Parker Griffith is hanging with an ugly crowd these days, and shooting his mouth off to boot. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. shot video of his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the U.S. Capitol Sunday evening, shortly before the health care reform bill passed the House.
The majority of the Tea Partiers limited their comments to healthcare, but one man yelled through a loudspeaker, "When [Martin Luther King, Jr.] was killed, you weren't there!" In fact, Jackson was in the hotel with King in 1968 on the day he was assassinated.
What did Parker Griffith -- who would not be in Congress today without the support of Obama voters in Madison County -- have to say about those taunts? Did he try to rein in the Tea Partiers? Pour oil on troubled waters? Heck no!
A few feet away from the interaction, Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Parker Griffith (Ala.) watched the interaction with amusement, joking, "This is proof that it doesn't matter who [Jackson] is talking to, as long as there's a crowd."
Saturday, Rev. Jesse Jackson led about 60 marchers to the Capitol steps, demanding a vote on legalizing electronic bingo in Alabama. The video at that link also shows several greyhounds were along on the march.
I'm kind of surprised Jackson only turned out 60 people -- far more than that showed up at a recent pro-bingo rally.
Is the debate about jobs, about following the law or about something else altogether?
Just over 24 hours ago Rev. Jesse Jackson lambasted Artur Davis with "you can't vote against health care and call yourself a black man," but he sees things a bit differently tonight. Here is Rev. Jesse Jackson's most recent statement, via the Rainbow Push Coalition:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 19, 2009)— “I talked to Congressman Artur Davis today to assure him of my abiding admiration of him as a leader who is engaged in a huge challenge.
I offer no challenge to his integrity as a leader. Representatives should all vote their conscience in the interest of their constituency.
There is a growing disparity among the black and the poor and we desperately need voices and votes.
Among the black and the poor, the infant mortality rate is higher, life expectancy is shorter, poverty is growing and unemployment is highest.
We need comprehensive healthcare that is more accessible and less expensive for all Americans. The historical Davis journey as a change agent continues and his latest quest deserves the support of the caring.”
Personally, I wonder if Jackson decided he's in danger of ending up on the wrong side of history on this one -- Davis' gubernatorial quest, not health care -- and after some reflection and a personal conversation with Davis, he's come around toward Gwen Ifill's way of thinking:
“There is Artur Davis, who I talk about in this book and is truly the personification of the audacity of hope ...”
Mike Soraghan, who broke the "can't call himself a black man" story last night, also has a new piece up at The Hill.
“Rev. Jackson is entitled to his opinion,” Davis said on Thursday. “The voters are entitled to a governor who represents everyone in the state. They’re not looking for someone who speaks for a single community.
“His judgment is through the prism of race.”
He also quotes Davis as saying he could still vote for the final health care bill. I would not be surprised by it, although it's nothing like a sure thing. Quite plainly, there are certain things Davis wants to see changed -- the revenue side of the equation and the details of a mandate for coverage -- and those changes may very well end up in the final bill. Then we'll see what happens and where it leaves Ron Sparks. Not campaigning across Alabama with Rev. Jackson between now and June 1, is my guess.
At a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation event this evening, per The Hill:
"We even have blacks voting against the healthcare bill," Jackson said at a reception Wednesday night. "You can't vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man."
Davis' "no" vote has come in for sharp criticism from his opponent, Ron Sparks, who has pointed out that Artur Davis was the only member of the CBC to vote against HR 3962. Davis said the House leadership approach was "not the best we can do" and the Senate Finance Committee bill "comes closer to achieving the real reform we need."
Davis referred to Jackson's 1988 run for president in a statement, issued through his office, that said he would not engage Jackson on his criticism.
“One of the reasons that I like and admire Rev. Jesse Jackson is that 21 years ago he inspired the idea that a black politician would not be judged simply as a black leader,” Davis's statement said. “The best way to honor Rev. Jackson's legacy is to decline to engage in an argument with him that begins and ends with race.”
Criticism of the health care vote is fair game; the comment about race is less so, imho. Rev. Jackson endorsed Barack Obama in 2007, although there was a bit of a public tiff in 2008 between Rev. Jackson and his son, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D, IL), over a crude remark the former made about Barack Obama. The really interesting question between now and June 1 will be whether Jackson endorses Davis or Sparks for governor in the Alabama Democratic primary.
Update: The original article from The Hill has been updated with more quotes from members of the CBC and from Rev. Jackson.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) was in the audience. He called Jackson's criticism of Davis "accurate," but said he did not hear Jackson say "You can’t vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man."
...
Jackson said later that he "didn't call anybody by name and I won't."
It still isn't completely clear to me whether Jackson intended the original comment to refer to Davis or whether Davis was just the only CBC member who fit the criteria and whoever reported the comment made the connection and brought his name into it. Too bad there's no video.
"Make no mistake: The pain of discrimination is still felt in America," the president said in honoring the organization's 100th convention. Obama urged African-Americans to be realistic about some of the difficulties they may face, but to remember that "your destiny is in your hands."
So what did the media we have focus on? Why *ahem* personal responsiblity, or let them tell it, the lack of personal responsibility i.e. looking for a handout or wanting the government to take care of them,Obama tells blacks no excuses, of course.
Obama's remarks about "black responsibility" were almost at the end of his speech. And sure, they were hard-hitting. But for most of his talk, he hit issues of economic and social justice much harder, and outlined the way American society has failed African-Americans. But did the media we have talk about any of that? Nooooooo.
My question, How come Obama didn't say that to the banks he bailed out, "Your destiny is in your hands ?" I guess Barack Obama likes to talk shallow simplistic rubbish and scold black americans and Africans.
I for one am tired of hearing the turn off the X-Box, read to your children, help them with their homework, attend parent teacher conference, pull yourself up by your bootstrap, take personal responsiblity lecture from President Obama. Yes there are people out there, both black and white who need to hear things like this, but they aren't listening. They are playing X-Box. The people at the convention last night do read to their kids, attend parent teacher conferences etc. so he was preaching to the choir.
There are some who believe he makes these remarks everytime he addresses an African American audience to pacify RushCo. and because he's scared of Faux News. There are some who believe it is a White House strategy to appeal to white conservative voters. Whatever it is. I'm tired of it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying black folks shouldn't take "personal responsibility" whatever that means, I'm saying black folks aren't the ONLY ones who need to take some "personal" responsibility. And we certainly don't have to be told the same thing over and over again like we are stoopid or children, or both. I don't condone what Reverend Jesse Jackson was caught on tape saying about President Obama talking down to black folks but I understand.
Why are black folks the only ones being told they need to "take personal responsibility" for their actions? Black folks aren't responsible for creating the current mess we find our country in. Why are black folks the only ones told they "need to stop making excuses and blaming others for their problems". I don't hear anyone telling democrats to stop making excuses for being whimps. I don't hear anyone telling republicans to stop making excuses for being obstructionist. I don't hear anyone (well almost) telling President Obama to stop making excuses.
While the press continues to try to link Obama or anyone on his staff to illegal actions with Blagojevich, the legal aspect of this case is the second phase.
Obama's Team have completed the internal investigation of who has been talking to whom at the governor's office. Per request of US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the report will be release next week.
We don't know who has done what in regards to Blagojevich. Obviously, Blagojevich feels confident that he can beat these allegations because he has not been officially charged with anything. So far, all we have is a criminal complaint with Blagojevich talking, not acting, but talking. Then we have Jesse Jackson, Jr. who is now a known informant and have been talking to the US Attorney's Office for at least two years about corruption.
This is courtesy of Aunt Jemima's Revenge. Old news, but smilin', clean David Shuster, he of pimpin' Chelsea fame, becomes host of the newest iteration of TV journalism shift into Ringling Bros. As you know, David Gregory's now the mayor of Meet The Press. Empty chair vacated by one toon means opportunity for an increasingly stupid set of network masters to pander to an increasingly stupid public and fill the seat with...you guessed it...another toon. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is MSNBC's "hard hitting, analytical news program" covering the White House. Of course there are folks like bloffer Paul Levinson who think it's peachy. Really? Here are your choices. The cliche of network news, the Dancing With the Stars/reality TV sensibilities of CNN/Headline News and MSNBC, and the wingnut drool of Fox. NPR and PBS you ask? Recall, NPR is cancelling shows and laying-off real journalists.
And she needs to stay the hell away from the NFL. Spending 4 years hiding behind a curtain then 4 years in the spotlight as the relief pitcher in the bullshit World Series [starting rotation: Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Tenet and Bush - Powell lost for the season] does not mean you deserve a job in the NFL. I'm a bigger NFL fan than her and I don't deserve it either. It's great that she is a refined and cultured black woman and the fact that she achieved this position is a symbol of progress in Equality. It would be more commendable if she weren't completely unqualified to do this job. Aside from the fact that her accomplishment is about to get completely overshadowed by someone far greater than her, she was a robotic mouthpiece for the misinformation hate machine. A puppet on a string. A guilty party. Her appointment was not as bad as the joker at FEMA, but she is forever linked to this catastrophic administration. Does that ever wash off?
Have you noticed how President Bush and the vice president are now jumping on the band wagon and admitting they committed torture at Abu Ghraib prison, Guantanamo Bay, in other countries and ghost ships around the world? What about those seven enlisted guard soldiers they threw to the wolves while the NCO's, generals, Congress, CIA and others got away clean? Actually with murder!
redeye, on the way to another holiday party! Cheers!
It would have been funnier if Jackson had said, “nut sac off” rather than “nuts off,” just to put the finest point on comedy.
Fox News amazingly sat on this for THREE DAYS. Wow, the producers must have been chomping at the bit until the bit was no more. However, no vainglory tv anchor wants “cut his nuts off” rolling off his tongue. Executive producers cringe at the idea of something like “cut his nuts off” appearing in the closed caption for the hearing impaired. I view this as a friendly God smack for Obama since he kissed off the Rule of Law and kissed on telecom booties today officially. (How was that for you, Barack? Yuck.)
And ah, Jesse Jackson. Was it your own marital indescretions and the fact your child conceived with a woman who is, ahem, not wife that drove you to this particular nuttiness? Because your child is growing up in a home without her father in it. I guess Barack’s call for responsible parenting would chap your behind. And your son sounds like he thinks you were pretty dickish, too.
Here’s Lou Reed serenading Jesse for another verbal apoplectic episode not so long ago:
Can Democrats get the votes they need simply because they're not Republicans? You might think so in this presidential campaign. African-American and urban votes are critical to any Democratic victory. Bill Clinton won two terms without winning the most white votes. His margin was the overwhelming support of black voters. George Bush learned that lesson; that's why his campaigns spent so much effort suppressing the black vote in key states like Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004. His victory margin was the tally of votes suppressed or uncounted.<!--dropend-->
Yet the Democratic candidates -- with the exception of John Edwards, who opened his campaign in New Orleans' Ninth Ward and has made addressing poverty central to his campaign -- have virtually ignored the plight of African Americans in this country. The catastrophic crisis that engulfs the African-American community goes without mention. No urban agenda is given priority. When thousands of African Americans marched in protest in Jena, La., not one candidate showed up.
Democratic candidates are talking about health care and raising the minimum wage, but they aren't talking about the separate and stark realities facing African Americans.
The Chicago Sun-Times article is well worth a read. I think Beltway Democrats have a problem embracing the Democratic base and really progressive issues and ideas. Edwards is definitely talking to the Democratic wing of the Democratic party -- the poor, the middle class, wage earners, minorities, environmentalists, labor unions, etc. The other candidates are paying too much attention to their consultants -- don't make your most committed activists sit out the election!
Republicans are looking at another bloodbath in House and Senate elections next year -- the Presidential race is their great hope to hang onto some power and they will throw everything but the kitchen sink at it. Look at their committee fundraising if you don't believe me on that. Democrats can't afford to turn off African American voters -- or any other big chunk of our coalition -- if we want to win next November.
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