Jesse Jackson Disparages Barack Obama: Caught On Tape (VIDEO)

** UPDATES BELOW: OBAMA STATEMENT, VIDEO **

CNN reports:

The Rev. Jesse Jackson issued an apology to Barack Obama Wednesday for making what he called a "crude and hurtful" remark about the Illinois senator's recent comments directed toward some members of the black community.

According to Jackson, a Fox News microphone picked up comments he meant to deliver privately that seemed to disparage the presumptive Democratic nominee for appearing to lecture the black community on morality.

Jackson didn't elaborate on the context of his remarks, except to say he was trying to explain that Obama was hurting his relationship with black voters by recently conducting "moral" lectures at African-American churches.

Jackson's apology came a few hours before Fox News planned to air the remarks.

Speaking to CNN Wednesday, Jackson said he feels "very distressed" over the comments.

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"This is a sound bite in a broader conversation about urban policy and racial disparities. I feel very distressed because I'm supportive of this campaign and with the senator, what he has done and is doing," he said. "I said he comes down as speaking down to black people. The moral message must be a much broader message. What we need really is racial justice and urban policy and jobs and health care. That's a range of issues on the menu.

"Then I said something I regret was crude. It was very private. And very much a sound bite," he also said.

More details from Clarence Page on The Swamp:

Well, Swamp fans, as Jackson explained to me by telephone, his remarks occurred during an off-air moment during a Fox New Channel interview that aired Sunday.

Jackson didn't realize that the mics were still "hot," as in turned on and recording when he made a few off-the-cuff remarks about Obama's faith-based programs.

Bill O'Reilly has the story and plans to report it on his Fox program, "The O'Reilly Factor" tonight.

Even though O'Reilly has booked me and another guest to respond to the video, he is withholding a full transcript or recording of Jackson's remarks even from me until the program airs.

So far I have only been told by a producer that Jackson criticizes Obama's proposed faith-based programs for "talking down to black people."

And (A warning here to younger or more sensitive readers) Jackson also says something about how the senator was "going to get his (twin objects of male anatomy) cut off."

Jackson, who recalled his remark as, "The senator is cutting off his you-know-what with black people," expressed deep regrets for saying it, even in what he thought was a "private conversation."

"I want to be clear," Jackson said. "My support for Barack Obama is unequivocal. I apologize to Barack and the Obama campaign for my crude and hurtful comments."

Update: Video of Jesse Jackson's remark:

Jackson apologized for his statement on CNN:

Update: A statement from the Obama campaign: "As someone who grew up without a father in the home, Senator Obama has spoken and written for many years about the issue of parental responsibility, including the importance of fathers participating in their children's lives. He also discusses our responsibility as a society to provide 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 Reverend Jackson's apology," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

And a very harsh statement from Jackson's son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.:

I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson's reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee -- and I believe the next president of the United States -- contradict his inspiring and courageous career.

Instead of tearing others down, Barack Obama wants to build the country up and bring people together so that we can move forward, together -- as one nation. The remarks like those uttered on Fox by Reverend Jackson do not advance the campaign's cause of building a more perfect Union.

Reverend Jackson is my dad and I'll always love him. He should know how hard that I've worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself.

Comments

[dr4Will]

Liberals---this isJesse your man for decades--how can you criticise your liberal buddy--how hypocritical you liberals are!!!

[CaptainVideo]

Very few liberals supported Jackson when he ran for the Democratic nomination. I know I didn't and wouldn't have voted for him if he had gotten the nomination.

[MalloMel]

Jesse Jackson is somebody that the media has created. I'm a Liberal and I never did care for him. Now, Al Sharpton... He's the man! The MSM has done everything to put this man down, but he keeps getting back up in their face. Wham! There he is again. The man's a genius. I love it.

[triplbee]

It's hypocritical for liberals to criticize Jesse Jackson for misbehaving? You and George W Bush obviously have a similar grasp of the English language, since it would be hypocritical if liberals did not criticize Jesse Jackson.

[ebanks84]

How are the hypocritical conservatives handling the much maligned bush.

[fiduciaryatlarge]

We actually think for ourselves. You should try it sometime.

[rmcneal103]

Does anyone know who Jackson was talking to?

I have asked many people and noone can identify him.

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

He wasn't talking about people who believe that it's about time that these issues be addressed asap .He was speaking to the people who think that being call out on some of the carrying on that takes place in the African American community is being talk down to. Those who agree take it as a challenge to move toward the active and accountable black father. Who better to talk about the pain that is left behind by a absentee father, than a child who is a product of that circumstance. As a single mother of a child who's father is willfully absent from his life, I totally whole heartly agree with Barack . I 'm accountable for this child everyday. Nobody had to make me be accountable and I feel his father should be held to the same standards. This is a real story that is being play out in communities other in than black communites, this issue transcends race. Jesse has lost he balance and this is just petty jealousy rearing it ugly head an it negates and under cuts a real issue.

[nunzia]

How easily you are misled, distracted.
What about Phil Gramm's remark? Wasn't that much worse?
Where is the outrage?
Where is the coverage?

[renatam]

Jesse Jackson got his "Wall Street Project" (now defunct) during the Impeachment -- courtesy of the support African-Americans including Rev. Wright gave to help thwart it. Historians will note the "Wall Street Project" garnered deals for the Jackson family (w/Clinton friends) and helped more Jackson black Wall Street friends -- to turn a blind eye (redlining blacks/latinos?) against the repeal of the Glass Steagel (sp?) laws in place since the last Depression -- to prevent what is occurring right now -- a decade later, predictably. Results? -- dysfunctional and profitable fusions of financial institutions (Citibank and Travelers?) and Countrywide (discounts mortgages for Senators, Congressmen/women, etc.).

Jesse Jackson is selective if nothing else. African-Americans who thwart the profitable setup are considered N...ers to Jesse Jackson, Bob Johnson and others who have been feeding at the establishment (racist) trough for decades. Disenfranchisement of the poor has been BIG BUSINESS to these guys and their families.

[renatam]

When the traditional "media" replaced and/or bought Journalism during Bush/Clinton deregulation -- they ONLY called Jesse Jackson as the assigned spokesman. He was THEIR assigned spokesman as well as one of Bill Clinton's "best friends." Clinton Inc. thought Jesse Jackson could secure (manipulat­e/control?­) African-Americans during this Campaign -- along w/other black surrogates who benefitted mightily and financially during the last two Clinton terms. Bob Johnson, pitchman of black dysfunction-as-real life circulated worldwide as BET -- was also an ENFORCER down in SC. Fortunately, African-Americans had an alternative to this setup -- circa 2008. Clinton Inc. and their NYC media surrogates (deals in waiting?) are OUTRAGED. The Financial interests are more pragmatic. They are getting bailouts at the expense of American taxpayers (social welfare for the rich?) and simultaneously buying up (along w/the Europeans and Asians?) everything that is now devalued -- on the CHEAP!

The Clintons did well these last 7 years while HRC was a US Senator. Approaching ONE BILLION DOLLARS, cumulatively (Foundation, Library, HRC's Campaign war chest and after tax income).

[aubrey8]

I agree Jesse Jackson should be excommunicated from the church. I don't think Reverends need to be walking around talking about cutting peoples nuts out.

[MalloMel]

Reverends say a lot of things in private. Just like you and me. I do not hold any one to a higher standard than I do myself. If I did, then that would make me a hypocrite.

[sharonh]

Yes, you are absolutely right. A Reverend, Priest, Rabbi, Iman, or any man of faith should not even have an opinion. They should only say what God tells them, no thinking allowed.

[mikekev58]

WTF do the Clintons have to do with Jesse Jackson saying he was gonna cut off Barry's nuts?

When you don't have anything substantive to say, drag in the Clintons and wave them around.

ONE BILLION DOLLARS. Thanks for adding that word "cumulatively", then noting the Foundation and the library, which is not their personal income. Nor is the Senator's campaign war chest her personal income.

Now, their after tax income? Well, first you've acknowledged that they pay their taxes, which last time I looked was a good thing.
Secondly, unless you can demonstrate that their after or pre-tax income was ill-gotten, wtf is your point?

[GeorgeKaplan]

1st generation O supporters are clinically obsessed with the Clintons. All roads lead back to the Clintons for these people.

[aubrey8]

his point was to deflect the the jackson issue and his critics. he obviously supports the jackson remarks.

[renatam]

Jesse Jackson should have and would have been retired more than a decade ago, had he not befriended and carried water for Clinton Inc. -- leveraging the interests of African-Americans who DO NOT ACCEPT HIS VICTIM GAME -- and toil daily and equally in the real world business/school marketplace. His time-warp and hardline tactics -- not for, but AGAINST -- African-Americans who have moved forward -- is now being seen as what it has always been and Bill Clinton not only knew it, but leveraged it. Jesse Jackson has been a defacto ENFORCER for years and the white establishment kept him in that role, not African-Americans.

[abby4ever]

And is he 'carrying water for Clinton Inc' now, with his latest antics?

I wonder.

[Softnsweet]

You are so right Renatam!!

[huffy2001]

blah...bla­h...blah..­.bill clinton...­blah....bl­ah...Hilla­ry...blah.­..blah...b­lah...blah­.

[steamboat]

But you won't show examples of where the comment is wrong. Why?

[kittybitty]

The only reason why O'Reilly waited until tonight to reveal this tape is because Keith Olbermann returns tonight.

[MyNameIsJames]

The way that Jackson used the word could easily be construed as IRONIC.

"Obama is talking down to Black people, Telling N******S how to behave" was the accusation that Jackson leveled at him. Jackson used this nasty word to depict the way that Obama's speech would be perceived by many in this society.

Jackson's POINT was that Obama was lecturing African Americans as IF they were N*****S.

In no way can this be spun to imply that Jackson feels that Black people are N******S

I didn't like Obama's lecturing and neither do multitudes of other Black people ESPECIALLY since Obama doesn't lecture other groups about their shortcomings.

If he does - he gets his hand smacked and he has to apologize.

Ask Obama to repeat his characterization of rural Pennsylvanians and watch his eyes "BUCK" out of his head! Better yet, go to AIPAC and lecture Jewish people on human rights in Palestine. His candidacy would be terminated the next day.

Yet somehow he feels "safe" talking to Black people in a way that diminishes them on the NATIONAL stage.

I have never seen a Black neighborhood in this nation where the bi-racial kid gets to lecture all the others in his hood about THEIR inappropriate behavior. Now THAT is the true definition of being "uppity"

Obama if you are going to lecture ethnic groups about responsibility then you had better start spreading the love around Buddy!

[glorysong]

Are you AA? I am. He was not talking down to Black people, he was telling the truth. Come on in the Hood. For all we know you might be an example of what he was talking.

[pmag88]

Jessie Jackson is obviously a flawed human being, but history is full of flawed people who have good intentions and have done good work. The 'controversy' is meaningless tripe and the only reason anyone would keep it alive is to try and create division.

The rainbow coalition will continue to grow, and what Barack Obama is reaffirming in ALL his speeches to ALL of us, is that WE must be involved in changing the future by changing ourselves.

[SaulGood]

we must be a part of the change, or there will be no change, as the paast eight years have taught us.

[tbone99]

So Jackson's used the N word , him and a million other blacks . I don't think it was the same way the head of the KKK uses it. Context is everything.

However, what he says is interesting.Why isn't Obama lecturing white families about THEIR poor parenting ?- they've produced more serial murderers, school massaceres, their kids are addicted to sex and gambling online, they hang nooses and have ghetto parties "for fun", Its a fact that drug use is just as high if not higher in the white community ,(tho five times more blacks go to jail for it), their girls parade themselves sluttishly on MYSPACE and we hear cheating is rampant in the best high schools.

Listening to Obama's speeches , you'd get the idea there's only one color of deficient fathers here.

[glorysong]

Well, he had to start somewhere, and what a good place to start but in the Hood. Or should I say in the AA community. That was a beautiful speech.

[teembee]

Let's see.........does anyone remember a guy named Don Imus?

[yngcelt]

And remember the outrage and anger over HIS smart-alec comment? So why the tiny whisper from the left this time?

[AntiFederalist00]

Yep. You can find him in the dictionary under 'Double Standard'.

[mlaiuppa]

What, if any, off-camera remarks of Jackson's have anything to do with public policy? Come on, Bill. Admit it. You're just saving the juicy stuff to mete out at intervals for ratings.

[ObamaLover]

so, let me make sure I understand you correctly, it is ok to use racial slurs as long as it doesn't concern "public policy".
ok... got it.

[lennix]

this is old news and jesse should have not went on fox any way he knew they was after him anyway him and sharpton needs to sit down and chill this was stupid and feed right in thier hands

[khaleef49]

As a 59 year old African American female who raised 2 children without a father or the support that he was suppose to pay, I agree with Obama and feel that this needs to be said over and over and over again. Our black men are fathering children and take absolutely no responsibility. It is time out and more people should be saying the same thing.

[SaulGood]

my younger sister and all of her friends are single mom's. he is speaking to all of us.

[MalloMel]

Nobody wants to say it out loud, but it is because of woman's lib that our young men are like this. It has affected young men in general and black men in particular.

My father taught me that a real man got married, had children and supported his family. He also made me feel that to be a real man was special and that women were special.The young men of today are discouraged from feeling that way. They have sex with women, because their genes dictate that they have to do this, but for the most part, that special regard they had for women is no longer there. Just look at the young people's music of today. It says it all.

Don't get me wrong. I am not against woman's lib. I am not about to tell women that they have to live as second class citizens. I also recognize that that cat is not going back in the box. I'm just saying that there is a downside to it, and that is what we're dealing with.