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You Sir, Are No Barack Obama

By wt

I mentioned here Bill Clinton's highly questionable attempt to marginalize Barack Obama as the Jesse Jackson of 2008.

One reason this is a misleading comparison is that Barack Obama isn't an outspoken anti-Semite, as Jesse Jackson is, or at least was in 1984.

In 1984, that anti-Semitism came to light in the form of his "Hymie-town" remarks about New York City.

A storm of protest erupted, and Jackson at first denied the remarks, then accused Jews of conspiring to defeat him.

The Nation of Islam's radical leader Louis Farrakhan, an aggressive anti-Semite and old Jackson ally, made a difficult situation worse by threatening Coleman in a radio broadcast and issuing a public warning to Jews, made in Jackson's presence: "If you harm this brother [Jackson], it will be the last one you harm."

Finally, Jackson doused the fires in late February with an emotional speech admitting guilt and seeking atonement before national Jewish leaders in a Manchester, New Hampshire synagogue. Yet Jackson refused to denounce Farrakhan.

Jackson's anti-Semitism caused him to lose New York in 1984 to Walter Mondale, and stopped what otherwise might have been a formidable campaign for the presidency.

Though he probably could not have beaten Reagan in 1984, it certainly would have brought the nation even closer to an African-American president than we are now.

Barack Obama is no anti-Semite. And Jesse Jackson is no Barack Obama.

Full post as published by Expressio Unius on January 28, 2008 (boomark / email).