What is it That Jesse Jackson Wants to Cut Off?

The press is all over Jesse Jackson's unplugged comment. And I so appreciate the media working so hard to shelter me from the actual comment. They left some blank spaces when they printed the story. I was grateful. I have delicate ears.

From what I am able to gather, Jesse got really, really mad at Senator Obama about something. He got so mad that he paid no attention to the live microphone in front of him. And as I read in many press reports, it seems that Jesse Jackson wanted something bad to happen to Senator Obama. He wants something cut off from the Senator: N _ _ S.

I posed the question to my daughter Scout. She is quick. I think maybe the Reverend feels the Senator is getting too much sleep, she suggested. He wants to cut off Obama's NAPS, she exclaimed!

We then considered the possibility that the Senator's positions are being overly influenced by the media. Perhaps Jesse felt that if Obama stayed away from the daily paper, he'd be a stronger candidate. Maybe his remark was "I want to cut off his NEWS."

Scout makes a valid argument that possibly, because Jackson's anger was in reference to Obama's relationship with "faith," he could have been proclaiming his desire to "cut of his NUNS."

Or perhaps too much basketball for the Senator? Maybe it's time to cut off his NETS?

Running low on options, college aged Scout, who spent many hours this year at scrabulous.com, turned to her trusty source: www.wineverygame.com. I so appreciate her competitive streak.

At this site, you can plug in letters you have and it will offer you all the permutations and combinations of words you can make with those letters.

I was relieved to see that we had come up with the most obvious ones without technical support. And our only debate was whether Jackson had referred to "them" as NADS or NUTS.

So what did we learn? That Jesse Jackson has a potty mouth? That Jesse Jackson has a few issues? That the press has standards? That Scout is smart enough to seek out resources to improve her Scrabble game?

All of the above (maybe not the one about the press and standards). Plus, now knowing that there is a website called wineverygame.com, I hope Barack Obama spends a lot of time there.

Comments

[YankeeCanuck]

Jackson has been known as a brilliant orator and an inspirational figure. Not as god. He's human and his off-the cuff remark in an unguarded moment is just that.
His generation may find it tough sometimes watching the younger generation pass them. But that's why they strove, and on reflection, they're probably glad.

[RobtBrock]

Jackson needs to mix in a few sports cliches rather than relying on old cowhand cliches.

[tellit]

Rev. Jackson,

If you cannot say AMEN, just say ouch and shut your mouth.

[mommamia526]

Barack Obama has mentioned more han once that he is standing on the shoulders of previous generations. I do not know what makes Jesse so angry, but he says that he does not like being preached to by Obama in black churches. The last thing I heard Obama saying in that context was something about African American fathers being AWOL, and MIA. This could be a personal issue for Mr. Jesse Jackson, if I remember correctly. Be that as it may, it is not only African American fathers who are MIA and AWOL, so I think a broader *contingency* of fathers could be addressed. And, is that not what Jesse advocates, broader issues? Or, is Jesse's concern just African American issues? What prevents Jesse from personally addressing those? Barack Obama is not running to be President of African Americans. He is running to be President of the U.S. Jesse should grab the opportunity that Obama gives to African Americans to have a platform and be heard and use it to address specific African American issues, as well as other , more general, morality issues. After all, Is Jesse not a preacher? If he is, Jesse was probably temporarily not under grace. Oh, well, better have a prayer meeting, Jesse.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Poor, sad, pathetic Rev. Jackson - reduced to doing blooper reels for Faux Noise.

Of course it's not surprizing that Faux Noise B-roll is more "news-worthy" than the actual "discourse" on the program.

[Brainspore]

Barack Obama represents a better vision for the future of black Americans than Jackson has to offer. It's time for Jackson to get out of the way and let the next generation take over.

[gypsy508]

Yeah but Obama has never walked on picket lines that I know of or called for raising the country from the bottom up instead of trickle down economics...Jackson has never been in the pocket of corporations....I might not agree with Jackson's mannerisms and even methods as of late but he is far more liberal...No Jackson is no Obama.

[Paul]

Jesse has a right to his opinions, however vulgar, even so more since he thought he was off the record.

I think what you are hearing is the old school not going gentle into that good night as the new generation takes over. Obama, to some extent, stands on Jackson's shoulders and it would be a classy thing for Obama to acknowledge that about now.

[AlexVonHussein]

Paul you are right.....Bill Clinton, Wright, now Jesse Jackson. .

[bossandnova]

Paul, Barack has expressed his debt to his elders many, many times. And I think it was a classy thing for him to stand by his comments about personal responsibility, and in the same breath, graciously accept the apology of Rev. Jackson. To me, the comments by his son, Rep. Jackson, Jr., an Obama campaign co-chair, are the most interesting part of this story. That is a much clearer example of the older man attempting to sabotage the young man's efforts.