Jesse Jackson Clarifies "Acting White" Remark About Obama
We've just received a statement from Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition in which he addresses his comment from earlier today. Jackson had reportedly blasted Barack Obama for "acting white." Here's Jackson's statement:
I reaffirm my commitment to vote for Sen. Barack Obama. He has remarkably transcended race, however the impact of Katrina and Jena makes America's unresolved moral dilemma of race unavoidable. I think Jena is another defining moment of the issue of race and the criminal justice system. This issue requires direct and bold leadership. I commend Sen. Obama for speaking out and demanding fairness on this defining issue. Any attempt to dilute my support for Sen. Obama will not succeed.
Doesn't say whether he made the remark, but does forcefully reaffirm his support for Obama in unequivocal terms. Meanwhile, the last line is interesting. Who's trying to dilute Jackson's support for Obama with his comments? Drudge, who's leading with the story? A rival campaign that might be pushing it? Who is Jackson referring to here?
Comments (16)
CT Voter wrote on September 19, 2007 2:41 PM:CT Voter: Jesse Jackson is "acting like he's stupid".
Michael Caine wrote on September 19, 2007 2:54 PM:CT Voter, WTF????
CT Voter wrote on September 19, 2007 3:14 PM:Saying that someone else is "acting like he's white" is acting stupid, to me. And so if I were being quoted in an EC headline bout how Jesse Jackson is acting, that's what it would read.
MarcNYC wrote on September 19, 2007 3:16 PM:Jesse Jackson acting like Jesse Jackson.
gqmartinez wrote on September 19, 2007 3:24 PM:Hey Greg, are you implying that Hillary's campaign is pushing this story? In the last post you mention that there were "high fives" at the Hillary campaign. Here you suggest a rival campaign may be pushing it. Do you have any evidence for the not so subtle innuendo? If not, that's pretty poor editorial judgement, which I rarely attribute to one of my favorite blog posters. *sigh*
elrapierwit wrote on September 19, 2007 3:25 PM:Jesse's ill-timed comments and psuedo retraction impact black voters negatively. His son supports Clinton and it appears Jesse does too no matter what words come out of his mouth to the contrary.
1oldlady wrote on September 19, 2007 3:29 PM:Why is it, that you must give up your heritage in order to be AMERICAN?
Jessie...are you American? If he is qualified then yes he is able to run for President!
And it seems the last time I looked in the mirror, I am white, but I am an American who is white.
What to you see when you look in the mirror?
sonya wrote on September 19, 2007 3:40 PM:Someone is playing dirty politics. Is the Republicans or HRC? They both have the same tactics.
js wrote on September 19, 2007 3:50 PM:Obamas supporters will lash me after I say this but Obama has an image problem and that is he is for the rich and famous. The fundraising events in CA couple weeks ago showed I think. Here you read report of Obama and Oprah with the rich/famous people and images of Limos, BMWs, Merc Benz lined up for miles to go see him. Oprah catered her show toward whites, rich whites. Hanging with Oprah won't help Obama.
then there was Magic sitting on a stool while Hillary spoke at a predominantly black school. Magic did a fundraiser for Hillary that same night but you did not hear words about it. You did not see the limos, the BMWs, the Benz ..etc....nada. I am sure Hillary and Bill have plenty of rich friends but they are discreet unlike Obama who seem to want to boast that he can get the rich and famous ppl too.
Whether The Rev made the statement or not, I think he wanted to remind Obama that he is indeed black.
CT, The initial snark was to vague for me. Thanks for explaining what you meant.
Michael Caine wrote on September 19, 2007 3:59 PM:js, that post is so full of it, I don't even know where to begin.
gqmartinez wrote on September 19, 2007 4:02 PM:I'm sorry, but the media loves to push this narrative and Jackson is prone to bouts of this sort of thing. Yet, the immediate reaction of people here is to blame Clinton (including Greg). Despite the obvious interpretation, the third law of thermodynamics holds: if you can blame Clinton, do it.
Michael Caine wrote on September 19, 2007 4:20 PM:Nice spin, gqmartinez, but it isn't the quote. Its the publicity of the quote. Someone pushed it into the national scene. That is what people are wondering about, who pushed the quote.
Anonymous wrote on September 19, 2007 4:25 PM:I just grow weary of any politician taking a needlessly racially divisive tack -- or needlessly calling attention to or calling into question someone's "real" or apparent identity. If Jackson said that Obama is "acting white" he was not only furthering the really unfortunate idea that there is only one narrow way to be legitimately "black" (which he can opportunistically define), but also the awful idea that white people of good will can't get a Jena or speak out about it forcefully. That's divisive and a shame. It alienates progressive Democrats who are fighting for the same kind of change from each other. It feeds mistrust.
Why continue to punish Obama just because he can simultaniously represent and advocate for an often disadvantaged minority -- and transcend it?
Can transcend it in a way that has the potential to excite and mobilize voters who have been left out of the process, as well as unifying the bulk of the country, including indepedent or moderate sometimes GOP voters who have tired of Bush and an extremist agenda. That's what a successful general election candidate and a President needs to do.
Is Jesse Jackson, who was a pioneer when he ran in the eighties, ambivilant about another pioneering candidate who might have a broader appeal? Obama is not a phony, his race is not a shallow gimmick. He's got substance and charisma and he's unifying -- isn't that worth embracing?
CT Voter wrote on September 19, 2007 4:57 PM:Michael Caine:
The snark was too vague and stupidly worded for any thinking person (mid afternoon slump, anyone? Or maybe it's that my head wants to explode after reading about St. John Warner and St. John McCain). My apologies.
mopper wrote on September 19, 2007 5:00 PM:gqmartinez, you'll probably crushed--crushed!--to learn that Clinton leaks stories to Drudge.
Campaigns push dirty stories all the time. Seeing as how Greg is the type of person who would be pushed, or be buddy-buddy with those who are being pushed, I don't think anyone is more qualified to wonder aloud about this than him (or Ambinder, or Yglesias, or whoever).
Regardless, I don't know nor do I care if Hillary is pushing this story, though I find it amusing that someone who fancies himself a political junkie would be oblivious to the notion that the Clintons like to get in the mud and start slinging.
The main thing is, will this hurt Obama, and if so, how?
In the black community, I honestly don't know. It could go two ways: people who are loyal to Jackson could very easily start to have doubts about Obama. Or this could rally the black base around him. The timing of this attack, however, with Bill Clinton set to go to Jena tomorrow, could make for some bad public relations for Obama if he's made to look un-concerned by comparison, and the subtext is obvious: "Don't forget the guy who really cares about the black community"
Whether or not the Clinton campaign is orchestrating that is beside the point, though the way the timing could not be better for them does raise an eyebrow.
