SHOE THROWN: December 14, 2008 Is a day that I will also remember. We finished decorating our Christmas tree. We learn today that George W. Bush was making his fourth and final visit to Baghdad and had two size 10 shoes thrown at him as a sign of disapproval and contamination at a surprised news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. They were signing a peace security document.
Associated Press picture
and see the link;
http://baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/podcast-an-account-of-the-shoe-throwing-incident/?ref=middleeast
Apparently one of the journalist sitting in the middle of the room yelled out in Arabic, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog” and threw his shoes at Bush, barely missing his head. The same journalist yelled again, “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq,” after which he was strongly held by the Iraqi audience as the police were being summoned. Before the journalist could be apprehended Maliki shielded Bush’s face with his hand. One must understand in the Muslim culture to have a shoe thrown at you means that there is pollution in the general direction of the speaker and impurity. The journalist was eventually wrestled to the ground with several men pulling at his hair and clothing. According to Bloomberg.com the journalist was Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi- owned station based in Cairo, Egypt. Bush says that he didn’t feel threatened by the shoe thrower. He alluded to al-Zeidi’s actions as a political outburst that are found in America. But I don’t remember anyone ever throwing a shoe at a politician, do you?
As the video shows Bush continues to stand in the front of the podium and the American secret serviceman positions himself next to Bush. I wondered why wasn’t Bush swished away? How did they not know that there could have been other disgruntled individuals in the audience? Why Bush would ever think that now that he could sit down with Iraqi’s after all that has transpired is beyond me. He was there to tout the success of the surge in Iraq, which Bush says is providing Maliki the opportunity to put new policies in place with Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi as the two vice presidents and members of the Iraqi Presidential Council, to lower the deaths of Iraqi’s in the area even though the war in Iraq isn’t over.
Apparently soon after this, Bush was swished away to an eager and enthusiastic group of American soldiers. He referred to the surge as, “one of the greatest successes in the history of the United States military.” He continued, “Thanks to you,” he told the soldiers, “the Iraq we’re standing in today is dramatically freer, dramatically safer and dramatically better than the Iraq we found eight years ago.”
Remember last Thanksgiving Bush stating that he wanted to thank the troops himself, he was swished unannounced again to Iraq under other ruses to get him into Iraq and out before anyone had time to know it. However he referred to this year’s visit, according to the Reuter’s report, “calling the security agreements “a reminder of our friendship and as a way forward to help the Iraqis realize the blessings of a free society.” What kind of friendship would cause you to sneak in and out of a country if you are so beloved? Is this man a glutton for punishment or does he believe he really can go to Iraq and say that he is sorry for the anguish, pain, death and discord he has caused this country? I heard that Carl Rover, et. al are busy rewriting history to accommodate Bush’s legacy but this takes the cake. I’ve also heard of photo ops also, but to put himself in harms way knowing that the people in Iraq don’t like him; I believe is as outrageous as the shoe being thrown at him. Secret Service may use a metal detector to identify a knife, a gun, noonshuckers, spurs, etc. But who would ever think to prepare for a “flying round toed shoe”?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
I’m sure you have noticed the amazing decrease in the price of oil lately. Today you can find gas at almost anywhere in Southern California for $1.43 to $1.89 a gallon. When I filled up my “on fumes” car yesterday, at Valerio, which is usually less expensive than “American name brands”, the car only needed $18.00. I looked at the 7-11 attendant waiting for the other shoe to drop and the pump was correct. I can remember when I barely got ½ a tank and coasted in hilly areas to save gas.
According to 60 Minutes transcripts:
Saudi Aramco was originally an American company. It goes way back to the 1930s when two American geologists from Standard Oil of California discovered oil in the Saudi desert. Standard Oil formed a consortium with Texaco, Exxon and Mobil, which became Aramco. It wasn't until the 1980s that Saudi Arabia bought them out and nationalized the company. Today, Saudi Aramco is the custodian of the country's sole source of wealth and power.
Over 16,000 people work at the company's massive compound, which is like a little country with its own security force, schools, hospitals, and even its own airline. According to Abdallah Jum’ah, Saudi Aramco's president and CEO, Aramco is the world’s largest oil producing company. And it's the richest company in the world, worth, according to the latest estimate, $781 billion.
Last night, the Saudi sheik in responding to Leslie Stahl’s “60 Minutes” question on “what is the foreseeable cost of oil in six months” said that if Ali Al-Naimi, the oil minister of Saudi Arabia who ran Saudi Aramco for 11 years before it was nationalized. He said if he knew what the cost would be, he would be in Las Vegas placing his bet. The special entitled, “The Oil Kingdom” produced by Richard Bonin and Kathy Lui was alarmingly frank about the recent increase in petroleum finds in Saudi Arabia, also known as “the Kingdom”.
Stahl’s concern of course was that recently the price of oil had spiked to $147/barrel. We were paying almost $4.35 a gallon for regular in July through October, in November there is a sudden decrease. He responded that their fear was that oil in Saudi Arabia was believed to be at a premium. Saudi Arabia had peaked out with available oil in reserve. However a new gusher has come in that rivels anything that the Kingdom has ever seen before. There is an increase of 260,000 billion barrels in the kingdom and that 200,000 billion more with a second discovery.
One is located in Shaybah, which means "Empty Quarter." is estimated at 18 billion barrels, under very soft red sand dunes, which is four times more than the 100,000 million barrels that the United States has in Alaska. 750,000 miles deep of highly concentrated Arab extra lite crude. So in 2009 the new facility will be implemented.
Khurais is the second location, lead by Khalid Abdulqader, project leader. It is larger than Shaybah and is scheduled to be the next 2,000,000 barrels a day still more than the total reverses in the United States. It is believed that it will take over 50 years to deplete the usage at Khurais alone. To get an idea of the size, it is larger than Indonesia and Quitar produce put together. 84 million gallons of sea water will be injected into the ground to get the oil to rise.
Currently there are more than 26 contracts, 106 subcontrators, and thousands of employees involved in this excavation. The construction steel needed alone is approximately large enough to make two San Francisco Golden Gate bridges. Cost $60,000,000,000 in cash to build the production field. The area is 300 ft across, requiring over 400 miles of pipeline. When this oil area was discovered in 1968 the sand dunes were too high and the economics to get to it was financially exorbitant to reach. Then along came the newest technology using the increased improved horizontal drilling process now making the oil more accessible.
The price of oil is a concern. The Saudis not allowing anything to be “jammed down their throat”, have agreed with OPEC to cutting their production by 1.5 million barrels a day. Iran wanted them to cut it even more and double the costs to bank roll their countries survival. And with all of this, we are lead to believe that price of Oil is NOT supposed to be a political bargaining tool. It costs Saudi Arabia nearly $2/barrel of oil. They want the cost to sell up to $75/barrel. They need $55/barrel to cover the cost to run the country and this price is where 75% of where their income comes from. The Oil minister stated that in all honesty, the “price must be good for the investor, consumer and producer”.
He believes responsible leaders of the financial market used measures to stabilize the banks activities and he will use the same measures to stabilize the oil market. Using those tools available to him to move forward and keep the oil market bountiful are his business concerns.
The question by Leslie Stahl to the sheik is, “Do they want to keep America addicted to oil?”
I believe with the cold winter coming up in the middle and eastern sections of the United States that you have to know that their response is “an overwhelming yes”. They are responsible business men seeking a profit and the they have the money and technological skills to modernize many nations.
Jum'ah said that they have invested $400 million in an experimental car with a combustion engine that reduces CO-2 emissions, increases gas mileage, and makes driving “more green”. This green technology they believe will assist America, their largest oil client, in conserving fuel consumption and their dependence on oil. I believe one would only need to recognize the amount spent on the experimentation. Yes, maybe Al Gore can continue to educate us on the effects of CO-2 emissions and the weather changes and then maybe the Kingdom may decide to invest in car production also and give the Big Three automakers a lifeline.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Voter Fraud
MSNBC’s Keith Olberman announced tonight that some people have noticed the sudden absence of Acorn discussions by Palin and McCain on the campaign trail. Could it be that the newest arrest by the Ontario Police Department is causing some muting he exclaimed?
He had my attention. I guess it is one thing to snap someone making up fictitious names to increase their voter registration in the same pen at the same address, but for someone to take the campaign information from actual voters and slam them into the Republican party, so they can’t vote as an independent or a Democrat is another story.
Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says that there is a difference between voter registration fraud and Voter Fraud. “Voter registration fraud” involves imaginary voters; “Voter fraud” involves “real people”. Any fraud is wrong.
Like at our location, apparently many voters found themselves listed as Republicans. Apparently they had signed bogus petitions for requiring “parental permission” for underage children seeking abortions. From the information provided, these individuals were then re-registered as Republicans. When the voter arrived at the primary election polls, they were told that they couldn’t vote for the Democrat or for any other candidate but the Republican. It is amazing to me how one would assume that a person who signs a petition requiring underage children to get permission before they can have an abortion would not necessarily be a Democrat. Democrats to my knowledge don’t advocate having abortions, they advocate for the women to have the right to choose One of the provisions of the underage abortion petition was that if a child did become pregnant by her parent or other family member, that child doesn’t have any recourse or opportunity to redress the activities of the family member who impregnated her. Yes, if I had a daughter, I would want to know whether or not she was pregnant before she decided to have an abortion, but wouldn’t one pretty much know that something is wrong in the communication if the mother is not told by the daughter if such an event occurred? More than likely there would be other problems in the household and I don’t believe Republicans want us to start legislating conversations between parents and children. Do they? Augh, I know I can’t get a fully appreciated discussion here on the subject but it is interesting how the premise of this vote switching occurred, which is why I bring this up.
Anyway, in the primary election, Republicans restricted their voters so that they couldn’t vote for any other party. Is this not being restrictive? When voters noticed that they were unable to cast their vote for a Democratic candidate they’d approach and complain to us, the poll workers. Poll workers having little authority but to call their leads and suggest to the voter to either cast a “ballot” or write a complaint to the Voter Registration Office.
Apparently the scurrilous voter register operation has been ramped up in Southern California and by the time the claims are sorted out, the 2008 election will be over. Are the Republican knuckleheads banking on the voter not being too zealous and following through or asking questions during the voting process? I would assume so. I witnessed this at my poll location all day in the primary election and I did report this to our LA County Democratic Party. Our immediate supervisor knew and suggested to us to give each voter the preliminary voter form. We heard these complaints all day. The voters usually said “augh forget it” walking out and not casting any vote. Hence you chased after them to fill out the form. They responded, “I knew it, my vote doesn’t count anyway” again walking out very disgusted. You could suggest they call the 1 800 number, email LAVOTE.NET, or write a letter, which would be received after the voting; you could suggest they call their Congressman, Debra Bowen or the California Secretary of State. In some cases the voter would reluctantly just cast a Republican vote.
What they also don’t say is that McCain was involved in the Acorn voter registration drives too, before this information came out from the Republican party screamers. From what I understand that ACORN originated in “1970, as the Louisiana-based Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now” and is said to advocate for the poor. This election, some 13,000 ACORN workers have registered an unprecedented 1.3 million people”. All ACORN registrars aren’t as deviant as the few caught, the Republicans can also lift their accusations on perpetrators who registered non existent people, but I guess this is also to close to being decent to commend an organization for 1.3 million new registrants.
And it is election time, right? There are some rules against being decent to one another when you are from opposite parties! Is it me, or have you noticed that you hear almost nothing about the Libertarians, Greens or Peace and Freedom Parties?
He had my attention. I guess it is one thing to snap someone making up fictitious names to increase their voter registration in the same pen at the same address, but for someone to take the campaign information from actual voters and slam them into the Republican party, so they can’t vote as an independent or a Democrat is another story.
Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says that there is a difference between voter registration fraud and Voter Fraud. “Voter registration fraud” involves imaginary voters; “Voter fraud” involves “real people”. Any fraud is wrong.
Like at our location, apparently many voters found themselves listed as Republicans. Apparently they had signed bogus petitions for requiring “parental permission” for underage children seeking abortions. From the information provided, these individuals were then re-registered as Republicans. When the voter arrived at the primary election polls, they were told that they couldn’t vote for the Democrat or for any other candidate but the Republican. It is amazing to me how one would assume that a person who signs a petition requiring underage children to get permission before they can have an abortion would not necessarily be a Democrat. Democrats to my knowledge don’t advocate having abortions, they advocate for the women to have the right to choose One of the provisions of the underage abortion petition was that if a child did become pregnant by her parent or other family member, that child doesn’t have any recourse or opportunity to redress the activities of the family member who impregnated her. Yes, if I had a daughter, I would want to know whether or not she was pregnant before she decided to have an abortion, but wouldn’t one pretty much know that something is wrong in the communication if the mother is not told by the daughter if such an event occurred? More than likely there would be other problems in the household and I don’t believe Republicans want us to start legislating conversations between parents and children. Do they? Augh, I know I can’t get a fully appreciated discussion here on the subject but it is interesting how the premise of this vote switching occurred, which is why I bring this up.
Anyway, in the primary election, Republicans restricted their voters so that they couldn’t vote for any other party. Is this not being restrictive? When voters noticed that they were unable to cast their vote for a Democratic candidate they’d approach and complain to us, the poll workers. Poll workers having little authority but to call their leads and suggest to the voter to either cast a “ballot” or write a complaint to the Voter Registration Office.
Apparently the scurrilous voter register operation has been ramped up in Southern California and by the time the claims are sorted out, the 2008 election will be over. Are the Republican knuckleheads banking on the voter not being too zealous and following through or asking questions during the voting process? I would assume so. I witnessed this at my poll location all day in the primary election and I did report this to our LA County Democratic Party. Our immediate supervisor knew and suggested to us to give each voter the preliminary voter form. We heard these complaints all day. The voters usually said “augh forget it” walking out and not casting any vote. Hence you chased after them to fill out the form. They responded, “I knew it, my vote doesn’t count anyway” again walking out very disgusted. You could suggest they call the 1 800 number, email LAVOTE.NET, or write a letter, which would be received after the voting; you could suggest they call their Congressman, Debra Bowen or the California Secretary of State. In some cases the voter would reluctantly just cast a Republican vote.
What they also don’t say is that McCain was involved in the Acorn voter registration drives too, before this information came out from the Republican party screamers. From what I understand that ACORN originated in “1970, as the Louisiana-based Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now” and is said to advocate for the poor. This election, some 13,000 ACORN workers have registered an unprecedented 1.3 million people”. All ACORN registrars aren’t as deviant as the few caught, the Republicans can also lift their accusations on perpetrators who registered non existent people, but I guess this is also to close to being decent to commend an organization for 1.3 million new registrants.
And it is election time, right? There are some rules against being decent to one another when you are from opposite parties! Is it me, or have you noticed that you hear almost nothing about the Libertarians, Greens or Peace and Freedom Parties?
Responsibility in Reporting
There is a video that is being passed out (in the millions) and mailed out which maligns Obama with the Arabic and Muslim community.
The promoters chide that they paid a regular advertising fee and mailing fees to get them inserted. This is obviously part of the Republican October surprise. But it’s no surprise that there are so many innuendos and out-and-out lies being perpetrated to support their candidate of choice, John McCain. The papers should be more mindful of how they are being used to distribute this erroneous information. We understand the freedom of speech and the fact that elections are often very nasty, but who takes responsibility to that speech when one calls out “FIRE” in a crowd at a critical PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT!
We are hoping this doesn’t mean an organized swipe at OBAMA is to come. Even though we are pleased to hear the endorsement of General Colin Powell on Meet the Press this morning, along with General Wesley Clark and General James P. Hoar. We wonder whether or not this may also amplify the division between the two parties. The 2008 election cycle will end on November the 4th.
The division of the country can go into more conflict being that our financial situation has ignited foreign markets, communities falling apart due to job losses and foreclosed homes, and the ongoing war in Afghanistan and Iraq making us all more vulnerable. We hope the media takes on more extended responsibility and recognizes that we are out of balance.
The promoters chide that they paid a regular advertising fee and mailing fees to get them inserted. This is obviously part of the Republican October surprise. But it’s no surprise that there are so many innuendos and out-and-out lies being perpetrated to support their candidate of choice, John McCain. The papers should be more mindful of how they are being used to distribute this erroneous information. We understand the freedom of speech and the fact that elections are often very nasty, but who takes responsibility to that speech when one calls out “FIRE” in a crowd at a critical PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT!
We are hoping this doesn’t mean an organized swipe at OBAMA is to come. Even though we are pleased to hear the endorsement of General Colin Powell on Meet the Press this morning, along with General Wesley Clark and General James P. Hoar. We wonder whether or not this may also amplify the division between the two parties. The 2008 election cycle will end on November the 4th.
The division of the country can go into more conflict being that our financial situation has ignited foreign markets, communities falling apart due to job losses and foreclosed homes, and the ongoing war in Afghanistan and Iraq making us all more vulnerable. We hope the media takes on more extended responsibility and recognizes that we are out of balance.
Biden’s Message
I received a short notice by email from the Biden campaign; he calls it a “Reality Check” Biden reminds us that Gore was 20 points ahead of Bush in 2004 and it didn’t stop Bush from marching all over Gore’s “people win” in the end. Well these aren’t exactly the words he chose, but it does conjure up Greg Palast’s claim that Florida was planned and there is reason to believe that Ohio was preselected as one of the swing states last time. Lord knows what the outcome for the next state or states will be. McCain seems so desperate to me.
I mean, did you take the time to watch the final debate last night. I swear someone was orchestrating McCain in the ear. He came on the set like he was on fire and determined to break Obama’s spirit. He would have been so much better off just saying to the American people, this is what I am going to do for you with the economy being in the shape that it is in. He could have come up with some concrete scenarios, and not sound like a character out of the grumpy old men movie series. I heard one commentator saying he reminded him of “Mr. Wilson” in Dennis the Menace. Boy did I get a hardy laugh out of that one.
The Republicans are making this sound like it is the first time they have ever heard of individuals filling out federal or state forms in mass and in error. Didn’t the Democrats learn this from them? Didn’t sound to me that the culprits were that bright or they were even crafty in their endeavor. Where were their managers, Oh yeah, this is coming on the wings of mortgage brokers, and real estate lenders, and banks approving bogus loans where it is now affecting the entire global market? Yes, the voter registration office has to work a lot harder to assess the pattern, sounds like they can earn some over time to me, but shouldn’t they have determined this months ago? I remember in 2000 when the same thing was done in Nevada but it was the republicans caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and of course they feign they didn’t know the rules either. Doing this doesn’t make it right, but if I recall correctly the world is going into a massive recession and we are talking about 2,000 phantom voters who haven’t even voted!!
If all employers were required to treat voting days as paid holidays, maybe everyone would take the time to go to their local poll.
Many European countries do this, why can’t we? We get President’s day off, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and other commercial madness, why not “President and Vice President of the United States Day”??
Now can Obama take this on when he gets to the White House? Let’s revise the manner that we vote as a nation. President Jimmy Carter has been raising Cain for years now on the ridiculousness and partiality of it all. They said that international body of legal voting rights wouldn’t even approve of what we are doing in the United States, so we should change this procedure immediately so we are practicing the democracy we crave and rave about. I’m sure we have a few geniuses at Harvard and Stanford that can figure this out.
We can’t be complacent and assume because of what the polls are saying that this race is the “slam dunk of the month”. I remember the Bradley factor too. I don’t want to sound pessimistic either but let’s not forget history or it will surface again. Precautionary steps should be made to go back to every Obama supporter that told us that they were going to Vote for Barack and make sure those that had early ballots turned them in. Remind them that leaving them in the out box of their desks will NOT get it to the Registar’s office. We also need to check in the local community for those that may need rides to the polls. I’ll be working ours so I’ll know by noon who didn’t show up at our location. At lunch time, I’ll be making phone calls and nagging the heck out of folks that “promised”. Our local Democratic chapter is even asking ladies to make calls at various locations. Sometimes a little nag motivates folks and makes them feel loved! I don’t know about you but I don’t want to see another newspaper come out in three hours announcing to me that there is a discrepancy as to who has won the Presidency. I don’t think my heart can stand the excitement again three times in a row.
I believe that ACORN is a distraction; if the person’s handwriting is that evident, pull all of the applications. But isn’t it a matter of who pulls the lever that is the real determinant here, not who registered? Admonish the people who lied to get paid, and let’s move on. By the way, I don’t believe the guy filling out 73 forms to help the person get paid; could he really make up that many names? Someone had to have paid him under the table and besides, the number 73 doesn’t even ring true to me. And he said he didn’t know this was wrong, OK he got his 15 minutes of national radio and television. Give the rest of us a break!
I mean, did you take the time to watch the final debate last night. I swear someone was orchestrating McCain in the ear. He came on the set like he was on fire and determined to break Obama’s spirit. He would have been so much better off just saying to the American people, this is what I am going to do for you with the economy being in the shape that it is in. He could have come up with some concrete scenarios, and not sound like a character out of the grumpy old men movie series. I heard one commentator saying he reminded him of “Mr. Wilson” in Dennis the Menace. Boy did I get a hardy laugh out of that one.
The Republicans are making this sound like it is the first time they have ever heard of individuals filling out federal or state forms in mass and in error. Didn’t the Democrats learn this from them? Didn’t sound to me that the culprits were that bright or they were even crafty in their endeavor. Where were their managers, Oh yeah, this is coming on the wings of mortgage brokers, and real estate lenders, and banks approving bogus loans where it is now affecting the entire global market? Yes, the voter registration office has to work a lot harder to assess the pattern, sounds like they can earn some over time to me, but shouldn’t they have determined this months ago? I remember in 2000 when the same thing was done in Nevada but it was the republicans caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and of course they feign they didn’t know the rules either. Doing this doesn’t make it right, but if I recall correctly the world is going into a massive recession and we are talking about 2,000 phantom voters who haven’t even voted!!
If all employers were required to treat voting days as paid holidays, maybe everyone would take the time to go to their local poll.
Many European countries do this, why can’t we? We get President’s day off, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and other commercial madness, why not “President and Vice President of the United States Day”??
Now can Obama take this on when he gets to the White House? Let’s revise the manner that we vote as a nation. President Jimmy Carter has been raising Cain for years now on the ridiculousness and partiality of it all. They said that international body of legal voting rights wouldn’t even approve of what we are doing in the United States, so we should change this procedure immediately so we are practicing the democracy we crave and rave about. I’m sure we have a few geniuses at Harvard and Stanford that can figure this out.
We can’t be complacent and assume because of what the polls are saying that this race is the “slam dunk of the month”. I remember the Bradley factor too. I don’t want to sound pessimistic either but let’s not forget history or it will surface again. Precautionary steps should be made to go back to every Obama supporter that told us that they were going to Vote for Barack and make sure those that had early ballots turned them in. Remind them that leaving them in the out box of their desks will NOT get it to the Registar’s office. We also need to check in the local community for those that may need rides to the polls. I’ll be working ours so I’ll know by noon who didn’t show up at our location. At lunch time, I’ll be making phone calls and nagging the heck out of folks that “promised”. Our local Democratic chapter is even asking ladies to make calls at various locations. Sometimes a little nag motivates folks and makes them feel loved! I don’t know about you but I don’t want to see another newspaper come out in three hours announcing to me that there is a discrepancy as to who has won the Presidency. I don’t think my heart can stand the excitement again three times in a row.
I believe that ACORN is a distraction; if the person’s handwriting is that evident, pull all of the applications. But isn’t it a matter of who pulls the lever that is the real determinant here, not who registered? Admonish the people who lied to get paid, and let’s move on. By the way, I don’t believe the guy filling out 73 forms to help the person get paid; could he really make up that many names? Someone had to have paid him under the table and besides, the number 73 doesn’t even ring true to me. And he said he didn’t know this was wrong, OK he got his 15 minutes of national radio and television. Give the rest of us a break!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Don’t Be Fooled by their Lies
Don’t Be Fooled by their Lies
by Todd Hoover
With less than two months to go until the next election, I believe we are on the verge of some significant and very much needed change. After eight years of the Republican rule, our nation is left with one of the most costly wars in history, a complete meltdown of the housing industry, the collapse of several major financial institutions, massive layoffs and a serious economic downturn with no end in sight. With Obama ready to lead us all into a new era, we should see a strengthening of Democrats across the nation as people realize just how urgent change is needed.
As Democratic candidates across the country are getting ready to take charge, we need to not only pay close attention to the national race for president, but also the local political races. There are issues we currently face in California which have now become more critical than ever. We are presently facing a $15.2 billion budget deficit, which could easily mushroom to $22 billion if the prison healthcare receiver Clark Kelso manages to impose the additional $8 billion required to bring the deplorable condition of California’s prisons up to constitutional standards. To further exacerbate this catastrophe, the state legislature has been unable to pass a state budget and we are now more than two months past the deadline. Even though California State Controller John Chiang was able to prevent the absolute calamity that would have been caused if Governor Schwarzenegger had been successful in cutting the pay for all state employees to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour, we are still in the midst of a severe storm. With House Democrats, and to a certain extent, even Schwarzenegger himself, currently very close reaching a compromise on the budget, House Republicans are continuing to block progress at every step.
This is why it is so important that we start paying close attention to our local candidates. We have several noteworthy candidates that we should rally behind. Running against Cameron Smyth to represent the 38th Assembly District, Carole Lutness is a strong advocate of campaign finance reform, and unlike her adversary, is not tied to “big oil” money. Hoping to win representation for the 37th Assembly District is Ferial Masry, who brings a unique perspective to the local political arena with her experience on the international scene. Also, as a high school teacher, she places a high priority on the importance of education. Finally the candidate that I think we should really focus on is Hannah-Beth Jackson, candidate for the 19th Senatorial District. Jackson has a very strong background in the legislature. She has served six years on the State Assembly. During her term she has introduced and gotten signed into law over sixty pieces of legislation dealing with important reforms for education, public safety, consumer rights, health care and protection of the environment.
Jackson has been a resident of the 19th Senatorial District for over 30 years. She has been married to Superior Court Judge George Eskin for 27 years, has a daughter, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.
In recent months, her opposition, Tony Strickland ran a particularly vicious and misleading TV commercial, falsely implying that Jackson supports tax increases. This anti-Jackson ad has absolutely nothing to do with the truth. The ad features a cartoon of a house and a car and makes claims that Jackson has been relentlessly voting to increase taxes. The ad claims that Jackson has voted to increase the car tax, the gas tax and goes so far as to imply she is actually trying to eliminate Proposition 13. In response to this misleading campaign, Jackson sent Strickland a letter demanding he immediately pull the ad and apologize.
To best understand this misinformation, one needs to examine each part: the gasoline tax, the car tax and the alleged “weakening of Proposition 13.”
The first part of the commercial alleges Jackson is responsible for an increase in the gasoline tax. The bills listed in the ad were as follows: AB 16, AB 1058, AB 1706, AB 1707 and AB1740. The purpose of AB 16 is to guard against oil spills, something that is both damaging to the environment and can be very costly to clean up. This bill requires offshore oil producers to transport oil by pipeline rather than by barge. This bill does NOT involve a gas tax of any kind. AB1058 required the Air Resources Board to comply with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. Again, this bill would have no impact on the gas tax. AB1706 would have required the California Energy Commission to report back to the legislature on ways to lower gas prices. Jackson's vote against this bill was in no way a vote "to increase gas taxes." AB1707 was a bill to protect consumers from the release or sale of private financial information without prior approval. Jackson’s support of this bill again had absolutely nothing to do with gas taxes. AB1740 was simply the state budget for 2000-01. It did not raise gas taxes.
The commercial continues, alleging Jackson has somehow advocated raising the ‘car tax’. There is absolutely no validity to this whatsoever. The only thing cited was a vague reference to the “August 2003 Gray Davis Budget Vote.” This actually deals with the end of a temporary reduction in the vehicle license fee implemented by the State Department of Finance. This reduction was originally made in 1998, during a budget surplus, as a way of returning money back into the pockets of the taxpayers. When the state ran out of funds in 2003, the Department of Finance had no choice but to end this. Jackson did NOT "vote to increase the car tax."
The claim that Jackson “weakened” Proposition 13 is absolutely absurd. Her support of AB94 and AB822 were simply to provide an extension of an earlier court decision that certain jurisdictions could set a slightly higher tax rate to cover "indebtedness" incurred from pensions approved by voters before July 1, 1978. The impact of this extension was miniscule and in no way altered Proposition 13. Since Proposition 13 is part of the state constitution, changing it would require no less than a public election. The implication that Jackson's support of this in any way “weakened” Proposition 13 is ludicrous. Jackson's support of AB81 likewise has very little to do with Proposition 13. It simply dealt with whether property tax assessments on large electrical generation plants should be performed by local county assessors or the State Board of Equalization. It has no impact whatsoever on residential property owners. Perhaps instead of showing a family home, what the ad really should have shown was a big power plant with smoke billowing out of a couple large chimneys.
In a nutshell, what these bills deal with are the reduction of greenhouse gases, guarding against offshore oil spills, ensuring the proper handling of private financial information and guaranteeing retirees continue to receive their pensions.
To be certain, Hannah-Beth Jackson is not the only important candidate, but we most certainly need to give her our support. For us to succeed in taking back the government, we must elect good people at the local as well as the national level.
Todd Hoover, a resident of Castaic, maintains web pages for numerous local Democratic clubs and serves as a representative on the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee for the 37th Assembly District.
by Todd Hoover
With less than two months to go until the next election, I believe we are on the verge of some significant and very much needed change. After eight years of the Republican rule, our nation is left with one of the most costly wars in history, a complete meltdown of the housing industry, the collapse of several major financial institutions, massive layoffs and a serious economic downturn with no end in sight. With Obama ready to lead us all into a new era, we should see a strengthening of Democrats across the nation as people realize just how urgent change is needed.
As Democratic candidates across the country are getting ready to take charge, we need to not only pay close attention to the national race for president, but also the local political races. There are issues we currently face in California which have now become more critical than ever. We are presently facing a $15.2 billion budget deficit, which could easily mushroom to $22 billion if the prison healthcare receiver Clark Kelso manages to impose the additional $8 billion required to bring the deplorable condition of California’s prisons up to constitutional standards. To further exacerbate this catastrophe, the state legislature has been unable to pass a state budget and we are now more than two months past the deadline. Even though California State Controller John Chiang was able to prevent the absolute calamity that would have been caused if Governor Schwarzenegger had been successful in cutting the pay for all state employees to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour, we are still in the midst of a severe storm. With House Democrats, and to a certain extent, even Schwarzenegger himself, currently very close reaching a compromise on the budget, House Republicans are continuing to block progress at every step.
This is why it is so important that we start paying close attention to our local candidates. We have several noteworthy candidates that we should rally behind. Running against Cameron Smyth to represent the 38th Assembly District, Carole Lutness is a strong advocate of campaign finance reform, and unlike her adversary, is not tied to “big oil” money. Hoping to win representation for the 37th Assembly District is Ferial Masry, who brings a unique perspective to the local political arena with her experience on the international scene. Also, as a high school teacher, she places a high priority on the importance of education. Finally the candidate that I think we should really focus on is Hannah-Beth Jackson, candidate for the 19th Senatorial District. Jackson has a very strong background in the legislature. She has served six years on the State Assembly. During her term she has introduced and gotten signed into law over sixty pieces of legislation dealing with important reforms for education, public safety, consumer rights, health care and protection of the environment.
Jackson has been a resident of the 19th Senatorial District for over 30 years. She has been married to Superior Court Judge George Eskin for 27 years, has a daughter, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.
In recent months, her opposition, Tony Strickland ran a particularly vicious and misleading TV commercial, falsely implying that Jackson supports tax increases. This anti-Jackson ad has absolutely nothing to do with the truth. The ad features a cartoon of a house and a car and makes claims that Jackson has been relentlessly voting to increase taxes. The ad claims that Jackson has voted to increase the car tax, the gas tax and goes so far as to imply she is actually trying to eliminate Proposition 13. In response to this misleading campaign, Jackson sent Strickland a letter demanding he immediately pull the ad and apologize.
To best understand this misinformation, one needs to examine each part: the gasoline tax, the car tax and the alleged “weakening of Proposition 13.”
The first part of the commercial alleges Jackson is responsible for an increase in the gasoline tax. The bills listed in the ad were as follows: AB 16, AB 1058, AB 1706, AB 1707 and AB1740. The purpose of AB 16 is to guard against oil spills, something that is both damaging to the environment and can be very costly to clean up. This bill requires offshore oil producers to transport oil by pipeline rather than by barge. This bill does NOT involve a gas tax of any kind. AB1058 required the Air Resources Board to comply with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. Again, this bill would have no impact on the gas tax. AB1706 would have required the California Energy Commission to report back to the legislature on ways to lower gas prices. Jackson's vote against this bill was in no way a vote "to increase gas taxes." AB1707 was a bill to protect consumers from the release or sale of private financial information without prior approval. Jackson’s support of this bill again had absolutely nothing to do with gas taxes. AB1740 was simply the state budget for 2000-01. It did not raise gas taxes.
The commercial continues, alleging Jackson has somehow advocated raising the ‘car tax’. There is absolutely no validity to this whatsoever. The only thing cited was a vague reference to the “August 2003 Gray Davis Budget Vote.” This actually deals with the end of a temporary reduction in the vehicle license fee implemented by the State Department of Finance. This reduction was originally made in 1998, during a budget surplus, as a way of returning money back into the pockets of the taxpayers. When the state ran out of funds in 2003, the Department of Finance had no choice but to end this. Jackson did NOT "vote to increase the car tax."
The claim that Jackson “weakened” Proposition 13 is absolutely absurd. Her support of AB94 and AB822 were simply to provide an extension of an earlier court decision that certain jurisdictions could set a slightly higher tax rate to cover "indebtedness" incurred from pensions approved by voters before July 1, 1978. The impact of this extension was miniscule and in no way altered Proposition 13. Since Proposition 13 is part of the state constitution, changing it would require no less than a public election. The implication that Jackson's support of this in any way “weakened” Proposition 13 is ludicrous. Jackson's support of AB81 likewise has very little to do with Proposition 13. It simply dealt with whether property tax assessments on large electrical generation plants should be performed by local county assessors or the State Board of Equalization. It has no impact whatsoever on residential property owners. Perhaps instead of showing a family home, what the ad really should have shown was a big power plant with smoke billowing out of a couple large chimneys.
In a nutshell, what these bills deal with are the reduction of greenhouse gases, guarding against offshore oil spills, ensuring the proper handling of private financial information and guaranteeing retirees continue to receive their pensions.
To be certain, Hannah-Beth Jackson is not the only important candidate, but we most certainly need to give her our support. For us to succeed in taking back the government, we must elect good people at the local as well as the national level.
Todd Hoover, a resident of Castaic, maintains web pages for numerous local Democratic clubs and serves as a representative on the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee for the 37th Assembly District.
Monday, July 28, 2008
ARE THEY PILING ON?
Are we actually watching ‘Hate’ get played out in the media, add any adjective before it, “black hate”with Jesse Jackson and “white hate” with Reverand Wright, “green hate” enviousness with Geraldine Ferrraro, “intelligence hate” with Rush Limbaugh, Carl Rove and John Hannity. Open your eyes; there is a lot of hating going on people. And they call it politics as usual, the usual that Obama is asking everyone to stop. . .
Sitting in a FOX STUDIO (yes of all places to be in) with a live mic on, Jesse Jackson was allegedly recorded as "See, Barack's been talking down to black people ... I want to cut his nuts off."
Again, due to advanced technology we are allowed to see what is really going on behind closed doors. Was this an “OMG” conversation caught on tape. Yeah, it gave Jesse 15 minutes of attention but what does this tell us. Jesse needs attention this bad? Jesse doesn’t believe is passing the torch after 1984 and 1988 bids for the presidential office. Shouldn’t he be passing on the wisdom of his experience to rally with Obama?
I have watched for years the cannibalizing of the young while a graduate student at CSUC. What I couldn’t understand is where are the young supposed to go after they have been selectively nibbled and chomped on? The beauty of Obama has been his ability to awaken these nibbled and chomped on youth to listen, to come out, to register, to vote, to participate, to believe and to energize enthusiastically others to the polling places. The young who have been told time and time again, “watch me” as an euphemism for get out of my way”, or “sit still” for “you are moving too fast for my ability to comprehend and shut you down”, to “you are not ready yet” and meantime “I’m going to steal and take credit for all your ideas because I have run out a long time ago” BUT never taking the time to teach the young the skills they lack, providing the direction and facilitating the guidance to spark alternative approaches to help them get there.
Yes, there will always be those youngsters that misinterpret their teacher’s motivation. But I’m telling you first hand, that Jesse, Tavis, Al, and Cornell need to comprehend that there is a new political movement of assertive, convincing, intelligent, polished, savvy, sharp, spiritual and compassionate young people coming into their own and they aren’t going to be guilted, intimidated and kowtowed by the last generation that “didn’t get it done”. I watched the last generation boast and brag in the few luxuries that were available due to the second call of affirmative action. And for reasons I’m not sure of, they didn’t teach their children what we economically, politically, socially and spiritually moved through to come forward in the 21st Century.
This was a cruel mistake to our young because they have not only become economically bitter when they don’t get “stuff” when they want it, but a harsh realty befalls them that “the world doesn’t owe them” and they must prepare, groom and be ready for opportunity which will often require the assistance of a gatekeeper. When the young degrade their parents, their parents’ friends are often open jawed. I’ve watched this with the children of my own sister, brother and cousins who in their border-line workaholism provided all the materialistic objects they believed they were deprived of. I have seen the effects of not delaying gratification, not appreciating and what happens when they don’t respect their elders. However I don’t believe it makes them experts, but I do believe the experiences that now comfort those of us privy to their shoulders should not go unnoticed. I believe there is this known quantum called “kiss my ring” and pay me homage if you want my support. Yes, I have noticed that Jesse and Sharpton haven’t been out strongly supporting Obama as I would have wished, but maybe Obama knows that African American politics are larger than the two of them. Obama knows that though he is a democrat this world doesn’t run on highlighting only the African American community but a community of disenfranchised, ignored and repelled individuals who too have had generational absence at the polls. I have wondered why it has taken that generation so long to pick up the mantel Martin Luther King, Jr. left where he saw the global picture and saw how collaboration of like minds works better than guilting the masses for the irresponsibilities of those men who haven’t taken on responsibility for their actions, creating another generation of ill equipped, spiritually broken and economically wraught black children.
"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," Jackson said in a statement issued to CNN. "My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment."
"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility," Jackson also said.
"That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms."
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get right back to another story we're following. Breaking news, the Reverend Jesse Jackson saying some very, very disparaging words about Senator Barack Obama, even though he supports him for president of the United States. CNN's Don Lemon has been working this story, together with a lot of us. First of all, Don, I know you're watching this story. Senator -- Reverend Jackson is about to join us on the phone. But just remind us, before you start talking to Reverend Jackson, what exactly he said on an open mic that's causing so much distress right now.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Well what he said to me earlier, and we're going to talk to him in just a little bit, we just got him on the phone, Wolf. The crude and hurtful comments he would much rather have made to the senator in private. He did not know the microphone was open. He said it was a hot mike, didn't realize it.
And what he said was that he wanted to -- he thinks that the lectures that Barack Obama has been giving lately to black churches and to black people, he thinks it needs to be a broader context. It's much broader than what the senator is saying.
But what is much better is probably that we get the words from the Reverend Jesse Jackson right now. Reverend Jesse Jackson is joining us from Chicago. Thank you very much, sir.
VOICE OF REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: Well, Don, how are you?
LEMON: I'm doing well. How are you is the question -- but first, I want to ask what you said, and why did you say it?
JACKSON: Well, you know, let me say first, this is a sound bite within a broader conversation about urban policy and racial disparities. And I -- feel very distressed because I'm supportive of this campaign and with what the senator has done and is doing.
I was in a conversation with a fellow guest at Fox on Sunday. He asked about Barack's speeches lately at the black churches. I said he can come off as speaking down to black people. The moral message must be a much broader message. What we need really is racial justice and urban policy and jobs and healthcare. There is a range of issues on the menu.
And frankly, I think that is his basic urban policy position. No one else has put one together except him in the situation.
And then I said something I felt regret for -- it was crude. It was very private, and very much a sound bite -- and a live mic. And so I feel -- I find no comfort in it, I find no joy in it. So I immediately called the senator's campaign to send my statement of apology to repair the harm or hurt that this may have caused his campaign, because I support it unequivocally.
LEMON: OK, Reverend.
And Barack Obama's campaign, of course, is saying that they don't have a comment now. And you know how quickly this spreads. We got -- I got the word through another source and then called you. And Wolf Blitzer also tried to get you on the phone.
And Wolf has some questions for you as well -- Wolf?
BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, why did you say these things? Because it's so crude, we can't even repeat it on the air right now, what you said on this open mike.
What was going through your mind?
JACKSON: Well, when I was asked about it, there was already some kind of (INAUDIBLE) reaction. The appeal in black America is record levels of unemployment, home foreclosure crisis, records of murders, and all kind of reprehensible actions for black America. A million blacks are in jail even as we talk today and 900,000 young black men. So we have some real serious issues, and not just moral issues --
BLITZER: Well then let me interrupt, Reverend Jackson.
JACKSON: -- Structural inequality.
BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, are you suggesting that Senator Obama isn't concerned about these issues? Is that what you are saying?
JACKSON: Not -- by any means (ph). He has dealt with it more effectively than anyone else has. Each time he gives one of these messages at a black church, it appears to be targeted and the media takes it and runs with it as a solution to a structural crisis -- you know -- his moral behavior.
To me it's like putting a size 10 foot in a size eight shoe. You need some structure, not just some challenges on -- which he understands so well, and that's why I regret so much this statement, which could be exploited or could be used to exploit our relationship and the campaign.
LEMON: Reverend -- and I want to jump in here and ask you this question because there has been some talk in the media, and also on the blogs, about the Reverend -- about Barack Obama playing to the middle, and not necessarily addressing issues that are important to the black community as sternly and as matter-of-factly as he should. And in some way, and I don't know if this is your opinion, that he may be shying away from this because he's concerned that it might hurt him in his run for the presidency.
JACKSON: The basic issues he raises about an urban policy and jobs, no one else has addressed, has broad application. The crisis we've faced today, besides, you know, behaving better and doing the right thing, is jobs and investors leaving and drugs and guns are coming. The murder rate is up, taxes up, services down, first class jail, second class schools.
That requires some real heavy lifting that has to take place. When you are speaking to a black church, or to labor hall, or to a university, I'm appealing really for a much broader discussion. And I would say again, probably because of regard for him and the campaign, and I would hate it to be lifted out of context really on a live mike statement.
BLITZER: And -- Reverend Jackson, we're out of time, but a very quick -- if you could right now, speak directly to Senator Obama from your heart, what would you say to him?
JACKSON: That any hurt or harm I caused his campaign, I apologize, because I have such high regard for him. And this redemptive moment. I'm a part of it. And I cherish his role -- the role he's played in making the nation better and making the world rejoice.
BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, thank you for joining us for a few moments. We'll continue to watch this story.
Don Lemon, thanks to you as well.
This is a story that clearly is going to cause some controversy out there.
LEMON: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you.
But I have also said, “does Obama require Sharpton and Jess to welcome him to the party or is Obama attending a soiree that Sharpton and Jesse only wish they could attend?
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., D-Ill. just released the following statement as a reaction to the crude and disparaging remarks his father -- the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
Says Jackson JUNIOR in a statement: "I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson's reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee -- and I believe the next president of the United States -- contradict his inspiring and courageous career. Instead of tearing others down, Barack Obama wants to build the country up and bring people together so that we can move forward, together -- as one nation. The remarks like those uttered on Fox by Revered Jackson do not advance the campaign's cause of building a more perfect Union."
Concludes Rep. Jackson, Jr.: "Revered Jackson is my dad and I'll always love him. He should know how hard that I've worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself." The Obama campaign issued a statement late Wednesday, accepting the apology but continuing the underlying message. "As someone who grew up without a father in the home, Senator Obama has spoken and written for many years about the issue of parental responsibility, including the importance of fathers participating in their children's lives. He also discusses our responsibility as a society to provide jobs, justice, and opportunity for all. He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology," said spokesman Bill Burton.
Minerva Williams
Sitting in a FOX STUDIO (yes of all places to be in) with a live mic on, Jesse Jackson was allegedly recorded as "See, Barack's been talking down to black people ... I want to cut his nuts off."
Again, due to advanced technology we are allowed to see what is really going on behind closed doors. Was this an “OMG” conversation caught on tape. Yeah, it gave Jesse 15 minutes of attention but what does this tell us. Jesse needs attention this bad? Jesse doesn’t believe is passing the torch after 1984 and 1988 bids for the presidential office. Shouldn’t he be passing on the wisdom of his experience to rally with Obama?
I have watched for years the cannibalizing of the young while a graduate student at CSUC. What I couldn’t understand is where are the young supposed to go after they have been selectively nibbled and chomped on? The beauty of Obama has been his ability to awaken these nibbled and chomped on youth to listen, to come out, to register, to vote, to participate, to believe and to energize enthusiastically others to the polling places. The young who have been told time and time again, “watch me” as an euphemism for get out of my way”, or “sit still” for “you are moving too fast for my ability to comprehend and shut you down”, to “you are not ready yet” and meantime “I’m going to steal and take credit for all your ideas because I have run out a long time ago” BUT never taking the time to teach the young the skills they lack, providing the direction and facilitating the guidance to spark alternative approaches to help them get there.
Yes, there will always be those youngsters that misinterpret their teacher’s motivation. But I’m telling you first hand, that Jesse, Tavis, Al, and Cornell need to comprehend that there is a new political movement of assertive, convincing, intelligent, polished, savvy, sharp, spiritual and compassionate young people coming into their own and they aren’t going to be guilted, intimidated and kowtowed by the last generation that “didn’t get it done”. I watched the last generation boast and brag in the few luxuries that were available due to the second call of affirmative action. And for reasons I’m not sure of, they didn’t teach their children what we economically, politically, socially and spiritually moved through to come forward in the 21st Century.
This was a cruel mistake to our young because they have not only become economically bitter when they don’t get “stuff” when they want it, but a harsh realty befalls them that “the world doesn’t owe them” and they must prepare, groom and be ready for opportunity which will often require the assistance of a gatekeeper. When the young degrade their parents, their parents’ friends are often open jawed. I’ve watched this with the children of my own sister, brother and cousins who in their border-line workaholism provided all the materialistic objects they believed they were deprived of. I have seen the effects of not delaying gratification, not appreciating and what happens when they don’t respect their elders. However I don’t believe it makes them experts, but I do believe the experiences that now comfort those of us privy to their shoulders should not go unnoticed. I believe there is this known quantum called “kiss my ring” and pay me homage if you want my support. Yes, I have noticed that Jesse and Sharpton haven’t been out strongly supporting Obama as I would have wished, but maybe Obama knows that African American politics are larger than the two of them. Obama knows that though he is a democrat this world doesn’t run on highlighting only the African American community but a community of disenfranchised, ignored and repelled individuals who too have had generational absence at the polls. I have wondered why it has taken that generation so long to pick up the mantel Martin Luther King, Jr. left where he saw the global picture and saw how collaboration of like minds works better than guilting the masses for the irresponsibilities of those men who haven’t taken on responsibility for their actions, creating another generation of ill equipped, spiritually broken and economically wraught black children.
"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," Jackson said in a statement issued to CNN. "My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment."
"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility," Jackson also said.
"That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms."
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get right back to another story we're following. Breaking news, the Reverend Jesse Jackson saying some very, very disparaging words about Senator Barack Obama, even though he supports him for president of the United States. CNN's Don Lemon has been working this story, together with a lot of us. First of all, Don, I know you're watching this story. Senator -- Reverend Jackson is about to join us on the phone. But just remind us, before you start talking to Reverend Jackson, what exactly he said on an open mic that's causing so much distress right now.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Well what he said to me earlier, and we're going to talk to him in just a little bit, we just got him on the phone, Wolf. The crude and hurtful comments he would much rather have made to the senator in private. He did not know the microphone was open. He said it was a hot mike, didn't realize it.
And what he said was that he wanted to -- he thinks that the lectures that Barack Obama has been giving lately to black churches and to black people, he thinks it needs to be a broader context. It's much broader than what the senator is saying.
But what is much better is probably that we get the words from the Reverend Jesse Jackson right now. Reverend Jesse Jackson is joining us from Chicago. Thank you very much, sir.
VOICE OF REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: Well, Don, how are you?
LEMON: I'm doing well. How are you is the question -- but first, I want to ask what you said, and why did you say it?
JACKSON: Well, you know, let me say first, this is a sound bite within a broader conversation about urban policy and racial disparities. And I -- feel very distressed because I'm supportive of this campaign and with what the senator has done and is doing.
I was in a conversation with a fellow guest at Fox on Sunday. He asked about Barack's speeches lately at the black churches. I said he can come off as speaking down to black people. The moral message must be a much broader message. What we need really is racial justice and urban policy and jobs and healthcare. There is a range of issues on the menu.
And frankly, I think that is his basic urban policy position. No one else has put one together except him in the situation.
And then I said something I felt regret for -- it was crude. It was very private, and very much a sound bite -- and a live mic. And so I feel -- I find no comfort in it, I find no joy in it. So I immediately called the senator's campaign to send my statement of apology to repair the harm or hurt that this may have caused his campaign, because I support it unequivocally.
LEMON: OK, Reverend.
And Barack Obama's campaign, of course, is saying that they don't have a comment now. And you know how quickly this spreads. We got -- I got the word through another source and then called you. And Wolf Blitzer also tried to get you on the phone.
And Wolf has some questions for you as well -- Wolf?
BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, why did you say these things? Because it's so crude, we can't even repeat it on the air right now, what you said on this open mike.
What was going through your mind?
JACKSON: Well, when I was asked about it, there was already some kind of (INAUDIBLE) reaction. The appeal in black America is record levels of unemployment, home foreclosure crisis, records of murders, and all kind of reprehensible actions for black America. A million blacks are in jail even as we talk today and 900,000 young black men. So we have some real serious issues, and not just moral issues --
BLITZER: Well then let me interrupt, Reverend Jackson.
JACKSON: -- Structural inequality.
BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, are you suggesting that Senator Obama isn't concerned about these issues? Is that what you are saying?
JACKSON: Not -- by any means (ph). He has dealt with it more effectively than anyone else has. Each time he gives one of these messages at a black church, it appears to be targeted and the media takes it and runs with it as a solution to a structural crisis -- you know -- his moral behavior.
To me it's like putting a size 10 foot in a size eight shoe. You need some structure, not just some challenges on -- which he understands so well, and that's why I regret so much this statement, which could be exploited or could be used to exploit our relationship and the campaign.
LEMON: Reverend -- and I want to jump in here and ask you this question because there has been some talk in the media, and also on the blogs, about the Reverend -- about Barack Obama playing to the middle, and not necessarily addressing issues that are important to the black community as sternly and as matter-of-factly as he should. And in some way, and I don't know if this is your opinion, that he may be shying away from this because he's concerned that it might hurt him in his run for the presidency.
JACKSON: The basic issues he raises about an urban policy and jobs, no one else has addressed, has broad application. The crisis we've faced today, besides, you know, behaving better and doing the right thing, is jobs and investors leaving and drugs and guns are coming. The murder rate is up, taxes up, services down, first class jail, second class schools.
That requires some real heavy lifting that has to take place. When you are speaking to a black church, or to labor hall, or to a university, I'm appealing really for a much broader discussion. And I would say again, probably because of regard for him and the campaign, and I would hate it to be lifted out of context really on a live mike statement.
BLITZER: And -- Reverend Jackson, we're out of time, but a very quick -- if you could right now, speak directly to Senator Obama from your heart, what would you say to him?
JACKSON: That any hurt or harm I caused his campaign, I apologize, because I have such high regard for him. And this redemptive moment. I'm a part of it. And I cherish his role -- the role he's played in making the nation better and making the world rejoice.
BLITZER: Reverend Jackson, thank you for joining us for a few moments. We'll continue to watch this story.
Don Lemon, thanks to you as well.
This is a story that clearly is going to cause some controversy out there.
LEMON: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you.
But I have also said, “does Obama require Sharpton and Jess to welcome him to the party or is Obama attending a soiree that Sharpton and Jesse only wish they could attend?
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., D-Ill. just released the following statement as a reaction to the crude and disparaging remarks his father -- the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
Says Jackson JUNIOR in a statement: "I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson's reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee -- and I believe the next president of the United States -- contradict his inspiring and courageous career. Instead of tearing others down, Barack Obama wants to build the country up and bring people together so that we can move forward, together -- as one nation. The remarks like those uttered on Fox by Revered Jackson do not advance the campaign's cause of building a more perfect Union."
Concludes Rep. Jackson, Jr.: "Revered Jackson is my dad and I'll always love him. He should know how hard that I've worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself." The Obama campaign issued a statement late Wednesday, accepting the apology but continuing the underlying message. "As someone who grew up without a father in the home, Senator Obama has spoken and written for many years about the issue of parental responsibility, including the importance of fathers participating in their children's lives. He also discusses our responsibility as a society to provide jobs, justice, and opportunity for all. He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology," said spokesman Bill Burton.
Minerva Williams
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