This just in -- Jesse Jackson wants to "cut (Barack Obama's) nuts out."
The Rev. Jackson apparently made the comment while waiting to give a television interview. It appears to be a classic case of the old "Hey-that-mic's-not-actually-on-is-it?" blues. Jackson went on to say that Obama was "talking down to black folks."
Quite frankly, Jesse, Barack Obama is an equal opportunity condescender. He'll talk down to anyone regardless of their race, creed, gender, or orientation. When it comes to snobbery, Obama epitomizes the American ideal of equality for all.
Quite a few people are apparently "shocked" by Jackson's comments though I'm not sure why. One of the great unreported stories of this election cycle is the fact that the first African-American to win a major party's presidential nomination was, in the beginning, largely snubbed by the African-American political community. Even the handful that openly endorsed him over Hillary Clinton seemed to do so with a notable lack of enthusiasm. The black elder statesmen of the Democratic Party didn't truly start to rally around Obama until 1) Obama shocked everyone by winning the Iowa caucuses and 2) Bill Clinton essentially insulted every black Democratic by voter by repeatedly saying that Obama, more or less, was just the token black candidate and therefore, shouldn't be taken seriously as a potential nominee regardless of how many primaries he won.
It's reasonable to assume that the Rev. Jackson probably feels a bit of jealousy towards Obama. Until Obama came along, Jackson was the most successful African-American presidential candidate in the country's history. Until Obama came along, Jackson could rightfully claim to have been the only black man to have made a truly serious run for a major party's presidential nomination. And, quite frankly, even once people started to take Jackson seriously in 1988, it was still pretty much a given that he would never actually win the nomination. Indeed, Jackson himself claimed that his '88 campaign entitled him to the vice-presidential nomination (which, we might add, ended up going to an old white guy from the south who spent the early part of his political career opposing integration).
Now, in 2008, Barack Obama comes along and not only does Obama win more primaries than Jesse Jackson ever did, Obama actually wins the presidential nomination.
No wonder Jackson wants to castrate him!
So, no, Jackson's comments should not be considered surprising. Jackson has, of course, apologized and his own son has condemned the remarks. One will probably not hear much more about Jackson's comments though Lord knows that if Pat Robertson or James Dobson (or, for that matter, Ron Paul) had been caught saying they wanted to turn a presidential nominee into a eunuch, the story would probably lead every newscast from today until December.
Still, Obama should consider Jackson's words. Voters do not appreciate it when their leaders talk down to them. For proof, go and visit the ruins of the presidential campaigns of Al Gore, John Kerry, Howard Dean, and Hillary Clinton. Say what you will about Bill Clinton (and I've said a lot myself), he knew how to create the impression that he was just a regular, overweight guy who liked to eat at McDonald's and get blowjobs from mentally unstable interns.
Really the only surprising thing about the Rev. Jackson's comments is that Jackson -- who is so regularly portrayed as one of the most eloquent speakers in the history of this country -- couldn't come up with a better way to describe what he wants to do to Barack Obama.
He could have at least made it rhyme.
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