Yeah, that's right. I'm going contrarian on this one. But not really. In one sense, what the good reverend said was totally unforgivable. It's just not bad in the way everyone's saying it is. The point is, what Jesse Jackson said yesterday -- you know, the bit about wanting to cut Barack Obama's nuts off -- really wasn't that vulgar in political circles. Any of you ever have a chance to talk with deeply political animals like Jesse Jackson totally off the record? It is stunning. I have heard elderly, ostensibly mild-mannered pols drop more F-bombs than George Carlin on a rant.
Just look at the ol' heart-pissing joke. Generally, it goes something like this: "David Axelrod would set Karl Rove's heart on fire and then refuse to piss down his throat to save his life." Hilarious, right? I've heard almost innumerable variations on that theme, tailored to a variety of campaigns, campaign operatives and political ideologies. Hunter Thompson included a James Carville/Lee Atwater version of the joke in his 1994 book, Better Than Sex, and the bit had apparently been around for a while even then. And threats of castration are not immune from the dark humor of the campaign trail.
Take, for example, me. A couple months ago, I wrote a blog entry here at HuffPo that ended by calling for the public castration of Grover Norquist. The comments that the good readers of the HuffingtonPost left at that blog entry were strongly approving, especially of the final line. But why? Why such approbation for one castration, and not for the other? Two reasons. First, chopping off Grover Norquist's nutsack with a rusty meat clever is hilarious. Not so Barack Obama. Second -- and this is the part of Jackson's words that is horrifying from a political point of view -- Norquist is the enemy, at least to many of the readers of HuffPo and, natch, to me as well.
The truly unforgivable part of Rev. Jackson's words is not what he said, but whom he said it about. It proves, for what must be the 36,987th time at the very least, that Democrats have never taken to heart the reciprocal of Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment: "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican." Had Rev. Jackson said he wanted to cut the nuts off of Dick Cheney, we'd all be having a good laugh about it right now.
Independent for Obama '08
Jesse only managed to attract blacks, but Obama transcends with all races voting for him, plus young and old.
Obama's words offended me a great deal. It sent shudders down my spine knowing he was not really talking to black people but to white people ...
So you are willing to excuse Bill Clinton also?
What Rev. Jackson said was not a big deal...move on! The media has become such an electronic tabloid with a hall of shame to attract viewers.Why do we have this need to punish at every opportunity. Frankly, I don't care but I do care about my home values, escalating gas, food and taxes pounding away my savings. What are the real issues here and how can they be fixed. Just another distraction.
Sure . who wouldn't love for every one to have one big happy family , but its a little more complicated than blaming one person in the equation.
because he was invited to speak at a church on Fathers day. If he went off message
and spoke to the ladies about motherhood the parishnors would have been upset
because it was suppose to be a Fathers day message. the Senator did not
speak to any particular race. He said if the shoe fits wear it. In other words
if you are a lousy father try and find a way to improve yourself.
Or keep it zipped. Nothing at all wrong with that.!!!!!!!!! I belong to a baptish church
Rev Jesse Jackson has visited my church more than once and I have heard
him say some of the same words to our young black youth, so I am
preplexed as to why he attacked Senator O like he did.?????/
have been voting for White people all of our lives to help make their dream
come true. and I am not going to do any less for this handsome intelligent young man named Barack Obama.
Senator Clinton and her husband when she was losing played the
RACE CARD big time. Bill stopped just short of calling Senator O
a boy, instead he said Senator O's dream of becoming president of the USA
was a fairy tale. He made light of Jesse Jackson accomplishment when he won
South Carolina. She said Dr. King could not have done anything to help us if
not for Linden Johnson, but if left to her the Civil Rights Act would have never
gone through because she was a Goldwater girl at that time and worked to get the
Civil Rights act killed. She made reference to (RFK"s) 4 time.
Vote for who you want, but make no mistake we still LOVE Rev Jesse Jackson
because without him there we be no us today!!!!!!!! DR. KING was not a dream.
Responsible men were careful about setting and example around their kids so that they would grow up to be decent human beings able to hold a conversation with the President of the United States if the opportunity arose. Now it's, "Well, the President says it" or "Well, Clinton jumped every skank he could". Can you imagine John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan with a trash mouth?
The most memorable thing about the 2007 Masters Tournament is Tiger Woods screaming goddammit on Easter Sunday after a bad shot. Where did he learn that this was OK? He can win every tournament on the PGA Tour 10 times but he will never be considered to be at the level of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, or Byron Nelson until he learns how to not only play like a champion, but to behave like one.
Instead of thinking that that's the way the tough politicians that we dragged out of bars are, we should be looking for honorable decent men who come forward to serve their country.
While I agree that a man's language should be tempered by his company (and while I have a mouth like a sewer around my peers, my language is above reproach around ladies and kids), bear in mind the rev was under the impression that his remarks were in private.
"..."Well, the President says it"..."
I'm a bit hazy on history sometimes but wasn't it Harry Trueman who was famous for his rough language? (I'm at least sure the vintage is about right). And remember Richard "Expletive Deleted" Nixon? (He too thought his words were in private). I would imagine Reagan and Kennedy would have cussed like sailors when among "the boys". The nice suit doesn't come with a language softener.... I know my tuxedos didn't, and I wore them every night for years in my profession.
That, as well, is the telling thing about the whole "locker room" lexicon of politicians. I've been almost murderously angry at people (rarely, thank Dog) in my long life, but I've never wanted to cut off genitals, rip anyone "a new 'one'," or rape someone to show them who's boss. Those are impulses of weak, insecure, vicious, mean-spirited people, and I am saddened to learn that at the core, Jesse Jackson is just another nasty impotent bully, like Carville, Bush, and their chickenhawk ilk. These are men who hire other men to fight their battles.
"If the shoe, fits wear it."
If a white person had made the same statement about Obama, there would have been a SCREECH from the MSM as well as 99% of the left. Disgusting.