MSM Must Investigate: Could Jesse Jackson Be Obama's Grandmother?

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Playing the moral equivalence game in his speech this morning, Barack Obama said this:

I can no more disown [Rev. Wright] than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.

Which sent me scurrying to Google for the quote I was sure I remembered. And sure enough:

There is nothing more painful to me ... than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved. -- the Reverend Jesse Jackson, as quoted in US News, 3/10/96

[governsleastgovernsbest]

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Possible story of the century ping to Today show list.

[Don Corleone]

We are all victims....BWAAAAAAAA!

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Grandmother?

I think you need a title fix.

[Squidpup]

You can’t pick your family members, but you can certainly pick what church you attend and SUPPORT

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Intentional. Humor, you know.

[The Eagle Bomb]

I believe he actually said “grandmutha”

[KeyLargo]

[ozzymandus]

He stands by his racist, anti-American preacher, but he calls his own grandmother because she’s white? I wonder if he ever called his black Grandmother a racist? I’d guess not. This clown is disintegrating before our eyes, as he turns into just another race-baiting scumbag like jesse and al. Wonder if the RATS will still gush about how “clean” and “articulate” he is.

[Chili Girl]

Good find! Is this another case of plagiarism?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks, CG. I was sure I remembered Jackson saying it. Took me a while to find a solid source. I figured a David Gergen column in US News worked nicely.

[Mr. Lucky]

I don't give a hoot about Rev. Jackson one way or the other. What is troubling about this quote is the absolute lack of character of a man who who publicly announce a personal flaw of his own grandmother for no other purpose than his own personal gain.

[Godwin1]

His grandmother is in her eighties. She has not been a part of Obama’s public life. She would not be welcome in Obama’s church. She is not in a position to defend her now tarnished reputation. Obama’s 1995 book does NOT paint her as a Wright-style hater. What a low, vile, despicable bastard—destroying his own grandmother's reputation to advance his sorry career.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Wow. Good catch. I think your headline buries the lead, however.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Over at NewsBusters I redid headline to read “Jesse Jackson: Obama’s Grandmother?”

Like that better? If not, suggest another and I might use it.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Not bad. Maybe add “More ‘change you can xerox’?” as a subtitle and you’re golden.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

That’s the angle I took when I mentioned your post over at Federal Review

http://www.federalreview.com/2008/03/obama-more-change-you-can-xerox.htm

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks, though borrowing a line from Hillary would be too painful ;-)

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks for linking there. Do you suspect Obama actually made up the story, borrowing it from Jackson? I’m assuming it’s a true story, just ironic that Jackson said pretty much the same thing.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Thanks for linking there. Do you suspect Obama actually made up the story, borrowing it from Jackson?

Who knows?

Neither Jackson nor his grandmother would be the first person to feel that way. At the same time, Obama has admitted to borrowing phrases in the past (albeit with the original author's permission).

Either way, to me the real crime here is that he basically threw his grandmother under the bus, trying to portray her private comments as no different than the public and repeated rantings of an overt bigot with whom he chooses to continue to associate.