Rev. Jesse Jackson on Principles & Values Civil Rights Activist

Abolish runoff elections; they hurt black candidates

The thinking about runoffs goes like this: A black candidate in the South could easily win a multi-candidate primary, as long as they get most of the black vote, which could be as high as the mid-to-low 30s. But in a one-on-one contest, the potential to add to that total is diminished.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who made the abolishing runoffs a cornerstone of his unsuccessful 1984 Democratic presidential campaign, said "Historically, and in many instances today, whites support white candidate regardless of how qualified an African-American candidate is.

"Even if Mike Espy does make it to the runoff in Mississippi it is unlikely that he will win the runoff--whatever runoff system is used in Mississippi" despite having the highest percentage of African-American residents in the country at 37 percent, Jackson said.

Abolish runoff elections; they hurt black candidates

The thinking about runoffs goes like this: A black candidate in the South could easily win a multi-candidate primary, as long as they get most of the black vote, which could be as high as the mid-to-low 30s. But in a one-on-one contest, the potential to add to that total is diminished.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who made the abolishing runoffs a cornerstone of his unsuccessful 1984 Democratic presidential campaign, said "Historically, and in many instances today, whites support white candidate regardless of how qualified an African-American candidate is.

"Even if Mike Espy does make it to the runoff in Mississippi it is unlikely that he will win the runoff--whatever runoff system is used in Mississippi" despite having the highest percentage of African-American residents in the country at 37 percent, Jackson said.

OpEd: Rainbow Coalition played transformative role

Led Florida street protests post-2000-election

The Gore people had prepared for this moment, boning up on Florida election law. We had not. For the next few days, our Florida campaign team felt like freedom fighters whose homeland had been occupied as they grappled with a blitzkrieg of lawsuits filed by Gore's attorneys and street protests led by Jesse Jackson.

Federal law required that Florida's election laws in effect on Election Day be followed. If they were, Bush would narrowly win the election. The only way Gore could overturn our victory was to get state and local officials to change the rules after the election had ended and recount votes in precincts where Gore was strong.

Caught off-mike: Obama "talks down to black people"

By now, the tension between Obama and Jackson was commonly understood. In March, "Saturday Night Live" had aired "The Obama Files," an animated segment that showed Obama going to great lengths to escape association with Jackson and Sharpton. While both men were portrayed as eager to help the candidate, they were also depicted as foolish, ignorant, and out of touch.

In Obama's view, real-life comparison to Sharpton and Jackson wasn't appropriate either. Such discussions were untenable "because neither is running for president. They are serving an important role as activists and catalysts but they're not trying to build a coalition to actually govern."

"Run, Jesse, Run" double meaning: campaign, & dodge attacks

Murphy acted out Jackson's "reply" so hilariously that it defies description. Jesse said he has to work out, Murphy explained, because he knew he'd have to make his presidential speeches while ducking and dodging the bullets that would surely be flying in his direction.

Murphy then mimed a would-be white assassin growing frustrated as he tried to center the swift Jackson in his gunsight: "He won't stand still!" In his routine, Murphy revealed how "Run, Jesse, Run!" had acquired more than one meaning.

1984 Rainbow Coalition: expand corridors of power

[In the Democratic primaries], he captured 3,282,431 primary votes, 18.2% of the total. It was dress rehearsal for 1988, when Jackson doubled his previous results. He won 6.9 million votes and eleven primary contests and, at one point, was the party's front-runner.

OpEd: 1984 candidacy forced Dems to openly court black vote

Nevertheless, I was still the congressman from Harlem, the capital of black America, in a year when Jesse's run electrified African American communities from coast to coast.

A tree shaker, not a jelly maker

Jesse Jackson continues to be a constant source of inspiration for African Americans seeking public office. As Jesse himself is fond of saying, he's a tree shaker, not a jelly maker. So it's not necessarily a negative thing to point out that his legacy includes no lasting political organization. Jesse Jackson's political gift is to get people excited, enough to motivate some of them to pick up the ball and organize themselves, often to very great effect.

1988: Won Michigan Democratic caucus

Help is on the way to end darkness of 2000 election

And yet as the darkness abounds, hope abounds even more. For the 44 million without health care insurance, help is on the way. For parents afraid to call the doctor for their children, because they cannot pay the bills, help is on the way. For our seniors whose Social Security is at risk, who must choose between paying their rent or paying for the soaring costs of their prescription drugs, hold on, help is on the way. Millions of youth today cannot afford tuition and cannot get a job. Every child, red, yellow, brown, black and white, deserves a constitutional right to an equal, high-quality public education. Help is on the way.

1995: A third party may be needed for progressives

"Why talk about new political options now? Because it is clear that reelecting Democrats to Congress is not enough. We've done that. We registered people and helped bring out the vote. We delivered--and too often we were then ignored. We don't intend to be exploited anymore."

Opposed bipartisan conservative majority that ignored him

A bipartisan majority endorsed the supply-side, trickle-down economics of the early 1980s. The rich got richer and working people got stuck with the bill for massive deficits and S&L bailout. A bipartisan conservative majority blocked efforts to change priorities at the end of the Cold War. A bipartisan conservative majority enforced a trade policy that served Wall Street and multinationals, not Main Street and American voters.

Jackson was thinking like this before the shredding of the federal safety net for the poor, set for 2002, by the phony welfare reform legislation championed by Clinton and especially Gore in 1996.

Outlined assets he would bring as Clinton's Vice President

At the end of the routine address to Jackson's group, Clinton criticized Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition for providing a forum the night before for a black rap singer named Sister Souljah [who praised the L.A. riots]. Jackson had just mentioned approvingly that she had been on the previous day's panel.

Jackson was enraged, telling others he felt personally violated. After the speech, Jackson tried to hand Clinton a long memo outlining the assets he would bring to the Democratic ticket should Clinton choose him as his vice-presidential running mate. Clinton declined. "I'm not going to put you through what Fritz Mondale or Mike Dukakis did," Clinton said.

Apologized for calling NYC “Hymietown”

An article in the Washington Post on Feb. 13, 1984, Rick Atkinson reported Jackson saying, “the most attempts to disrupt this campaign have come from Jewish people.” Toward the end of the article Atkinson states that “In private conversations with reporters, Jackson referred to Jews as ‘Hymie’ and to New York as ‘Hymietown.’ ‘I’m not familiar with that,’ Jackson said. ‘That’s not accurate.’ ”

As the controversy accelerated, Black Muslim minister Farrakhan warned Jews “if you harm this brother, it will be the last one you harm.” From that point on, Jackson had to deal with Farrakhan’s remarks as well as his own.

Jackson eventually condemned Farrakhan’s remarks as “reprehensible and morally indefensible.”

Was 1988 frontrunner after winning Michigan primary

With one “electrifying” victory Jackson had destroyed the attempt of some Democrats to recast the party in a non-ideological centrist mode. White Democratic leaders were now forced to “take Jackson seriously.” The question “What does Jesse Jackson want?” became a constant refrain.

Politically progressive: responsibility over victimhood

Jackson stresses the necessity of avoiding drugs and taking the moral responsibility for avoiding things like teenage pregnancy.

Rainbow Coalition: specific groups instead of a melting pot

Jackson is demanding that the Democrats propose a coalition government, not just of interests and regions, but of race-the famous “rainbow coalition” which could remold politics.

My religion obligates me to be political

The religious framework of Jackson’s political vision is crucial to Jackson’s overwhelming support in the black community, while limiting his appeal to white voters. Many have focused on the limitations of Jackson’s appeal to this core black constituency while ignoring the remarkable unification of black support around Jackson in 1984 and 1988.

Choose the human race over the nuclear race

My constituency is the desperate, the damned, the disinherited, the disrespected, and the despised. They are restless and seek relief. They’ve voted in record numbers. They have invested faith, hope and trust that they have in us. The Democratic Party must send them a signal that we care. I pledge my best to not let them down.

There is the call of conscience, redemption, expansion, healing and unity. Leadership must heed the call of conscience, redemption, expansion, healing and unity, for they are the key to achieving our mission.

Rainbow coalition: Don’t leave anybody out

America is a patchwork quilt, not all the same texture