older who might sit up, take notice and smile that Jesse Jackson had to apologize to that young half-white Senator - especially, those older folks who get most of their "news" from Fox. While it might not shift many (if any) to vote for Obama, maybe just maybe, they'll consider that this young Senator might not be so bad after all.
It's the old, if he (Rev. Jackson) doesn't like him, he (Senator Obama in this case) must be alright logic.
Okay, a long shot perhaps but in the space of two weeks, we've had Wesley Clark and Rev. Jackson "taking one for Team Obama". Coincidence? Or well timed trivial controversy that takes attention away from talk about FISA & progressives feeling betrayed. Makes you wonder.
Remember, Senator Obama became Senator after two candidates (one Democratic & one Republican) got tripped up by details in their divorce papers. Fluky, but there you go. A date with destiny as they say.
JT (Chicago): things that make u go hmmmm...
i am black. i like that obama speaks of personal responsibility--it's one more voice of sanity and reason out there doing so in my opinion. obama is keepin' it real.
You know, JT, now that you mention it, this isn't the first time Rev. Jackson's been caught in front of a hot mike. Maybe it wasn't an accident after all...
I agree with JT. Overall, it helps Obama. No one really cares what Jesse Jackson thinks, and white folks will get to be righteously indignant about how Jackson criticized Obama for "speaking the truth" or somesuch nonsense.
It's not just old BLACK people who need to stfu, old people generally: Ferraro, Clinton(s), Nader, all were equally tone-deaf in their comments. Now I obviously have much more love & respect for one rather than the other, but God must be having a bit of a laugh over how (s)he marginalized not one, but two race-baiting Jesses in the space of three days.
Excuse me? I'm 22 and I think that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Older black people are the bedrock of the community, I haven't seen anyone our age stepping up worth a damn. Obama all by himself doesn't count.
"i am black. i like that obama speaks of personal responsibility--it's one more voice of sanity and reason out there doing so in my opinion. obama is keepin' it real.
Most black people that I know talk about this. Mabye you should leave your house more often or change your social circle.
I am sick of people saying that black people hate personal responsiblity when that is not the case.
I think that some are not fans of it because when it comes up, it is often used to downplay or dismiss other factors for issues in the black community which is equally problematic.
True krs1. Many of us old folks (hands up, I'm 51) are locked in the battles, symbols & rhetoric of the '60s & '70s (see McCain's latest ad about "hope").
Besides all the obvious hopes I place on an Obama presidency, I hope that his election will pass the leadership of this country to younger, hopefully, more open minded generation. We old folks need to let this happen; the baton needs to be released.