How Jesse Jackson Did Barack Obama a Big Favor

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Last updated on July 1st, 2012 at 07:25 am

The tape of Jesse Jackson saying that Barack Obama was talking down to black people and that the good reverend wanted to cut his nuts off for it was one of the best things that could have happened to Barack Obama.

Before you can understand why this is a good thing, it is important to acknowledge a few basic fears of the Obama campaign. First, the Obama campaign is afraid of Barack being labeled the “black candidate.” In many minds, Jesse Jackson is the quintessential black candidate. This is why Obama has been avoiding him like the plague. If Obama becomes marginalized by race, he will lose the election.

Second, the Obama campaign is trying to avoid the liberal tag. They have seen both the success that Bill Clinton had in the 1990s by moving to the center, and the more recent failure of Al Gore and John Kerry who were tarred with a liberal label by George W. Bush that they were never able to shake. Jesse Jackson is true blue 1980s Democratic liberal. The quickest way for Republicans to hang the black liberal label on Obama would be to use pictures of Obama and Jackson together in ads.

While Jackson also has talked about change there is quite the elite air about him. From his big house and lavish lifestyle to using monies from his charitable foundations to pay off his mistress, Jackson has been far from the civil rights leader that he claims to be. In fact, Jesse Jackson has turned self promotion into a lucrative profession.

Jackson’s comment into an open mic before his appearance of Fox and Friends was, “See, Barack been, um, talking down to black people on this faith based…I want to cut his nuts out.” The fact is that Jackson’s remark about Obama was a gift from above. The last thing Obama needs is Jesse Jackson floating around.

The Obama campaign is working hard to woo white male voters, and this is the exact group that is most turned off by Jackson. My guess is that there is a healthy bit of jealousy and bruised ego behind Jackson’s remarks. Obama has accomplished something that Jackson couldn’t, and he has done it while leaving Jackson out of the campaign. As far as whether or not Obama talks down to black people, I don’t think that is something this white guy should decide, but the Obama campaign is better off without Jesse Jackson involved.