Jackson: 'Acting white' remark misinterpreted
Watch Rev. Jesse Jackson's interview from Thursday's American Morning.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Rev. Jesse Jackson told CNN Thursday that a South Carolina newspaper misinterpreted his comments when it reported he said Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is "acting like he's white."
"There's an unfortunate misinterpretation," Jackson told CNN's Kiran Chetry on American Morning. "The fact is, I endorse Barack without hesitation and support him today unequivocally."
Jackson, who ran for president in 1984 and 1988, endorsed Obama’s White House bid earlier this year.
The State, a South Carolina newspaper, reported Wednesday that Jackson was highly critical of Obama and the other presidential candidates for not paying more attention to the recent racially-charged incident in Jena, Louisiana. Jackson reportedly made the comment after a speech at Benedict College, a historically black college in Columbia.
When informed the newspaper intends to stand by its reporting of the quote, Jackson said, "I have not in any way engaged into the degrees of blackness debate. He's black, authentic and brilliant. I support him and I stand by that position."
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
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He was so quick to judge and push for the prosecution of the Duke lacrosse players . . . where's the apology there, Misters Jackson and Sharpton!!
The problem is Jackson acting like a idiot.Like Sharpton.White Americ needs to wake up and stop taking their crap.
Reverend Jesse is a has-been racist blowhard whose relevance as a spokesman for the black community is nil.nada/zippo. "Acting black" is what he and Sharpton do regularly as talking heads. "Acting white" is what Obama does when he's not issuing his platitudes about hope and actually addressing issues in detail.
I'm so sick of Jackson always fanning what he calls "racial"... Lord knows HE would be UNEMPLOYED if he didn't keep playing this card. Jackson...let it go...it will "die" if you stop resurrecting it...go get a REAL job if you can!
Hispanic? Since when did he turn into Bill Richardson? Funny, funny, CNN...
I understand that Jena is a HUGE racial issue, but when it comes down to it, it is boys hurting boys. I understand that the African American boys had MORE than a right to react, but what they did was just as wrong. You don't potentially kill others to make a right....Two wrongs don't make a right. And Obama is in a political race, not in a civil rights race, so isn't Rev Jackson's response politically incorrect? How can you tell someone he/she is acting "white" or "black" what does that mean? Come on! Who's throwing racial slands here?
Jackson is a horrible racist – who has single handedly pushed race relations back 100 years....No Jesse – its not about the color....its about the crime...you are backing the wrong people....and Hillary is on board with you...fortunately...the rest of the country isn't that stupid...
Jesse Jackson says, " have not in any way engaged into the degrees of blackness debate."
No, Jesse – you weren't addressing how BLACK Obama was... you were talking about how WHITE he's acting. I see...that is SO different. (eyes rolling)
Of course Jesse supports Obama- just like Oprah and Al Sharpton. It always is a race thing with these people. I wouldn't expect anything less.
I am not American.
Damage control in full swing.
Unfortunately, some damage has been done. Several European newspapers, 3 in Africa, and the Hong Kong Herald have short, lower-left-side front-page titles about the acrymonious, discomfiting mentions of the comment.
Usually, something so low in the page will not be reported again.
Come on, Jesse. Don't stop there. How about your apology to the players and their families of the Duke lacrosse team?
The pathetic run of MSM continues. You folks surprise me every day. And you are extremely unfair in not covering Senator Obama's campaign.
He made some major picth in last couple of days on economy. MSM covered crappy news like Senator Crig or OJ Simpson case with pictures and headlines. But not much on Obama's major policies. This man is running 2nd in national polls for future president. He is running almost tied in early states. His policies and proposals should be known by people so that they can evaluate him on substance with other candidates and choose whoever people believe should be their president. Obama had a rally in the middle of Washington DC on a weekday afternoon that local Fox5 channel reported 4,500 people attended. There was no word on MSM TV/online. If there is a corporate decision that MSM made not to cover Obama campaign with appropriate coverage and hide good news or spin them to bad news then PLEASE post an announcement as such on front page. We will stop coming to you guys for news and also ask rest of the country that they should look elsewhere to know about Obama.
When he talks about hope and change, you guys criticize he does not talk about policy or substance. When he talks about policy or substance, you don't cover. When Hillary Clinton deliver her healthcare speech (which is almost a copy of Edwards's), you guys run 2 day long headline. Once again, simply pathetic!
What a joke Jesse Jackson is. I'm embarrased to claim him as being apart of the Human Race. He needs to find a job like the rest of us and make a real living instead of "ambulance chasing" Racism will continue as long as men like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are around.
Linda SAT,
You're comment is so misguided and you obviously do not choose to use reason. Are you related to James, Phoenix AZ by chance?
"Of course Jesse supports Obama- just like Oprah and Al Sharpton. It always is a race thing with these people. I wouldn't expect anything less."
"These people".
It's always a race thing for someone who is black huh? It can't have anything to do with Obama's qualifications or stance on the issues.
So since you support a caucasian candidate, is it a "race thing?" Is it always about race or do you have some underlying issues that you need to address? I think it is the latter.
Racism is real Linda, whether you want to believe or not. Apparently it upsets you when you, or anyone that has the same narrow-minded view of the world is called on it.
Wallace
Tell me, how the hell was Jackson's comment misinterpreted?!? Sorry, but you're only fooling yourself on this one Jesse. Furthermore, you can bet your rear that if someone like Imus said that in reverse, Jackson would be the first on the soapbox, calling up verbal arms. What a friggin hyprocrit.
Jackson is nothing more than a lying racist that continually attempts to separate races. When this country stops seeing "color," then we can get over the bull that most of us had nothing to do with in the first place.
Stop the childish race wars.
Oh goody Barack. Rev Jackson LIKES you. There goes your credibility.
Why do we listen to and report on anything Jesse Jackson has to say?
To Who do you care, MO: Of Course Jena is about race. But not in the way you are implying. I agree, what they did was wrong. Just as what was done preceeding was also wrong. But for each person who commits a crime, they should be punished accordingly. They should be tried for the crime which they committed and get a fair trial. The issue with Jena is that those who committed the crime were originally being tried for a crime MUCH more severe than the one committed. AND the reason for this was race. Now, almost everyone agrees that this is the case. But, if it hadn’t been for the public outrage, they might have gone to jail for something much worse than what they did. And that is not how things are supposed to work in America.
CNN, I'm ashamed with you. All day yesterday I refreshed the CNN home page, and all day, the front page 'Ticker' news was about Jackson's comments. Now, when he tries to explain himself, you hide the story below all the rest. You have a responsibility to American people and you are not living up to it.
Since you deleted my truthful statements the first time:
An "unfortunate misinterpretation" eh Jesse?
You sound like the lying liberal that you are, not being a man about it and flatly stating "I did not say it", you gutlessly need to somehow put the blame on the writer for incorrectly "interpreting".
I believe the writer is black, so you can't play your usual race card.
There is no "gray" area here Jesse, you either said it to SUPPOSEDLY denounce a VERY honorable man and at the same time slam a race of people, or you simply didn't say it.
Coward.
Many on here missed the whole point. Barack Obama doesn't have to act white. His mother is white. That is part of who he is. If you focus on what was said and its accuracy, many would seem to be on point. Bringing up the relevance of Mr. Jackson is against the point. He was wrong. Attack his accuracy, it is more effective.
But since it already started and I have made my point, why did Mr. Jackson say Mr. Obama is Hispanic. Maybe, like another blogger said, he got him confused with Mr. Richardson.
And those who bring up people outside this story are ridiculous. Mr. Sharpton and Mr. Jackson are not the same person. Anyone who brings one into another's story shows their own inaccuracy.
Those who bring up the Duke lacrosse players, are you joking. Let that die before you realize that someone assualted that girl. You may not like the answer as to who did it.
I could go on, but what would be the point. The bottom line is, Mr. Obama is the son of a white mother and balck father. He is multi racial. I hope Mr. Obama is able to not comment on this. Mr. Obama should focus on real issues like terrorists, health care and the like.
Does this man ever admit to anything and just apologize? He would impress me if he ever publicly acknowledged how wrong he was in the Duke Lacrosse case. What he said about Mr. Obama was pathetic and he needs to atone for it. It's all going to catch up to him one day, that's for sure.
Where was Jackson when 3 white women were beat up by a group of up to 30 black youths in Long Beach Ca? It was a hate crime, but I guess he can only be bothered when it is a hate crime against blacks. Isn't he supposed to be fighting against any kind of racism?
Politics isn't so much different than the media – it's all about the show and capturing people's attention. Jesse Jackson constantly plays the race card because it keeps the focus on him – nevermind that he is actually aggravating the situation.
As for the situation in Jena, there's no doubt that it is racial – I'm sure the white boys accused of hanging the nooses didn't decide to use nooses at random. What they did IS despicable, and I hope they understand someday just how hurtful what they did was. However, while the school would be within its right to punish them (and they should have been expelled or suspended for longer and forced to do community service or some such), they were not prosecuted because there is no law against poor taste. I think all of us can understand (or imagine) the pain the 'Jena 6' must have felt which drove them to attack one of their white classmates, but they crossed the line and broke the law by assaulting someone else.
Everyone seems to downplay the fact that SIX of them beat up ONE classmate, knocked him unconscious, and then beat him while he was out on the ground. People frequently die from those type of beatings or suffer life-long injuries from them. The 'Jena 6's charges were not out of line depending on the extent of the victim's injuries (the article I read did not elaborate). Do we even know if the victim was one of the boys that hung the nooses?
Now if the roles were reversed, and it was six white boys who beat one black boy unconscious, don't you think Jesse would be right there screaming racism and demanding the worst possible charges for them? He is the worst type of hypocrite.
he supports him no questions asked. Talk about voting based on race. the best candidate for the job should win and in America we have a role in choosing who that is.