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.

Story continues below

"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

[JTyroler]

Oh. So this comment wasn't about Rev. Jackson's concern that Obama may be allergic to cashews, almonds, or pistachios?

[nowRnever]

ROTFLMAO! Great one JT!

[Hemlat]

I would have admired Jackson if he had chimed in with Obama on the important subject of personal responsibility, applying the yardstick of ‘emasculation’ , rather to those men who abandon the children that they have fathered and who, have been left to fend for themselves along with their hapless mothers. Regrettably, his ire was directed towards Obama.

I would have admired Jackson if he had acknowledged Barack Obama’s moral prerogative, as an inspiring member of the African-American family in his own right, for choosing to exhort, appropriately on the father’s day, some slippery men, to higher moral and social standards by taking proper care of their families. Regrettably, this arises from Jesse Jackson’s own sense of entitlement to be the one (and the only one) to speak for and to the African-American community and his inability to acknowledge that Obama too has a sense of obligation to talk to his brethren, notwithstanding the fact that Obama is not from the civil rights era.

I would have admired Jackson if had merely opined that Obama should have come up with a broader narrative embracing such issues as ‘urban policy and racial disparities’. Regrettably, by uttering this shocking expletive, Jackson frittered away a great opportunity to share Obama’s voice and instead sent a wrong message, much to the glee of Obama’s cynical opponents and the right wing media. By being disparaging and divisive, he neither served the cause of his own community nor that of the democratic party.

[steamboat]

I misprinted

see www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1050869,CST-NWS-garden11.article

for typical Chicago machine patronage politics---not change

[gloriar8]

As an A.A., I have told young men the same thing for years. Jesse should have been doing what Obama did, but then again after having a baby with your mistress, leaves him with a huge credibility problem, and makes anything he says on the subject of men making babies and not being fathers hypocritical . Maybe that's why he got mad, the comments were to close to home.

[JohnTalbutt]

I support Obama all the way yet, it seems a bit out of place for a Presidential candidate to be criticizing any ethnicity.

Jackson was imprudent to allow himself to be taped. He has and does support Obama. If he had not been a strong leader for civil rights he would not have earned the enmity of weasels like O'Reilly. Limbaugh and some of the posters below.

[Matt7]

HuffPost's Pick

His leadership has nothing to do with it. The bottom line is: they were going to give this story "legs" however it played out. To the controversy-hungry media firestarters, words don't matter. That includes apologies, and opinions held that are contrary to the prevailing opinion. I don't agree with him, but HE HAS A RIGHT TO HIS OPINION!

Remember: the apology came out before anyone even knew what he was apologizing for. Yes, Jackson "should have known better," but he slipped up, and got caught in an embarrassing and unfortunate situation. Rather than just making a general reference to the issue, the media again play it over and over. Then we all get to "rate" the level and degree of sincerity and appropriateness of the apology. Like we're all going to "vote him off the island" . . .

Lord, what have we become . . .

[sherbug]

As an A.A., you should be more loyal to those who have paved the way for you. Jesse Jackson, with all his faults, is one of those people. He has been a voice for people of color and women and unions as well as an instrument of peace in the world. You don't really know what kind of America you would live in without Jesse Jackson because he's always been there.

You need to stop dissing your people because they make mistakes or show themselves to be imperfect. Jesse Jackson had a role in the black community and in the world, but his role has changed and I think that is what he is having difficulty with. You can certainly understand that.

[Aesthete]

I am A.A. and am old enough to have met both Martin Luther King and Jesse Jackson in person and I feel strongly that it is King who "paved the way" for me, not Jackson. I met Dr. King in 1959 and was deeply impressed by his integrity, humility, and deep compassion, attributes I simply don't find to the same extent in Jackson. By comparison, Jackson always felt like a creation of the media, sent over from central casting, and is too self-promoting, whereas King was the real deal. I disliked the idea of Jackson being touted as the logical "successor" to Dr. King. On what basis? I, for one, grew tired of his ambulance-chasing, jumping in front of the camera ways a long time ago. There was a skirmish among black high school students in Decatur, Illinois that should have been handled exclusively by the school, parents and local law enforcement. Upon hearing of it, Jackson jumped on the next plane headed in that direction and injected himself into the matter as though the local blacks were somehow "too stupid" to handle it themselves. I was turned off.

[AzRealProgressive]

The politics of victimhood are no longer viewed as favorable. His facade seems to be falling away from him.

[CC1]

Bulsh**. Peace would put Jesse Jackson out of business. That's the last thing he wants. Voice of women of all colors? Doubt it. Are you as forgiving of Michael Richards for using that word? Didn't think so.

[LeftistGuerrilla]

what is an AA?

[Cynth]

African American

[Anonani]

Based upon that criteria, married man with child born out of wedlock, the n;ation is going to collapse immediately. It is truly amusing that the MSM and many here believe that the problem that Obama speaks about is exclusively a problem in the Black community. It is not and you can ask Marian Edelman Wright for the statistics on the number of children, irrespective of color, who have no contact with a biological father. It is the shame of the nation and of ALL men! There are so many divorces and remarriages that result in efforts to divorce the children of that marriage as well as the woman/wife. Yes, Senator Obama underscored an important national issue, not a black issue.

[MsLiz]

All men? Not my dad or three brothers. Not my husband or brother in law. Not my Indian neighbor or the black man across the street.

No, it isn't exclusively a black problem, but it is a problem for black children when over half of them are born out of wedlock. That's starting life with a handicap. I only know what I have seen working in juvenile court and family law in Jefferson County, Alabama, and most of my juvenile delinquent clients (black and white) lived with one or no parent in the home.

[robXdion]

huh. . . . Jackson HAS been doing that for years. Haven't you been paying attention?

[markie1111]

jesse is jealous. and why wouldn't he be:. he ran and lost. then comes this "black" guy obama, the first "black" president who isn't even "black" in the reverend's mind.

[cryingeagle]

You may be right.

[GravitonX]

Obama's next speech: Institutional racism and whites who blame every ill in society on Blacks and other minorities.

Really? Don't count on it. This was a one way message. Jesse was dead on.

[Redrover666]

Odd how you seemed to invert things a bit.

Whites mostly don't even think about blacks. Not in a bad way. We're just busy trying to figure out how the hell we're going to pay $4.50 a gallon for gas AND pay our mortgages. In fact, the other day when I was getting gas, the black guy next to me said he was worried about the same thing.
The only people bitching about institutionalized racism are guys like Jesse Jackson and their sycophants.

Who incidentally.... are try to get something from that institution. Usually money.

[LillianB]

HuffPost's Pick

You're right in most cases, I think. Or I hope. I hope most whites aren't racist. But I don't think I'm in the position to know. I'm white. I've never felt racism, most of my life I have not had to think about it. Whenever I have to think about it, like when my Asian-looking (adopted) cousins experience it, or when my friends and neighbours of color do, I despise it, becoming mad, same way I get into a rage whenever I think about misogony (which I have experienced) or homophobia (which friends of mine experience) or religious discrimination or whatever discrimination. People are people. People should all be respected for who they are. We're all of equal value. (Should be too obvious to state, but, unfortunately, it isn't always so.)

But I don't think I, or you, Red Rover 66, can be real witnesses when it comes to the existence or non-existence of racism. Believing we live in a post-racial world and that no racism exists is yet another white privilege. We don't live in a "post-racial world" before all trace of racism is gone. It still isn't. You can see examples of bigotry even in the threads at HuffPost, supposedly dominated by liberals.

That we, as white, are allowed not to define ourselves from our hues doesn't mean everyone is the same.

[rhetoricus]

With you on the institutionalized racism, but it's invisible to most white people. If they aren't burning a cross, they think there's no racism. One lecture on it won't make it visible (he tried with his last speech on race), but it will make whites defensive and alienate Obama. There aren't that many white folks who blame society's ills on people of color--maybe 15% of the population. It's more that Black concerns are invisible, and the barriers unseen, so when Black people struggle, their pain is seen as primarily self-inflicted. Obama knows better, as do educated whites, but it's a long road that must be trod carefully.

[Aesthete]

You're right. Racism is carefully crafted so that it is not visible to most whites. The practitioners of most racism are not running around in dunce caps and bed sheets and burning crosses. They appear quite respectable, like the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing. Only those who are the targets of such racism can see it. Once in a while, however, a white person does get to see it and discover for him- or herself what a raw, ugly experience it is. It is truly shocking when one sees it up close for the first time. I know a young white woman who cried for days upon discovering her parents' true sentiments about blacks. I know of a white coach of a women's collegiate basketball team who nearly went postal when she saw for herself how differently the black players on her team were being treated. These occurences are, unfortunately, rare enough that the underhanded practice of racism continues.

[biglover]

I am with you all on institutionalized racism and you are right most white people don't even think about it. (I am white). I was speaking with a friend and he is a pretty liberal fellow = likes Obama - but he had never even given institutionalized racism a thought and as we discussed it more, he was like 'WOW" I never even thought about that. I see it almost everyday in our society and I shake my head because I have no idea how to combat it.

[mark227]

I notice the references to Jesse Jackson being a reverend seems allot less these days. But then he was always a fraud and who gives a toot what he says anyways, he just a racist, race baiting, shakedown artist who is just mad because Obama shows that there is no more institutional racism in America and this will put Jackson out of a job.

[LINY516]

How blind can you do. One person does not erase institutuional racism. Do you have a mental block on the 20% who ADMTTED that they would not vote for Obama because he was black. God knows how many did not admit to it. Come on. Those same people would probably not hire or promote a person simply because he is black. What Obama's status shows is that there is not as much of a racial problem as there was 10 years ago.

What in the world is race baiting? POinting out that a person got called ni**er on the job by his boss. Or maybe it's the story that in 2007, Jena, LA, still had a tree for whites only at a public school Get your head out of the sand (and your arse) and start living in reality.
Maybe if some of you sand dwellers would actually come into reality, the racial problem could really be solved.

[steamboat]

And what percentage of the 94% of African-Americans who voted for Obama over Hillary voted for him because he was the BLACK candidate? I bet its more than 20%

[rhetoricus]

Institutional racism is still very powerful in this country, it's just not 100% determining anymore. We hope.

Also Jackson is in no way a "racist"--he's never argued that blacks are superior to whites, or that whites should be disenfranchised in some way.

That said, Jackson hails from another era, and Obama is the new generation. But the new generation owes a lot to the activism and courage of the one that went before.

[sherbug]

You are wrong here. We are just months away from a hundred or so nooses being hung around the country as "a joke" in the the aftermath of the Jena Six. Racism is alive and well in this country and it continues to rear its ugly head.

What Jackson said amounts to a civil matter that has to be settled within the black community. Unfortunately, Rev. Jackson could not wait until he was off camera to make his remarks. Now everybody from here to eternity, thinks they understand Rev. Jackson and his relationship with the black community.

As an example, you think Rev. Jackson is a fraud and a shake down artist and should be put out to pasture. Rev. Jackson has a 40 year body of work and it is on his shoulders that Obama stands. Rev. Jackson has a place in history and he is still revered in the black community. The black community is not in the habit of throwing their elders away.

[steamboat]

There is a 70% born out-of-wedlock birthrate and OVER 50% school drop-out rate in our major-cities. Sad examples: Only 25% of Detroit students finish high school. 31% in Baltimore. 35% in Indianpolis.

And before you say its "a problem to be resolved within our black community", I want to remind you that the tax-payers of ALL the communities get affected by this. WE ARE THE ONES PAYING FOR THIS MESS. So we ALSO have every right to say our piece. Sorry, but the Jackson's never have addressed this. Obama should have and did.

[AzRealProgressive]

Nooses? How many of those claims have shown to be false ? Care to offer a count?

Just include the last month's stories (hint, a professor, black, female, elder for one)

Jackson and his group bragg, publish, whatever you care to call it how much money companies have paid them not to say they are racist.

Obama stands on the shoulders of no one. He deliberately made sure to distance himself from Jackson and Sharpton as well.

[iamvalid]

It always has and always will be all about Jesse. This man will do and or say anything to get another iota of publicity. It seems like Jesse isn't get his just dues, so he tries to take the entire party down a notch. Ya know Jesse, Al Sharpton has got to be so proud of you.

[robbep]

I recently saw a McCain add that showed us reaching the moon and it said we did it once we can do it again. The commentary then began by saying McCain does not believe the goverment shld solve our enegy prblms the market place shld. The prbm with this is that NASA is a goverment agency and it was our goverment that got us to the moon. So for all of those who say that our goverment has no responsibility for improving the lives of our citizens especially black people I think you shld go dust off your history books. The plight of blacks in this country can be directly tied to the actions of this country.This country has compensated every group of people that it has exploited except African Americans. Now I know some of you self righteous folks are going to bring up pulling up your boot straps but every successful person has received help at one time. What Jackson is saying that faith based inititiaves are good they cant and shld not replace the assistance of our goverment and policies. Obama is soft and unfortunately Jackson said aloud what a lot of us are thinking.

[MsLiz]

I'll sell you an O and a U for your "shld."

[Seattlelite]

My AA great-grandparents migrated to SF from AK, in 1948, not well educated, prior to migrating they picked cotton in AK for a living. Soon after they migrated, many of their siblings and young families migrated as well. My great grandparents and the two generations that followed had an attitude that you work hard, make no excuses, reply on yourself and family and NEVER accept hand outs. Then came a shift, 3rd generation (following my great grandparents) this attitude began to erode among some. My grandfather blamed it on government welfare he OFTEN said (to the point of exhaustion ) the worst thing to have happened to AA's was welfare. He felt it totally went against what previous generations had tried to instill in the generations that followed. I've always agreed with his assessment, however the area I feel the government should play major role (but has failed and continues to fail) in some AA communities (and poor people in general) is providing good and equal education opportunities.

I'm very pleased that Sen. Obama is addressing such issues and If my grand father were still living he would be cheering O for doing so as well.

[LeoMarvin]

I see it 100% the way as you and your grandfather. Welfare was well-intentioned but disastrous in effect. And 50 years after Brown v. Board of Education, African-American education is still mostly separate, and not even remotely close to equal.

[GravitonX]

So, how many pontifications will it take to actually change this problem (i.e. laziness, ignorance, and excuse-making) with Black people? By the way, welfare, as your grandparents knew it, has pretty much been dead since the early-90s.

[steamboat]

Yes, and the employment roles increased by 22 MILLION. Amazing how they could find work when they had too..........Thank you, Bill Clinton..........Thank you, Welfare Reform Act

[LeoMarvin]

When's the last time you visited a high school in a high crime African American neighborhood?

[LINY516]

I know your story makes white folks fees so goosepimply inside. It's just one story. I guess you have no problem with corporate welfare, or farmer welfare, or defense contractor welfare.

Of course, whites on welfare are OK. Wile they were lynching and not letting blacks vote in the South, I guess that just peachy with him. I guess while there were blacks who were not hired or promoted in violation of the law, your great-grandparents and now yourself just jumped for joy.

What previous generations are you talking about? (Those in slavery). Yeah, lets being back the good old days of slavery and sharecroppers (virtual slavery).

Obama is getting is trying to "white cred." I guess you already have it. Congrats.

[steamboat]

Address this but you won't, since all you want to do is take cheap-shots at anything 'white'.

Since you enjoy bringing up lynchings:

Explain to all of us why you are NOT concerned by the following:

...That more young African-American males have murdered other young African-American males in any ONE year after 1988 in the major-cities of America than Jim Crow/KKK did in an ENTIRE century?

...And that more have been murdered in the major-cities since 9/11 then have Americans been killed in Iraq?

(source: Stanley Crouch, NY Post archives)

[LillianB]

Obama has been talking about fathers abandoning their duties as parents since he was 22 and a community organizer in Chicago. It's a subject close to him, both because of the experiences he made those first years in Chicago, and because of his own father leaving the family while Obama himself was just a toddler. I am reading his book, "Dreams from my father", now, and if you read the same book you'd see this is a subject he has cared deeply about all his life.

It's a great book, by the way, well written, honest, candid - a lot more well written, honest & candid than you'd expect from any politician, maybe because it was written back when BO was 33 and still not a politician. I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone, and especially to those feeling that whatever Obama now says is twisted and turned to the unrecognizable (by his opponents or by certain media outlets) before one gets the chance to judge the context it was said in for oneself.

[LeoMarvin]

If that's what you read into his comment, I don't have much hope for you. You may be too blinded by your own hatred and blame to see your hand in front of your face. Your feelings are understandable, but they don't do anyone any good. So if you're not willing to pull together for everyone's sake, please get out of the way.

[VinnieTheSnake]

Who is discussing Obama's experiences? Who is discussing what he plans to do as president? Who is discussing why he should get my vote?
That is why Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s father said what he said. A.D.D. -- change the subject from his FISA vote to his testicles. There you go. Safe subject.

[sherbug]

At this point, you should know what his experience is and what he plans to do as President.

As for why you should vote for him, if you are a Democrat, then you should support the nominee of your Party. If you need another reason to vote for Obama, then you should bother to familiarize yourself with some of his plan for the country. For example, he plans to invest $150B in developing alternative fuels and infrastructure. This will create a lot of jobs, both blue collar and white collar jobs. This kind of stimulus will get our country back on the road to recovery. He opposes CAFTA and he plans to end the war in Iraq within 16 months of taking office.

If any of these things will help you or your family, then that would be a good reason to vote for him.

[cyndeewi]

One vote on the FISSA bill and you people are ready to hang the man. Look at the votes the Clintons and John McCain has made. In addition to the other presidentlal nominees.

[Countdown09]

Jessie Jackson spent 40 years of his life believing and preaching that the government and government programs are the answer to fixing everything that ills the AA community. Sen. O believes the governments role is limited to providing good education, equal rights/justice and a strong economy where everyone regardless of race has the opportunity to succeed -- the rest is up you.

[gladys46]

JJ did NO SUCH THINGS!! What JJ has done was be egotistical, selfish and real stupid not to realize where he was ... FOX!!

Obviously, you have no idea what JJ has been doing for 40 years or you wouldn't even try that BS!!

Both JJ and Obama have every right and every justification to speak truth to AA's ... I just hope when or if Obama speaks directly to the ills of white America, white America takes it as it is offered ... with good spirit and concern ... as opposed to those times in the past when Obama attempted to say something that was very true ... it was twisted and pretzeled and packaged as "bitter gate!!"

None of us are pure black and white have serious family, community issues that ought to be addressed! From sexual family perversions, victim specific murders, you name it!!

[steamboat]

Don't blame FOX, Jackson said it.

[DallasMike]

I know exactly what JJ has been doing.
Extorting companies and race baiting.

[Franklee]

My guess, and it's only a guess, as to why Mr. Jackson is so angry about Sen. Obama's speech: Sen. Obama is asking Black men to take responsibility for their sexual actions; asking them to not walk away from the children that they've made. The problem for Mr. Jackson is that he's already been caught doing the same thing. His anger is quite likely defensive in nature, not objective.

Here's a hint for folks when they want to know if a religious leader is serious about helping others more than themselves: does he call himself Reverend or The Reverend? If so, you can probably guess who he wants to see respected. I am a religious man, and I revere no person on this earth just because they put it in a title. I revere God and I revere those who serve him without wanting to be rewarded. Those who try to get famous, like the battling bookends Jackson and Sharpton, do not have our interests at heart. They serve money and fame. There are many, many out there like that. It's a shame, but it's a fact of life.

Peace, Love and Root Beer! :-)

[Philipo]

I am a minority within a minority and each minority I belong to seems to have two major camps.

One camp is the "we are the victims in all of this and justice will undo the damage done to us".

The other camp is "yes, we were victims and we need justice but what we also need is to stop being victims and fix the damage done and get on with our lives while working toward that justice".

I think the biggest difference between the two camps is trust. The first camp doesn't trust the majority and figures the injustice will continue unless fought while the second camp trust the majority enough to make some effort toward helping themselves. That's why the first camp only focuses on what is being done to them while the second camp spends more of their effort on what they can do.

One camp is stuck in victimhood while the other acknowledges that everything is not right and fair in this world and a lot of damage has been done but believes that outside help is not enough and that the only way to truly fix that damage is from within (it's unfair but so what, what's important is getting beyond the damage).

I guess you can figure which camp I belong to. And I bet you can guess which camp Jackson and Obama belong to.

By the way, these two camps exists in lots of minority groups.

[DaisyMiller]

two choices:
1. orchestrated by the Obama team - which makes one puke or
2. that's how Jessie privately feels about Obama - he makes him act and feel primitively violent
Take your pick.

[doctorwang]

You forgot:
3. You're a member / supporter of PUMA and that's why both your twisted choices frame Obama in a negative light - which makes one puke.

[DaisyMiller]

Doctor: you seem to miss that I was speaking about Obama, not myself.
I am not a member of Puma, by the way.
Either Jackson really DOES like Obama (and this was staged) or
Jackson REALLY FEELS this way about Obama.
(see how thosse two are independent of me?)

[JohnTalbutt]

Both of these alternatives are the product of a hostile racist mentality. I take it for what it seems to be. An imprudent remark which he apologised for.

"primitively violent" exposed you.

[xigxag]

You are omitting:

3. orchestrated by Jackson for his own personal aims
4. an off-the-cuff sentiment held by Jackson that does not represent his core beliefs (like someone who gets mad at a friend and says unkind things)

Also, in your #2, how does Obama make Jackson ACT violent? What do you base that assertion upon? It's not like Jackson took out a scythe and started swinging.

[Daisy1111]

I'm white. And I was annoyed by BO's father's day speech. I feel he presented an imbalanced picture of Black men.

I have known many great, honorable Black men --one who took my brother under his wing when my father died like a surrogate Dad (they're still close to this day).

Male Black teachers and professors I've had through the years who did more to encourage my artistic and creative talents than white male teachers who ignored the girls in their classes. Neighbors, co-workers, complete strangers, who always seemed to be the first to lend a helping hand.

BO ignored these unsung heros. Inclduing the large numbe of our military who are Black men (and women) doing their personalbest every day.

If I was annoyed by his speech. I'm certain others were.

Like I said I'm white And I know a lot of white men who walk away from their kids. As a woman I say every woman, no matter what her race, should be more selective in what men she chooses. It's not too hard to fgure out which guy (of any race) will end up being a deadbeat dad.

[sunny555]

This is a great post, and I'm glad you've had such positive experiences. Thanks for sharing them. I agree, I felt the speech was patronizing but I didn't feel BO was talking down to Blacks. Rather, I felt he was pandering to whites-- which is equally distasteful.

The fact remains, however, that about 80 percent of Black fathers do not live with their children, whereas in the White community, that figure is about 28 percent.

These are tough statistics, and hopefully, we can all work together to change this situation.

[DevilAdvocate]

I'm black/Native American. But you are missing the point. When you make a speech you have to focus on a topic. Obama's topic for that day was being a good father, and what you have to do to be one, not just father a kid. The black community wasn't bothered by this speech, why are you? It was a very nice speech, it hit home for the topic of that day.. Fathers day, and it was about changes old habits. Black women all around the world take care of their children, black men too, but he was talking about the ones who do not. Just because it's a topic someone doesn't want to hear or think it's too political doesn't mean we can't approach the subject. This is the issue, there are issues throughout our communities, and it needs to be addressed.

[Daisy1111]

But it was Father's Day -- why not even a brief mention of the AA fathers who are committed to their children.

These men exist. I see them all around -- at the store with their kids, in restaurants with their kids, picking up their kids from school.

Pandering to white people who have decided not to vote for a Black man is not going to change their minds.

[LINY516]

"The black community wasn't bothered by this speech." Do you speak for the entire black community? Do you know everyone in the black community. I hate when people attempt to place themselves as the spokesperson for everyone in a group. It debases their argument and calls into question their premise.

There are plenty of things he could say to white folks that he doesn't because in his mind it's divisive to say. However, it's fine to say anything to the black community. When he gets up in a white church and starts to call for their personal responsbility, I'll change my opinion about him on this issue.

[rasthedestroyer]

I'm sorry Daisy, but you don't have any idea where the Sen. is coming from. Maybe you did'nt hear the whole speech. Keep[ng it in context the speech was not about black father's it was about the need for men who are not doing their parts to start and stop acting like boy's "Any fool can have a baby" i think were the words Sen. O. used I don't see Black or White in that statement. It's one thing to know a few honorable black men it something different trying to become one . Over 70% of black households are single parent. The dropout rate for young black men in high school in this country is 60%, this is a direct result of black men missing in action. It would be disengenuous of the Sen. to have not said something, since he himself comes from a single parent home and raised on welfare. No black leader nor for that fact any leader,has attempted to address the issue openly. I applaud the Sen. on his willingness to open up the conversation. Maybe if more leaders (Black and White) grow a pair, some of these things could be resolved. Daisy i'm just confused by the fact that you would have a problem with one blackman telling another blackman ,"you need to grow up and do the right thing" ,i just don't see what the problem is. Maybe it's just a White thing and i don't get it.

[sherbug]

You are always annoyed with Obama. It wouldn't matter what he did, you would find fault with it because you are a bitter HRC supporter.

Since you did not actually listen to Obama's father 's day speech, what he said was urban black men are traditiionally absent from their children and they should start the process of caring for those children that they bring into the world. As a white woman, you should not have been annoyed, since this had nothing to do with you. Are you pretending to be the defender of black men?

Your problem is you still think blacks have their place. They can be teachers, mentors and lend you a helping hand, but just don't try to be POTUS.

[steamboat]

No he didn't......Of course, there are many fabulous black men who care about the young. Nobody is disputing that.............However, Obama was ON-TARGET bringing up self-responsibility and discipline. Stop hiding the fact there is a 70% born-out-of-wedlock birthrate in the Black Community. Or OVER- 50% of students in the major-cities of America do NOT finish high school. And stop with the VICTIM and RACE and OPPORTUNITY-cards as excuses. Are you aware that in 1951 when Jim Crow was rampant, when there actually were very few or NO opportunities for Black men, in comparison to today, and no minority and Pell-grants, etc. that there was only an 11% born-out-of-wedlock birthrate. Less drop-outs in the schools. And no epidemic of young black men killing other young black men at record rates. So please, LOOK WITHIN !.....I'm am INDEPENDENT, neither a dummy (democrat) nor a dummy-also, (republican). So I can say I'm neutral on Obama. And he was correct. ..........Something else, Barack Obama is NOT trying to make whites happy at expense of absent black fathers. But he is running for President of ALL the United States of America, not just ONLY Black America. I honestly feel some black leaders and some African-Americans on this blog are having a problem with that.

[LINY516]

You're wrong on all counts. Yeah, lets go back to Jim Crow and keep the good black folks in line. I'm black and 90% of the black people I grew up around were responsible. Maybe your hate stems from your upbringing. Sorry to hear about it.

Just because he's running for the President of the US doesn't mean that he can do what's he's doing. Bush was running for the President, so I in your mind, if he had come into the black church and used ignornant generalizations, that would ha ve been find.

Go out and get Bill Cosby's recent book where he talks about black personal responsbility and institutional racism. Oh, I forgot, in your mind, there is no racism. Do you have the confederat flag on your wall waiting for Jim Crow to return?