<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>JESSE JACKSON SAYS HE WANTS TO CUT OBAMA'S 'NUTS OUT' By CHARLES HURT, D.C. Bureau Chief Jesse Jackson and Barack ObamaLast updated: 10:10 pm July 9, 2008 Posted: 6:35 pm July 9, 2008 WASHINGTON - In a vulgar tirade caught on tape by Fox News, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he wanted to "cut his [Barack Obama's] nuts out" and he accused the fellow Chicagoan of "talking down to black folks" by giving moral lectures to African-Americans, source said Jackson's shocking quotes were picked up by a hot mic before an interview on health care in Fox's Chicago studio last Sunday Fox planned to air the recording on Bill O'Reilly's "The Factor" show. In an effort to blunt the controversy, Jackson issued an apology. "For any harm or hurt that this hot mic conversation may have caused, I apologize," Jackson said in a statement. Jackson said he couldn't recall everything he'd said in the studio but couched the remarks as part of a discussion about Obama speaking to black churchgoers. In such settings, Obama has urged greater emphasis on fatherhood, advised parents to choose reading books over playing video games and most recently told young students to stick with school and forget about a career as a rap star or professional basketball player. Jackson said that in doing so Obama was hurting his relationship with black voters, "that the senator was cutting off his you-know-whats with the black people and black churches." Jackson told CNN that he called the Obama campaign to apologize and reiterated his support for the campaign of the first black nominee of a major party. "My support for Senator Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal," he said in his statement. "I cherish this redemptive and historical moment." Obama had no comment.</div> Link <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Gramm calls slowdown 'mental' By: Mike Allen July 10, 2008 02:44 PM EST Former Sen. Phil Gramm, a top economic adviser to presumptive GOP nominee John McCain, referred to the economic slowdown as "a mental recession" and called the United States “a nation of whiners.” The comments, in an interview with The Washington Times, could hurt the campaign’s efforts to convince working-class Americans that McCain feels their pain. McCain strongly disavowed the comments today , saying Phil Gramm "does not speak for me — I speak for me." "So I strongly disagree," McCain told reporters gathered for a press conference. Democrats immediately condemned the remarks as “callous” and quickly began working to divert widespread attention to them. Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton shot back: "[T]he American people know that our economic problems aren’t just in their heads. They don’t need psychological relief, they need real relief. And that’s what Barack Obama will provide as president." The Democratic National Committee issued a statement titled, “Out of Touch Much, Phil.” See also Obama walks the abortion minefield What about Bob? GOP mum on Barr Dems searching their souls on drilling A McCain official said: “Phil Gramm’s comments are not representative of John McCain’s views. John McCain travels the country every day talking to Americans who are hurting, feeling pain at the pump and worrying about how they’ll pay their mortgage. That’s why he has a realistic plan to deliver immediate relief at the gas pump, grow our economy and put Americans back to work.” The Times said Gramm said he expects a McCain administration would inherit an economy “weighed down above all by the conviction of many Americans that economic conditions are the worst in two or three decades and that America is in decline.” The Times quoted him as saying: “You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession. ... We have sort of become a nation of whiners." “You just hear this constant whining, complaining, about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline. ... We've never been more dominant; we've never had more natural advantages than we have today.” Karen Finney, the Democratic National Committee’s communications director, said: “What John McCain, George Bush, Phil Gramm just don't understand is that the American people aren't whining about the state of the economy; they are suffering under the weight of it — the weight of eight years of Bush-enomics that John McCain and Phil Gramm have vowed to continue. “How dare john McCain and his advisers so callously dismiss the challenges the American people face? No wonder voters feel John McCain is out of touch. He and his campaign don't even understand the everyday issues Americans are dealing with.”</div> Link Jesse Jackson has always been a loser. Somebody needs to get to Rick Davis from the McCain campaign, and wake them up before they drive his chances for the Presidency into the ground.
Phill Graham actually is an economic genius. At least he was. Democrats' worst nightmare - a Republican with a PhD. A recession is 2 consecutive quarters of negative growth, by definition. We haven't had one of negative growth, to my knowledge (they revise the numbers from time to time after the fact). I actually like Jesse Jackson; in spite of his blatant corruption, he really is a civil rights guy and cares about those things. I do think he didn't help Obama with his negative remark, but I understand where he's coming from and there is a real tension in the black community among the older and newer generations that this highlights.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>he accused the fellow Chicagoan of "talking down to black folks" by giving moral lectures to African-Americans</div> wtf does he do? Phil Gramm's remarks just underscore the difference between saying something that's wrong and saying something that's wrong for PR. Its a shame that, during elections, people get more outraged by the latter.
Phil is partially responsible for the economic crisis & is benefitting from it. He works for UBS who has cleaned up after Countrywide & Bear Stearns went tits up. http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/20...osure-phil.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_Fut...ion_Act_of_2000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramm-Leach-Bliley_Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass-Steagall_Act What really frosts my cupcakes is the recent bailout that just passed the Senate. Dodd & Conrad (the sponsors) got sweetheart loans from Countywide who'll be a big beneficiary. Only 21% of the public was in favor of this bill... bet a majority of those work on Wall St or for Investment banks... no wonder Congress has only a 9% approval rating. Ron Paul might be right and that figure may be inflated.
