jesse jackson & the state of american politics

[Hannah Bell]

By Bill Van Auken
12 July 2008

For the last two days, the US public has been subjected once again to the degrading spectacle of a political figure issuing seemingly unending apologies for a supposed gaffe deemed outside the realm of acceptable discourse. This time it is Jesse Jackson...

The broadcast of the remark, which was not intended for public consumption, could have been dealt with quite easily by Jackson....Instead, Jackson conducted a press conference...to engage in ritualistic self-flagellation...Meanwhile Jackson’s son...a co-chair of the Obama campaign, got in on the act, rebuking his own father in decidedly harsh language.

Criticism and self criticism, ritualistic confessions, vows of fealty to the leader and repudiation of a father by his son; the political atmosphere in the US increasingly resembles the worst features of a Stalinist-style police state.

Nor is Jackson’s predicament unique. Obama found himself in a similar position last spring...

This peculiar form of political discourse emerges from a deeply socially stratified and ideologically brittle system within the framework of whose two-party set-up it has become virtually impossible to discuss any fundamental question...

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jul2008/jack-j12.shtml

[NattPang]

1. Odd. It doesn't happen to everyone. Just they ones the media decide on.

John McCain's terrible Week is listed below.

They tried to give Obama a bad week with the Jackson comments.
The media always seeks to covers for and to "equalize" McCain's madness with some
"perceived" or imagined Obama gaffe. It is easy to see through
the media's ways, especially CNN commentators.

The list is not even complete.
as it doesn't mention Cindy McCain's
$750,000 per month expenditures,
or Sen. McCain's changing story
on which team players he named while in Vietnam.

It is just too much. They continue to shield Americans
from the truth about John McCain, who is truly out to lunch.

* McCain adviser Phil Gramm remark: Americans who worry about the economy are "whiners" and there's no problem with the economy, just a "mental recession." McCain response: Gramm doesn't speak for me. But, um, that day Gramm was speaking for McCain, explaining McCain's economic policies to the Wall Street Journal editorial board.

* Called the fundamental funding mechanism of Social Security a "disgrace," essentially attacking the whole program.

* Released list of 300 economists who supposedly support his economic plan. Guess what? Not all of them do.

* Became visibly uncomfortable when asked whether health plans that cover Viagara should also cover birth control for women (after McCain surrogate/adviser Carly Fiorina raised this issue).

* Joked about killing Iranians with cigarette imports.

* Attacked Obama for not voting for a bill designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group. Whoops--McCain didn't vote for the bill, either.

* His campaign accused Obama of flip-flopping on Iraq. Politifact.com said that's not true.

* Denied ever saying he's not an expert on the economy. Well, he said it. Memory problems?

* McCain wants to stay in Iraq for as long as it takes and routinely blasts Obama as a defeatist for proposing a timetable for withdrawal. Yet Iraqi leaders said they now want to set up a timetable. There goes that issue.

* Campaign accused of screening reporters allowed to ask questions on its conference calls for the media, and did not declare, we do not screen.

* Claimed to have a perfect voting record on veterans affairs. Veterans groups disagree. (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave him a grade of D.)

* Pledged to cut the deficit by end of his first term. Prominent experts said not possible.

* McCain campaign ad charged that Obama voted to raise taxes on people making as little as $32,000 a year. Factcheck.org said this is false.

* Pro-McCain RNC ad said Obama has no new energy solutions. But Obama proposes $150 billion in new tax credits for alternative energy.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/07/8973_john_mccain_bad_week.html

[Hannah Bell]

2. sure, it's stage-managed. that's pretty obvious.

but why does "our team" go along with it?

i was struck by the comparison with similar ritual confession in the ussr...

[ikojo]

3. I think Jesse Jackson's comments help Obama

It helps to distance Barack Obama from Jesse Jackson's divisive politics.

Jesse Jackson meant to say what he said. He's sorry only because it was recorded and put out in the media. Jesse needs to go to his mansion wherever it may be and lay low until the election is over.

[old mark]

4. Jesse is mad because Obama doesen't speak "Ebonics".

[BearSquirrel2]

8. Jesse doesn't speak ebonics ...

Jesse Jackson doesn't speak ebonics. He has a particular, and very articulate accent. What he says with that accent ... well that's something different.

It's an old model about talking strictly about oppression as opposed to self empowerment.

[BearSquirrel2]

5. Jackson's mantra ...

Jackson's mantra seems to be ...

"Ask not what African Americans can do for themselves, ask what white people can do for African Americans".

When he was defending gang bangers from suspension, I lost all respect for him. He's a political dead end for race relations in this country. Obama on the other hand, is a great role model for young black kids. The fact that he's telling him to "do the right thing" IS great.

[Hannah Bell]

7. yes, because no one's tried THAT message before.

"Telling" is very effective.

[undeterred]

6. To WSWS, everything looks like a Stalinist style police state

including children's birthday parties.