Jesse Jackson used to be considered a great man and a great civil rights leader. He was considered MLK's protégé, he was the first African-American candidate to run a credible campaign for the Democratic nomination, he helped free hostages, he fought for social justice... And yet, somehow, with the United States credibly on the cusp of elected its first African-American president — a ceiling that Jackson himself put some cracks in — it's been a tough year for him. Today's news is that as a supporter of Barack Obama — not an adviser — he told the World Policy Forum that Obama's election would reduce the clout of the "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades." The fuck?

Jackson claimed the right to say this about Obama because he's a "a neighbor or, better still, a member of the family" since Jackson's son, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., is a strong supporter of Obama's. In fact, he's such a strong supporter that — for the second time this year — he's had to issue a statement slamming his increasingly erratic father. Obama and Congressman Jackson issued statements taking issue with Reverend Jackson's completely false characterization of Obama's positions on Israel, and the good Reverend was forced to admit that he's had nary a conversation with Obama on the subject in his life.

This is, of course, not the first time Jackson's fucked up when it comes to Obama. The first time, during the primaries, he accused Obama of "acting white" for not being out there enough talking about the Jena 6, a comment he later denied. He was later caught on tape saying "I wanna cut his nuts off" for "telling n*****s how to behave" after Obama spoke about absentee fathers in the African-American community. Of course, Jackson might be just a little sensitive about the subject of absentee fathers, given that he practically stopped visiting the child he had with his mistress in her second year of life, preferring to make sure she was financially supported and had her privacy. So, actually, making anti-Semitic, anti-Israel policy statements while claiming to be speaking on behalf of a candidate he has publicly desired to castrate might be par for the course for the Reverend Jackson this year.

Is he jealous that Obama might rise to the pinnacle of political power that he himself failed to achieve? Or is he just losing his marbles? Or can Sarah Palin's wink do something to a man up close that, thankfully, it can't do over a television feed? Jeebus only knows, but Congressman Jackson needs to get his dad to shut the fuck up already.

The O Jesse Knows [NY Post]
Obama Responds To Report On Jackson Comments [Washington Post]

Related: Report: Jesse Jackson Says Barack Obama 'Acting White' In Case Of Six Blacks Accused In Assault Case [Fox News]
Jesse Jackson On Obama: 'Wanna Cut His Nuts Off" [YouTube]
Breaking: What Else Jesse Jackson Said On That FNC Tape [TV Newser]
Mother Wants Jesse Jackson To 'Be A Father' To Illegitimate Child [CNN]

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