Jesse Jackson: Obama Just Turned Crisis Into Opportunity

JULY 9, 2008 UPDATE: Jesse Jackson's vulgar comments about Obama caught on tape...

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Reverend Jesse Jackson, who is no stranger to America's racial battles and whose own runs for the White House have been, on occasion, used as a barometer for Sen. Barack Obama, offered effusive praise for Obama's address today on the topic of race and politics.

The head of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, who supports Obama, claimed the Illinois Democrat had averted "crisis" and created "opportunity" by laying out a unifying vision to confront racial and political divides.

"I thought it was a culmination of tough-minded, tender-hearted and a clear vision," Jackson told the Huffington Post. "It really was warm, filling, captive, reconciling and comprehensive and it displayed real true grit. He was forthright not evasive and used it as a teaching moment in American history: America's struggle to overcome its past and become a more perfect union. And once he made the case about the past and the complexities of Reverend Wright's life or [Geraldine] Ferraro's for that matter, he made the case that we are here now, but this time we will go forward by hope and not backwards by fear."

Earlier in the day, Jackson appeared at a Take Back America conference on the legacy of Martin Luther King, in which the topic of race on the 2008 campaign trail came up with some regularity. Asked if he thought voters would respond well to the nuance and broad vision of Obama's address, Jackson said he had not doubt.

"I think American saw an even deeper and more profound view of him today," he said. "He has turned crisis into opportunity."

Comments

[VA2008]

Why are comments for the Buchanan "closed" under that topic?

Anyone who believes in what Pat said about Falwell, Robertson, etc., not being the same as Wright....­.please read the article by Frank Schaeffer right here on the Huffington Post site. It's very interesting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html

[kardwell]

I too am curious as to why the hate-spewing white pastors like Falwell and Reobertson, who have sat at the counsel of both Bush's, are never called on their bigotry and racism.

And again, why isn't the spotlight on the Bush legacy of profiteering from genocide and war? The Bush family owes a large part of their fortune to conspiring with the Nazis.

[Centaur]

Yes, the old obtuse "lovable" racist strikes again. Why does MSNBC have a white supremacist on their show?

[Tankan]

It's strange, if pastor Wright had lied and said, God bless America, that would have been more acceptable than what he said!

Why would God bless a nation that is still infested by racism and social injustice?
People are exploiting the words of pastor Wright because they see political advantage, they see the sliver of wood in the pastors eye, but not the beam in their own!

[Amomma]

HuffPost's Pick

Did I miss it or did he forget the other thing. "All men are created equal"? What about women? This is much more difficult to call in the USA and the world. Genital Mutilation and Slavery of women still exists today in developing countries. But here in the USA women over the age of beauty are seen as vile. Who has suffered more at the hands of human history since the beginning, could it be women? I don't know the answer to this question, I am really asking.

[Jacky1]

I am a woman, so do not take this as an attack on women, and I have strong views in support of women's rights. But I am getting tired of all these women whining about me, me, me, me. We need to get over that. As long as we complain about being victims then we will be percieved as being weaker. We can fight and be succesfull in creating changes while still keeping our pride.
I am also a supporter of Obama. This doesn't mean I hate all women or I do not want a woman in the White House. I want a woman in the White House, just not this woman. So please, stop the whining.

[Seattlelite]

HuffPost's Pick

See this is why comparing who suffered more is a argument that never ends. What about Jewish people, did they suffer more than blacks? Did white women suffer more than women of color, and what about the American Indians? What Sen. Obama is trying to do is to get us to stop this argument and realize that all Americans are suffering not just one group or race, we have to start seeing ourselves as one group that is how we make this country great. And I say who better to lead that change than a person of mixed race frankly. I know the younger generations of all race in this country are tried of these old arguments. I'm afraid if the comments made by Rev. Wright are allowed to destroy Sen. Obama chance of becoming president this country will have halted any progress we've made this pass year in uniting and healing this country.

[LeftLeaner]

Yes, it would be a shame, but why did he wait to disassociate himself AFTER these, hateful, and Anti-American rants were made public.

It does not show good character in my judgment.

The other thing that bothers me, and probably many others, is his close relationship for 23 years, and now, all of a sudden, he breaks his connection.

His wife's comment about really being proud of America for the first time, seems to gel with the Reverend's preaching.

I don't know? It doesn't smell right to me, sorry.

[ltfcrazy]

Amen. Don't be afraid, talk louder! Talk more often! Keep talking until the divisive forces in this country are drowned out!

[Amomma]

I agree with you about an endless discussion of who suffers more. And yes Obama would be a wonderful President. I am not denying that. What I am saying is the obvious exclusion of the discrimination on a massive scale of women. "All MEN are created equal" Did Obama not want to give a help up to women's rights for political reasons? If you want him to win he needs the vote of women in this country. Women over 50 are a huge voting block. And if he wants to get their vote must address their invisibility in our culture.

[coolkraft]

I am afraid we have already lost any progress..­.due to the cable and news media who constantly harp on WRight and continue the sound bites..thi­s incites a lot of people and it is a shame....f­rankly the news media is what the Clintons thrive on

[Zentomato]

Seattlelite, here, here! Bravo! Well stated. I couldn't agree with you more.

[Nezua]

On the genital mutilation comment, the USA has the highest amount of genital cutting operations for males ("Circumcision") of any developed nation! ( http://wreckingboy.livejournal.com/318545.html ) So it's not just women. Not to compete, because I don't know what we need to know "who has suffered more." Just that too many suffer and we need to come to their side, women, men, all of us, all of them.

[mshawn]

This was a speech on race, not gender.

[NewtonSylmar]

I will not dispute that women have suffered from a sociological perspective. Their standing in many civilizations has been one of subservience and exploitation, even in this one. However, we must recognize that suffering exists at a cultural and racial level, as well. Every civilization before the current ones has had their "out-group" and those were the individuals that they perceived as an obstruction against their own interests. The English had the Irish, the Germans had the Jews, the Americans had the Indian tribes...a­nd their answer was the elimination of those obstructions. Women have suffered and continue to suffer, but entire cultures have been slaughtered for no better reason that "they were in the way."

[CheshireCat2]

To the painful disdain of all the Clintonistas!

[MrHHusseinMA]

Given the nature of some comments here and some commentators on TV, it is clearly evident that there are racial tensions in the country. But it truly is a big problem and Obama has his work cut out for him: white neighborhoods have better schools, better services like garbage disposal, the houses are better and so much more. Black neighborhoods seem to be ignored by instituions and the government (no banks, snow ploughs don't get there till two days after other neighborhoods are cleared, etc). It is a sad state of affairs but what can you do? I truly hope and pray that Senator Obama (President Obama?) will help us close this gap and be a more perfect union. Yes we can!

[HumeSkeptic]

Win or lose the election, that is no longer important to me after reading this speech. Obama has already done more for our country with this speech than many politicians do in a lifetime.

All this needed to be spoken, by Obama or someone else.

When this primary season started, I had ranked Obama as #4 on my list. Had he given this speech at the beginning of this election season, I would have ranked him #1, and without any hesitation.

I take the pledge today to donate all I can to Obama's campaign, in both money and time.

It is far less important to me that he wins than to stand up and fight for what is just and moral, and I don't mean moral in a religious sense, for I have always been and remain an atheist.

This cause is a cause worth fighting for, win or lose.

[bilmardre]

No doubt Rev Wright said some shameful things, but I don't understand why Pat Buchanon keeps comparing him to Davis Duke.
David Duke's is a white supremacist. Rev Wright has never advocated black supremacy in any form.

[rwe]

Reverend Jackson is correct (and so is Ferraro) Obama is an opportunist and this was little more than an extended campaign speech. Hillary should demand equal time...And why did barack wait so long to repudiate? No previous opportunity??? And for you Obamaciders , and prograssives , lest you think I am just your sheeple neocon, Jesse Jackson Jr would be a better president than any that are in the running.

[electress]

I do agree, Obama was allowed a conference to say who he was, and now let Hillary have a chance to bring her experiences as a woman to public tv. Let her talk about the history
of sexism in politics, in religion, and in our institutions. Let her speak about Human Rights
here, and around the world.

And I agee, why didn't Obama camp just come out with this months ago, and address the issue
of race, and his religion. It was only after Rev. Wright tapes that he needed to paint the picture.

[RC4Obama]

HuffPost's Pick

America is beautiful. God has shed His grace on her. Those who cannot see this beauty are blind. However, those who cannot see her blemishes are equally blind. Somewhere between the polarizing forces of a shameful self-loathing anti-Americanism and a shameless nationalistic jingoism is an authentic self-critical patriotism. Before, however, we castigate those who suffer any degree of blindness to America's beauty, let us engage a prayerful and dutiful introspection to discern what we, ourselves, may have done to hide her beauty and light under a bushel basket. Before we excoriate those who are apparently blind to America's blemishes, let us look within our own hearts to discern whether or not we are truly in touch with the wellsprings of gratitude that should flow in response to the accident of our birth in the most prosperous and generous nation that civilization has ever grown. It is true that some still sleep, slumbering in the illusion of our separateness. There is a little of that in all of us, wounded and weary as the journey can make us? When we do speak intemperate words, however, they are not necessarily defining moments unless they are repetitively reinforcing moments, unless our actions of a lifetime betray our otherwise sanctimonious pretentions.

[AnninCA]

His campaign manager liked it. So what?

[Syco]

Why can't you dumb ass Democrats respect each other?

[AguynamedWayne]

OBAMA JUST PRAISED REV. WRIGHT AND HIS WORK WITH HIV/AIDS? IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. REV. WRIGHT PREACHES THAT AIDS WAS CREATED BY THE EVIL WHITE MAN TO KILL AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OBAMA IS PRAISING HIM FOR IT?

DISGUSTING!

[lovethesinner]

I wonder if MSNBC will ever explain why they refuse to sever it's ties to Pat Buchanan?

[TXFreedomFighter]

I really wish they would. He's becoming more predictable as an old-school, republican hack. I used to respect his ability to argue his position. Now, he seems to be losing touch with reality to play to the social conservative of his party.

[CheshireCat2]

I don't think so. He is the token right-winger.

[Carlo0220]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I absolutely despise Pat Buchanan, and I don't use that phrase loosely. What they should do is put Rachel Maddow on with him every time he comes on a show. She is the only person on that station that knows how to shut him up.

[LeftLeaner]

Why should they?

If you're looking for propaganda go on the liberal blogs.

He is representing an opposing perspective, that's all.

Isn't that what commentary should be?

[wm1066]

I think Jackson is right. Obama hit this one out of the park.
The right wing cued it up, then wamm...Bar­ry Obama met it head on.
P.S. the kids he went to school with in the East call him Barry.
It is inspiring to watch him take on issues....­and win.

[WeMustChange]

Hillary is a liar and I have lost the little bit of respect I had for her during this campaign. I regret that she decided to go negative and by doing so, she lost my vote and many of my friends.

Obama has gained my vote and support to be the next President of the United States.

[zstroud]

what hell!!. What does she have to do with this story and how in the world do you spin this as some how HER fault. If I were her I wouldnt want your stinkin vote, or your friends.

[LeftLeaner]

It doesn't bother you at all about his tight association with someone who he holds in very esteem having blasted America and its citizens in a very hateful and derogatory manner?