Obama Says He and Jackson Spoke Before Jackson Made "Crude" Comments

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(SAN DIEGO) On the flight from Chicago to San Diego last night, Barack Obama admitted to speaking to Jesse Jackson about his fatherhood speech days before Jackson's slip-up on Fox News. While he acknowledged that Jackson had disagreed with the speech, Obama continued to defend his comments.

"I told him that I absolutely believe that we have structural inequalities in this country that have to be dealt with," Obama said, but he went on to argue that society bears some responsibility in dealing with the problem.

He specifically mentioned that more African American children are growing up in fatherless homes, adding "That is a problem, And I won't back up one bit in asserting that that's a problem that we have to be honest about."

Obama argued that Jackson has made similar remarks in the past. He did not specifically speak about Jackson's remarks on Fox News, but he said the two have not spoken since the incident.

Obama will address the National Council of La Raza conference in San Diego today.

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by geo33331 July 15, 2008 2:42 AM EDT: Throughout his campaign Obama has come across as focusing on all Americans, Black, White and others. The blog comment about Obama''s focus clearly shows that person has not been paying attention. More importantly, it is ridiculous and ignorant to think that one man or any group could foster blacks taking over the country. Hello? We have Congress, the Supreme Court,( i.e. the balance of power along with the executive branch...(remember 6th grade Civics class) and the businessmen of this country, who by the way the majority of whom are not black. But this kind of comment and the resistance to admitting "structual inequalities" like,(segregation, redlining, special zoning, etc.) in this country were not created(and still fostered today in attitudes by many), by Blacks or women. A comments like the blog comment made and the attitudes supporting it will keep this country from truly moving forward for all Americans.; Reply to this comment


by ariel133 July 14, 2008 11:08 AM EDT: "Structural Inequalities?" So what does he suggest, the blacks take over the country in an effort to feel equal? How about Obama focusing on whites as much as he focuses on blacks? There are plenty of white folk that don''t feel equal..and they are not just women. Obama seems like a hypocritical inexperiance martyr who has an ego that lives in denial. Pretty scary stuff.; Reply to this comment


by johnmcsame July 14, 2008 10:01 AM EDT: (from above article).

Obama argued that Jackson has made similar remarks in the past. He did not specifically speak about Jackson%u2019s remarks on Fox News, but he said the two have not spoken since the incident.

Obama is behaving like a juvenile for not speaking with Jackson. Once again he has shown his inability to accept constructive criticism.; Reply to this comment


by nguyendynast July 13, 2008 3:01 PM EDT: In Confucius'' philosophy, kings, government officials (those holding position) are considered father, elder brothers... of the people. It means that they have to treat the ruled with love, devotion. The Boston Globe brought us a dark glimnpse of the Chicago Housing complex in squalor etc... in the area represented by Mr Obama. Even in the case he was not state senator, his being former community organizer is enough to bring his eyes to these poor African Americans. The Boston paper also said Mr Obama helped a lot of slumlords. Will we have a "father" president who was not "father" in the past?; Reply to this comment


by laslo3 July 13, 2008 2:15 PM EDT: I believe the comment made by Jackson should be means for an FBI investigation. Making the comment that he "would like to cut Obama''s nuts off" is a terroristic threat. A terroristic threat to a Presidential Candidate! There are without a doubt double standards in this country. If Don Imus or any other "white" man had made the same comment he would be taken off the air and prosecuted for threatening a Presidential Candidate Al Sharpton would have been blowing his hot air for months about it. Jesse has never worked for a living, only leeched money from poor blacks his entire life. He calls himself a "preacher", a man of God? I don''t think so! Obama only spoke of black people being held accountable and that crosses Jackson''s scheme of all black peoples problems are because of "whitey".; Reply to this comment