Jesse Jackson Uses N-Word on Fox News Tape

I just listened to your political roundtable and I am again struck by Mary Frances Berry disdain for Senator Obama. Every time I've heard or seen her she seems to be sneering. Is she another in the number of "older" civil rights folks who don't like have to move to the side a bit? Al that aside her glee at John McCain's jab about not proffering a point of view before going to Iraq. McCain himself was speaking for months before and in between his trips to Iraq. it's a game of gotcha and it is no way to elect school librarian and certainly not a President.

As for Jesse, anyone who goes on Fox "news" deserves whatever they get. Full stop.

Sent by Raul | 10:02 PM | 7-16-2008

Jackson is the biggest hypocrite in this country. Tells people to honor their wife and familes, then he cheats on his. Railes against the word nigger and then uses it himself (probably all of the time). This guy is a real sorry excuse for a so called black leader. We have to have better role models for our childern than him.

Sent by Flapjacket | 7:05 AM | 7-17-2008

Jesse jackson is a hypocretical liberal nut. The far left are a bunch of idiots who can't tell the truth with Obama leading the parade. Only a fool would listen to what Obama or Jackson would say.

Sent by Patriot | 7:54 AM | 7-17-2008

fox news needs help

Sent by outsider | 8:50 AM | 7-17-2008

Raul makes some good points, then loses all credibility with his Fox news comment. Why should it matter where he said what he said?

Sent by Joe | 9:02 AM | 7-17-2008

Jesse...he...ni**ers?...cut off his nuts?....

Before I head for the aspirin, let me offer this: the Civil Rights Generation wasn't "blessed" by the previous group of Black leaders, many of whom admonished them to slow their roll. Lest we forget, Dr. King wrote a scathing letter (from a B'ham Jail) to those very same people in the pastorate. Instead of waiting for permission, they forged ahead. I shudder to think where we'd be if Violet Liuzzo, Medgar, Martin, Fanny Lou and the host of others had stopped the action until the older folks were comfortable with them.

How utterly arrogant!

Whether he's on track (as far as our "leaders" are concerned or "off the plantation" entirely, he doesn't ask to ask "Marion, Jesse or Al, may I" to any of them.

And now that aspirin.

Sent by Lalita | 10:20 AM | 7-17-2008

The old saying, "Ain't no fool like an old fool" definitely applies to Jackson here. It's pretty much consensus that these comments were bourne out of jealousy and envy. With that -- Jesse truly has shown to everyone what many of his critics have argued for many years. That is, that he's a self-serving opportunitist whose ULTIMATE ward is not the Black community -- but himself. And it's sad because many in the community truly have benefited from his efforts.

Sent by Louis | 10:59 AM | 7-17-2008

Should I really care about this new piece of info after Jesse's "nutty" remarks?

Sent by Moji | 11:02 AM | 7-17-2008

I really have nothing more to say about Jesse. Yet, I will ask this question though - is any black person who's over 50 and who challenges the views of Barack Obama a jealous relic? Why do all black people need to fall in line behind Obama? I'm 35, a proud member of Gen X, and I don't agree with Barack's Father's Day speech. Not because it wasn't truthful but because his speech lacked balance. Furthermore, his stance on immigration is pandering to Latino's and it's wrong. Stop being "Obamabots" people. It's "ok" for black people to openly challenge the views of other black people w/o being labeled a "sellout" or a "relic".

Sent by TUAlpha93 | 11:18 AM | 7-17-2008

Hopefully, Jesse will disappear into the ether as he as made Don Imus and Michael Richards (of recent memory) do. Unfortunately, he won't practice what he preaches.

Sent by Bret | 12:03 PM | 7-17-2008

TUA: IT IS OKAY to support your Black people withoug sacrificing your white friends. If they're true friends, they will respect you for being proud of who you are. When was the last time you heard a white politician speak honestly about race, fatherhood and marriage? People are stressing on whether or not Obama will make a good president. Did either of the ones named Bush? When was theh last time you had someone run for president and included Blacks in the parade? Please don't say: Clinton. Because if he had truly been a friend of Blacks, he wouldn't be so upset with Obama now that their 'master plan' has been usurped by him. The plan was to have two Clinton's serve in the White House. Well, that hasn't worked. You no longer live on the plantation, you don't have to be faithful to the master. You won't get flogged or lynched if you support your own people.

Sent by Etha Em | 2:04 PM | 7-17-2008

It shocks me,that we are concerned about the quality of Rev. Jacksons apology!

The man is supposed to show us the right path in this world. He ties himslef to Dr. King, He is supposed to be a man of the cloth !

The hot mic shows the cold truth about him and what he really belives.

Too many times he has been forgiven for the things he has done.

Keeping racism alive, Keeps Jessy working !

Shame, Shame, Shame !

Sent by Norman R. Van Etten | 2:24 PM | 7-17-2008

Joe thanks for agreeing with me, as for disagreeing with my Fox comment- I stand by it.

At best Fox is the setting for comedy more than news. With it's history of race bating (DAILY REV WRIGHT UPDATES, OBAMA'S BABIES MOMMA?) and outright lies (A FIST BUMP-A TERRORIST SYMBOL?) anyone working towards social justice who seeks a forum for their point of view and decides to choose Fox as an outlet deserves whatever bit of slander or baiting they receive from this hate mongering network. If I were that desperate to have my opinions aired I'd see a therapist.

Poor Jesse. Now the N bomb...Jesse,even the Mary Tyler Moore show knew it was time to leave before the audience deserted them.

I never thought I'd live to see the day when Al Sharpton would be the model of restraint.

Lord, what is my world coming to...

Run Jesse Run!

Sent by Raul | 3:02 PM | 7-17-2008

Oh Etha really! That whole I need to convince myself I'm not voting for Obama 'cause he's black blame the Clintons thing is so over.

Sent by thevegasstyleguy | 4:31 PM | 7-17-2008

Of course, people like Jackson are breaking putting up the Golden Boy on the cross. We democrats are going to feel it. Succinctly put in a cartoon: "A Detailed Analysis of Obama's Failures in Cartoon Form": from the hilarious site 23/6.com
Down from the tower, or down from the cross? or up?
http://www.236.com/blog/w/lee_camp/a_detailed_analysis_of_obamas_2_7767.php

Sent by Morgan Walker | 5:08 PM | 7-17-2008

What would the reaction of the media been if a White person had utter this awful word??? Jesse will get a slap on the wrist anyone else would be without a job and the media would be having a field day. How does this compare to the Don Imus statement about the Rutgers b'ball team

Sent by d | 5:36 PM | 7-17-2008

First of all, Jackson thought he was off-mic. He should have assumed that as long as Fox was in the room, that he was live.

Secondly, Jackson has a 45 year public record with a lot of positives. How many can say that? And how many can say that with even half that time in the public eye that they never said anything off-key or regrettable?
What is shocking to me is how many black people are willing to take their cues from white racist and establishment critics of Jackson, and adopt them as their own. Shame. At least one could find something original to critique.

And what's wrong with disagreeing with Obama? Are we in a space where any disagreement with our Brown Prince is a punishable offense, and where we stone the offenders with the recycled critiques of our enemies, accusing them of being jealous, poverty-pimps, etc? What have we come to?

Sent by Bruce Dixon | 5:53 PM | 7-17-2008

RAUL, 100% right about: Mary Frances Berry disdain for Senator Obama.

As obvious as it gets I've listened to her this entire campaign and thought the same thing.

Jesse who?

Sent by Jon J | 6:05 PM | 7-17-2008

TUAlpha93

To answer your question. Yes so far, they are jealous relics. But still waiting for a reasoned legitimate critique from that crew. And I hope you don't think Jesse's comments qualifies as 'challenging the views'

Why do all black people need to fall in line behind Obama?

Because he's better than McCain AND as good as ANY Democratic candidate that Blacks have backed to the tune of 90%+.
The question to you is why has the question of 'Blacks falling in line' just become an issue. It wasn't an issue with Clinton, Gore, Kerry, etc.?

I'm with you on the Father's day speech for the exact same reason. It totally lacked balance and even though a supporter I wrote the campaign to challenge that speech.

I don't know if his stance on immigration is pandering to Latino's maybe that's what he believes. But immigration is a complexed issue. We can't load them up and send the back. AND most of all with prices rising on gas, etc. we wouldn't like the skyrocketing of our food prices.

It is ok to challenge his views. We're a diverse nation and even when in the same camp have competing interest. And most of us aren't single issue people unless were irrational. Do we ever agree 100% with any candidate.

But to your main question, yes most of what I've heard from the 'over 50's crowd' or the old guard does come off as sour grape stuff from relics. Especially since they usually fall in line with the Democratic party and nominee. They should have been in 'challenge mode' long before Obama.

Sent by Jon J | 6:20 PM | 7-17-2008

Where were these old guard relics who are so outspoken regarding Barack and Jesse (who wants to castrate him) during the Clinton era? How often did they openly 'challenge his views' or want to emasculate him.

During Rwanda.
Come to the defense of L.Guiner. Criticize or 'challenge the views' when Clinton signed the welfare bill with two African-American women standing next to him. (whats the deal with the 2 women dude?)

Or 'challenge his views' while Bill & the Demos did nothing about the state of public education, the war on drugs, sentencing disparates, mandatory sentencing, economic development in cities?

Too comfortable with those paternalistic relationships.

Tune in next where you hear them say 'n....a, get yo hands out of my pocket'!

Sent by Jon J | 7:58 PM | 7-17-2008

jessie jackson should be fired and lose his place as one of the elite leaders that non black people consult with whenever they use the n-word. heck, people lose their job and ruined their careers because of using the n-word and people of color immediately ask for their heads, but with jessie where is the uproar, we seem to dismiss this as him being old and jealous.

Sent by drew | 8:46 PM | 7-17-2008

Bruce Dixon, please.
Can you tell the difference between 'disagreeing' with someone and saying you want to cut off their nuts and referring to Blacks as n---s, on a freaking news set! Heelllo..does that fly over your head?
Totally disrespectful AND he would never approach a White male politician or colleague in that manner. Never heard him say anything to that degree even about Strom Thurman, George Wallace, hell not even Bull Connor!

Knowing you're on Fox in a public forum one would expect more from those 45yrs in front of a mic.

Yes, I've said things regrettable but NEVER in a public professional forum have I said 'cut off the nuts' of another Black man or referred to Blacks as n----s! NEVER, because it's so easy not to do.

It's racist for you to assume us Blacks can't think for ourselves, draw our own conclusions and 'are taking cues from white racist and establishment critics'.

Bruh, HE used the racist sentiments, it wasn't any establishment critics..he said what he said in public on a news set. Sorry to let facts get in the way.

Sent by Jon J | 9:41 PM | 7-17-2008

There was no professional forum. JJ thought he was off mic, pre-interview, though on the Fox premises. That is incontrovertible. You can tell by the quality of the audio that it was done on the sneak.

Barack is not the Brown Prince, and it's OK not only to disagree with him, but to do so impolitely, even crudely. The hypocrites who insist that we be ever so polite to Barack in public and in private are seldom that fastidious in their references to anyone else, especially anyone that disagrees with the Prince.

And if you've never seen him say or laugh at or endorse any crude or disrespectful stuff toward poublic white racists like Helms, Thurmond, etc., then you haven't been around the guy much.

The mainstream media have been beating up on JJ for 45 years. It's a shame that a number of blacks have adopted every one of their critiques, and are employing them in order to uncritically boost the career of Senator Obama.

Sent by Bruce Dixon | 10:34 AM | 7-18-2008

TUAlpha93 don't be a goof ball, of course it's alright to disagree with Sen Obama it is even alright to be a negro conservative. What is not alright is to put your own personal STUFF ahead of a life spent fighting for social justice and call it macaroni. I would have respected Jackson more if he had said publicly what you did in your post.

To address Bruce Dixon point, "uncritically boost the career of Sen Obama"?" The media fire storm over his pastor's remarks, a fire storm that no other candidate running the oval office has ever had to endure. The level of scrutiny of every little thing that anyone who has ever met him or sat on a board with him or had a cob salad in a restaurant where he just left. The persistent stories that he may or may not be Muslim (read sleeper cell). All of these hardly signs of an anointing. Particularly if you consider the rise and fall of our current President, now that was an uncritical boost.

To your point about the media's treatment of JJ, or any other progress leaning person, is true BUT that even more strongly begs the question of why, why, aside from personal self aggrandizement, would you go on Fixed News and expose yourself to the brand of smear and race baiting that they traffic in. On mike or off you're sitting in the enemy camp and they're just waiting for you to hand the something just like this tied up in the N bomb.

Sent by raul | 12:37 PM | 7-18-2008

This is amazing! Is there a mental block or something? On a news set in a studio IS a professional forum. This wasn't a picnic, softball game at a park. They weren't having a beer at a bar or coffee at a cafe. EVERYONE, there was at WORK, in their professional capacity, so was JJ, are you serious?

JJ, should know that a mic is like a gun ALWAYS assume it's loaded, doesn't matter what he thought.

Yes, anyone can be impolite & crude AND if you go with that logic, then it is ok for people to go after JJ, impolitely & crudely as well, right? If you live in a glass house don't throw stones.

Also apparently Barack doesn't need JJ to boost his career and he has gotten where he is without JJ, so I don't know what you're talking about. JJ has never gotten elected by the people to dog catcher, so Barack has gotten further than JJ ever did. And if you think President of Harvard's law review is some small accomplishment then you're way off. Especially compared to JJ who latched on the coattails of MLK, and road the wave for 45yrs. There were plenty of community leaders who could have filled that role. That mainstream media is the same media that followed him around anointing him leader wasn't interested in the opinions or reactions of any of those other leaders. That mainstream media made JJ as much as the 'beat up on him', gave in a platform his entire career.

Fact of the matter is, JJ and all these people aren't out dissecting, attacking, McCain, it's all directed as some perceived (on their part) shortcomings of Barack.

I'm just vexed that you gloss over (or ignore) the fact that JJ in a professional setting said he wanted to castrate another Black man and referred to Blacks as 'n----s! David Duke, George Wallace couldn't have said it better!

Apparently according to you JJ is the 'brown prince' who should be treated with kid gloves. Bruh, his own SON came out to criticize him.

Sent by Jon J | 1:27 PM | 7-18-2008

I will be astonished if these comments are displayed because its almost impossibble to find this very plausible theory on the internet. Its more than likely that this is another installment of axelrods sista solda stategy. That is having prominent people alligned with that part of the civil rights era that remind America of the reality of rascism(anybody remember Katrina or Jenna)to make absurd over the top comments on air so the media can make a clear distinction between "old bitter black leaders of the past and the new post racial Obama. These supposed old bitter black men have spent there entire lives trying to empower black people of course they would be willing to sacrifice there name to people that dont like there message anyway. These are the people who pounce on every little human fraility to deny the good
Jesse Jackson ,Al Sharpton, and Rev Wright do to support their preconceived hostile perceptions, Wake up people dont be divided against those that can help us,this includes Hillary and Bill Clinton also. Its all staged,but you must see beyond the illusion to empower yourself.

t

Sent by Aaron Pollard | 10:27 PM | 7-18-2008

Jessie Jackson is nothing more than a street thug. Nothing this man does surprises me anymore. I am just waiting to see if he looses his position in the community. If he doesn't don't the white people have a reverse discrimination suit. Well, maybe he can just apologize to big Al and everything will be fine. I bet it just gets brushed off as usual.

Sent by Mark Waldron | 11:12 AM | 7-20-2008