Jesse Jackson Used N-Word In Controversial Fox News Tape

CHICAGO — The Rev. Jesse Jackson used the N-word during a break in a TV interview where he criticized presidential candidate Barack Obama, Fox News confirmed Wednesday.

The longtime civil rights leader already came under fire this month for crude off-air comments he made against Obama in what he thought was a private conversation during a taping of a "Fox & Friends" news show.

In additional comments from that same conversation, first reported by TVNewser, Jackson is reported to have said Obama was "talking down to black people," and referred to blacks with the N-word when he said Obama was telling them "how to behave."

Though a Fox spokesman confirmed the TVNewer's account to The Associated Press, the network declined to release the full transcript of the July 6 show and did not air the comments.

Jackson _ who is traveling in Spain _ apologized in a statement Wednesday for "hurtful words" but didn't offer specifics.

"I am deeply saddened and distressed by the pain and sorrow that I have caused as a result of my hurtful words. I apologize again to Senator Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, their children as well as to the American public," Jackson said in a written statement. "There really is no justification for my comments and I hope that the Obama family and the American public will forgive me. I also pray that we, as a nation, can move on to address the real issues that affect the American people."

A spokeswoman for Jackson's civil rights organization, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, said she could not confirm that Jackson used the slur.

Jackson has called on the entertainment industry, including rappers, actors and studios, to stop using the N-Word. He also urged the public to boycott purchasing DVD copies of the TV sitcom "Seinfeld" after co-star Michael Richards was taped using the word during a rant at a Los Angeles comedy club in 2006.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who has joined Jackson in opposition of the word, said Wednesday he wanted to hear the comments for himself and declined to discuss Jackson specifically.

"I am against the use of the N-word by anyone and I think we must be consistent," he told The Associated Press. "We must not use the word."

Comments

[preemptivelove]

so seinfeld re-reuns are to be boycotted, even though richards "apologized"? but now that jesse jackson apologizes, we're supposed to do what he says? this dude is without credibility in my view.

seinfeld was one of the best, funniest shows ever to be on tv. i'd never boycott it for something richards said more than 15 years later. ridiculous.

i don't think that black people using the word and trying to take away its charged and hurtful meaning has worked. but i'm a middle aged white woman and so i'm not the best authority on this. white people should never use the word. and black people have to figure out for themselves whether it's empowering or just the opposite.

[gamoonbat]

I cannot find any actual video on the internet where Jackson uses the N-word. I wonder whether this addendum is just a Fox play to keep this story alive?

[busybeez]

It just seems unethical to eavesdrop on Jackson while he was off camera. I'm wondering if the mike was purposely left on. Fox shows again they have little journalism ethics. For their own sake, Fox needs to drop this because the shock effect is over and now they are just making themselves look low class.

[JohnFromCensornati]

Talk about beating a dead horse!