Jesse Jackson Apologizes To Obama

Reverend Made "Regretfully Crude" Comment In Private Conversation Caught On Tape

(CBS/ AP)  The Rev. Jesse Jackson has apologized for "regretfully crude" comments he made about Barack Obama's speeches in black churches during what he thought was a private conversation.

Jackson said he commented in response to a question from a Fox News reporter about speeches on morality that Obama has given at black churches. A Fox spokeswoman said the comments came during a conversation with a Fox & Friends guest before a live interview Sunday from Chicago.

The reverend said Wednesday that he had said Obama's speeches "can come off as speaking down to black people" and that there were other important issues to be addressed in the black community, such as unemployment, the mortgage crisis and the number of blacks in prison.

"And then I said something I thought regretfully crude but it was very private and very much a sound bite and a live mic," Jackson told CNN.

Fox News on Wednesday night aired the excerpt of Jackson's comment, including a reference to wanting to cut off Obama's genitalia.

Fox News bleeped out the offending single-syllable word in its broadcast.

In a video aired Wednesday night on the Fox program "The O'Reilly Factor," Jackson whispers to a fellow panelist , "See, Barack been, um, talking down to black people on this faith based ... I want cut his n**s off ... Barack ... he's talking down to black people."

Jackson was making the remarks to Dr. Reed V. Tuckson, executive vice president and chief of medical affairs for UnitedHealth Group.

Jackson told The Associated Press that he doesn't remember "exactly" what he said Sunday but that he was "very sorry."

"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," Jackson said in a written statement. "My support for Senator Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal."

Jackson said he has called Obama's campaign to apologize.

"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...," Jackson's statement said of his comments.

"That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part ... or my pride in Senator Barack Obama," he said.

The Obama campaign took a measured response to the incident, contending in a statement that Obama has spoken for many years about parental responsibility as well as "jobs, justice and opportunity for all."

"He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Rev. Jackson's apology," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said.

On CBS News' The Early Show on Thursday, Jackson said he hopes the incident does not harm Obama's campaign.

"That's why I was quick to respond and he was quick to respond generously as well," Jackson said. "Our relationship is intact and the campaign is intact and we look forward to this magnificent redemptive moment."

Though Jackson is supporting Obama, the two are not close.

Jackson even took heat from his own son, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., for writing a column last year questioning the commitment of Obama and other Democratic presidential candidates to the needs of black voters. Jackson Jr. wrote a response in The Chicago Sun-Times with the headline, "You're wrong on Obama, Dad."

And Jackson is the third Chicago pastor to create problems for Obama on the campaign trail.

In March, a videotape of Obama's longtime former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. created a political firestorm in the primaries. On the tape, Wright accused the U.S. government of creating AIDS and is seen shouting "God damn America" during a sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

In May, Roman Catholic priest the Rev. Michael Pfleger mocked Obama's then Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Clinton during a guest sermon at Obama's former church, from which Obama has since resigned. Pfleger, who is white, pretended he was Clinton crying over "a black man stealing my show."

The comments about Obama are not the first Jackson has had to explain after believing he was off the record.

In 1984, he called New York City "Hymietown," referring to the city's large Jewish population. He later acknowledged it was the wrong to use the term, but said he did so in private to a reporter.

Michael Fauntroy, an associate professor of public policy at George Mason University and author of "Republicans And The Black Vote, said he thinks this latest incident will hurt Jackson himself more than anyone else.

"I think his reputation has been in trouble for years among some African-Americans," Fauntroy said on The Early Show. "This is one more line in the misteps that he's made that cast him in a very bad light against those African-Americans in my generation, some of whom view him very differently than those who come from his generation."

[pjones501]

Jesse shouldn''t apologize for telling the truth.

After all, he speaks for the BLACK SILENT MINORITY.

[uradufuss]

Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton should just form a two-man club, and take a long walk off of a short pier. What a pair of idiots! Neither of these men care about Obama or anyone else (aside from themselves) --they just want to get on television --at the expense of someone else''s reputation.

[craigh9]

I hope everyone picks up on the true issue here. Obama is fostering personal responsibility within the black commuity - while Jackson wants it to remain as it has been - racist, welfare driven, with zero accountability, only blaming everything on transgressions that occurred scores of decades ago.
Obama gets it - Jackson continues to be devisive!

[civeq]

Jesse it''s time for you to go away... write a book far far away from all of us.....
you have been riding on the coat tails of the wonderful
Martin Luther King far to long and have never matched up. You are arrogant, self serving and a hypocrite to be sure....
shame on you....go away now...it''s time for new leadership. Take your rhyme book and leave the building now please....

[figuy30]

I think Jesse Jackson should be free to express his opinion without apology, however as far as discussing morals go, actually having some good morals would help. If anyone is in prison there is usually a good reason for them being there and being black isn''t one of them. I really thought "reverands" were supposed to be in the Christian value business, not politics.

[patriot12436]

duffynight
I believe in the old saying don''t say something in private you don''t want repeated in public.

[ajmarine111]

Posted by patriot12436 at 06:13 AM : Jul 11, 2008


Funny..............and very possible.

[ajmarine111]

In the ABC interview, Stanford said she initially didn''t inform Jackson she was pregnant because he was considering another run for the presidency in 2000. She said Jackson eventually withdrew his name as a potential candidate after learning of the pregnancy.

"I think he was concerned that because reporters were calling and asking about who the father of my baby was, his concern was that they would focus more on his personal life rather than his campaign platform," she says.

She said she doesn''t think it was "hypocritical at all" for Jackson to be counseling President Clinton about the affair with Monica Lewinsky at the same time she was pregnant with Jackson''s child.

"I think that he could empathize with President Clinton, because he was in a similar situation. And who better to give you advice than someone who''s walked in your shoes?" Stanford says.

[patriot12436]

Johmcsame
Talk about Mission Impossible, you would have to find them before you could cut them off. Michelle doesn''t let him wear them in public.

[ajmarine111]

"Jackson was carrying on his affair with Sanford while he was counseling President Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In fact, he even brought his pregnant mistress to the White House, one can only assume to show off to Clinton how to properly destroy one''s career and reputation." %u2014Jon Stewart

[ajmarine111]

"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...," Jackson''s statement said of his comments.



Maybe Jesse should run as a third party candidate and show Obama how it''s done?

[johnmcsame]

First, Michelle Obama called her husband pathetic on TV. Then Bill Clinton told Obama to come and kiss his @ss. Now, Rev. Jesse Jackson said he wants to cut Obama''s nuts off.

Once you really get to know Obama, you really can''t help but hate the man.

[johnmcsame]

Jackson is correct. We should cut off Obama''s nuts since he appears to be someone who lacks courage.

[duffyn]

Pardon me? You hate it when people back track or want to take back comments? Are you a f''n human being???? People are ALWAYS talk''n &*^ in private about one another when no ones listening. This isn''t even news....

[gmond]

I know some people in Hymietown who would be glad to cut off Jesse''s nuts.

[cg37102006]

Apologies are worth about as much as the piece of paper they are printed on. He expressed his true feelings about Obama, it is out there, so he should just roll with it. I hate it when people "backtrack", or "re state" or "clarify" their comments. Just say what you mean and stand behind it. To me, Jackson looks worse now than he did before he made the remarks. It looks he is just trying to cover his arse instead of being honest and truthful.

[patriot12436]

Surprise. No one has rejected what i commented on or called me a racist for it. I guess even the ignorant can''t argue with facts.

[kansas1946]

Many white people gave their lives to free the slaves(all colors). Yet todays blacks punish all whites for the events a very long time ago. All members of my family didn%u2019t own slaves and some went to war to stop slavery. So I am saying this%u2026.
***************************************

You make an excellent point, Oregon. I have been saying this for years. I recently read a book called, "Bound for Cannan" which is a cronology of the underground railroad. The risks and danger that white families put themselves in to help slaves get to Canada and freedom just blows your mind.
If black leaders had been teaching their children that the reason slavery ended was because of a lot of good white people, maybe there wouldn''t be this level of anger in young black men. There were grave injustices done to black Americans, both during and after slavery, but good white people have paid a large part in changing that. I am supporting Obama, not because he is black, but I think it goes a long way help creating trust between the races that so many white people are supporting and voting for him. We aren''t a nation of racists after all, which I always knew. There will always be racists, but they will be forced to the fringe.

[barbedoll-2009]

He''s only sorry because he got caught!!!!!!!!!!!

[dedad1]

I have found that by posting something profound. It will cause people to stop all BS for a while. We all need to be deeper thinkers than what the media wants us to be. The truth is there when you ask the right questions.The trick is to learn to do that, then wait for the answer. If a persons mouth is going then you hear only your self.


Agreed. Unfortunately, too many want to force their opinions on us w/o listening to the other side