CNN: Jesse Jackson: Kerry is not reaching out to people - ignoring base.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

They've been mentioning this every oportunity that they have.

[WI_DEM]

1. well the AA vote is going to be vital

and Kerry will get 90% of it but will turnout be high like it was in 2000 or low?

[RevCheesehead]

3. I thought Shrub had the "AA" vote! n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

35. No way. Ya gotta go to the meetings for that.

And the AA crowd don't like dry drunks.

[David Dunham]

2. Kerry's Monday rally in Cleveland was with African-American crowd.

Jesse should get his head out of the sand.

[wndycty]

4. Maybe you should get your head out of the sand. . .

. . .Jesse was not talking race. He was talking about the folks in Appalachia!

[Jackpine Radical]

36. Nice shot, Wndy.

And it showed real class to say "sand" instead of...whatever.

[SoCalDem]

5. Sometimes I wish Jesse would back off..

I know he means well, but the last thing Kerry needs is PUBLIC criticism by his own party.. There are surely ways for them to all communicate privately..

Jesse does this stuff when JESSE wants some face time on tv x(

[MidwestTransplant]

7. He want's attention

[H2O Man]

21. While I do not agree with everything Jesse does,

he is one of the hardest working democrats, with the ability to bring huge numbers of people to the voting booths. I agree that Kerry should be reaching out to some of the groups that Rev. Jackson has always had the ability to reach. People may forget that in 1988, he earned the VP position -- absolutely earned it -- and he got snubbed. Yes, he did. I was there in the park on the 4th of July in Boston when Michael D. made a poor decision, by failing to give the man his due.
Jesse reached more union workers than any other democrat that year. I think that Kerry needs more outreach to labor. Where is Dick Gephardt? So I agree with Jackson that Kerry is not making proper use of all his available resources.
Also, at this time of war, it is worth remembering that Jackson has a unique ability to communicate with people with very different value systems. Jesse has brought a number of hostages home over the years.
Jesse has earned the right to speak his mind.

[jumpstart33]

30. I don't agree with the Rev. on many issues but he is frequently right.

African Americans are really feeling "left out" this election. I work with about 17 (mid-level managers, professionals) they want to vote for Kerry but find little incentive to work hard for his election.

[H2O Man]

32. That's curious ......

Rev. Jackson was not speaking about blacks specifically. He was talking about a broad base that is not limited to race, sex, or ethnicity.

My family is primarily black and brown. None of my family feels left out by the Kerry campaign. All of my family recognizes that the republican party has gone to extreme measures in places like Florida to keep black and brown people from being able to vote. And all of the mid-level professionals that I know recognize that job security is a #1 issue .... and that surely is a great incentive to support Kerry and Edwards.

There are many other important issues at stake in this election. I haven't seen anything that would make me think race is an issue for the democratic party. I know it is for the republicans ..... and that they would love to pretend it is for democrats with divisive statements about blacks having no stake in this election. Frankly speaking, for most of us, the difference between Bush and Kerry is the difference between shit and sugar.

[KoKo]

33. I worry that the party is not supporting Kerry by asking Gephardt,

Jesse Jackson, Carole Moseley-Braun, and Al Sharpton and others to be doing "stump speeches" for him.

It still reminds me of how the Party didn't seem to support Gore by rallying around him when he was attacked and not sending the "best and brightest of the party" on to the Pundit and Talk Show ciruit.

I don't think Gore or Kerry intentionally leaves these folks out, but they end up looking line "loners" when the Repugs and Media attack?

Why is this happening again? Every time I ask the question about Kerry not using the Party or getting enough support in the "attack" department
I get trashed on DU for not being supportive enough of Kerry...

But, there really should be lots of Dems out there backing Kerry and fighting for him. Where are they? Howard Dean is the only one I've seen really working hard, and a little of Clinton...Ed Rendell very occasionally...:shrug:

[Tangledog]

43. Why should they have to ask?

I might need a primer in political reality, but....

Is anybody stopping Dick Gephardt, Carol Moseley-Braun, or anybody else from going out and doing the rubber chicken circuit for the Kerry/Edwards ticket? I know egos need to be salved, and someone might have to pay for travel expenses. But, for once, I'd absolutely love to see the defeated candidates pull together and get it done for the USA.

I did see Kucinich on stage with Kerry and Edwards at that midnight rally in Ohio, after the RNC. Good for him!

[Tomee450]

52. I hope Kerry

listens to Jackson. The African Americans with whom I have spoken are not at all enthusiastic about Kerry. I was speaking to a black woman yesterday and reminded her that she and family members must be sure to vote this year. Her reply was that there was not that much to Kerry,that neither candidate would do much to help minorities. She showed interest in voting for Kerry only after I mentioned that the draft might be brought back if he was not elected. She has grandchildren of draft age. I am afraid that some blacks who are not that fond of Kerry might stay home.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

6. I just wish he'd contact the Kerry Campaign rather than attacking him

in public. It just makes Kerry look incompetent.

[dogtag]

10. Jesse's ego is as

big as all outdoors and he's known not to play well with others. I worked with him on an event years ago and he held up the show for 45 minutes....his hair wasn't 'right' and apparently only one guy could fix it for him....so everyone waited and vamped. His luster dimmed a lot for this previous Jesse fan.

[AmerDem]

24. He said he actually has a meeting with Kerry...

scheduled very soon. He said this during the same interview with Woodruff!

[burrowowl]

31. Here in ABQ

the Kerry campaign has been so pisspoor, run by 20's somethings from Washington DC that we are starting our own with some vetern campaigners.
Can't even get material for handing out nor lawn signs there and when you order them from the Kerry site they don't include the metal frames for holding them up. at the Bu$h site they send the frame as well.
Lots of grassroot democratic people are upset with the official Kerry campaign site here.

[Ducks In A Row]

8. Turning channels and caught some of it

Judy asked about the polls being so high, and instead of telling the truth (the poll was fake), Jackson played into it. Said Bush had the better campaign.

turned the channel quick.

[RobinA]

9. I Never Get This

Someone is always whining that some candidate is not "reaching out to us." Young people, Jesse Jackson..... Why do people think they need a personal invitation to vote for someone? It's like they are doing the candidate a favor by voting for him and need to be wooed. HELLO, you vote for the guy you think will do the most for what YOU are interested in. You aren't voting for HIM, you are voting for yourself and your priorities.

[dogtag]

12. He actually said that

the RNC convention had 'wit' or maybe he said shit...but it sure sounded like wit.

[Kanary]

37. HELLO, to you, too....... You vote for those who REPRESENT you

When candidates can't be bothered with you *before* the election, how in the world can you reasonably expect them to represent you when in office?

A smart candidate knows how to VOICE those priorities, so that people KNOW they will be represented.

Kanary

[noiretextatique]

48. thanks for this kanary...geez

i'm guessing that jackson is concerned about turnout, since democrats will (AS ALWAYS) need black voters out in force to win this election...to counter of all those voter who are receiving engraved invitations, but who will vote republican anyway.
and those (mostly black and brown voters) who will be disenfranchised by republicans.

[gatorboy]

11. He's probably upset about not getting any DNC speaking time.

EOM

[Ramsey]

23. He did

Jesse gave a speech at the DNC.

And frankly, if he has a beef with Kerry, I wish he'd convey it privately.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. It's about time somebody tried to wake Kerry up.

I hope more prominent Dems start telling him to get off his ass and put some space between himself and bush instead of doing the "I'm not as bad" waltz.

[K-W]

14. Hopefully most people know the Kerry campaign better than you do.

Kerry isnt running on the "I'm not as bad" platform. That is just how the media is representing it. Kerry's message isnt the problem, the problem is that his messsage isnt getting to the people. The issue is how, without the advantages of a propaganda machine and without the aid of the media does Kerry get his message out.

Criticisms of him for not utilizing some methods or means of doing this, or not ustilizing them properly would be valid, critisizing him for being lazy or for not having a plan, or for running on his vietnam record alone, or not defending his record, etc, etc are not valid because they are based on misinformation.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. If Kerry wants to be heard, he has to speak up.

As in, "I renounce the vote I made for the IWR, it was a mistake."
or,

"I oppose the nomination of Goss because he wants to take this nation to the bad old days of covert operations and assasination."

"Our soldiers are dying in Iraq in an illegal, immoral, and unwinnable war."

"I have a plan to remove our forces from Iraq within 3 months and here it is."

"Universal health care should be put in place for all citizens now."

etc, etc, etc.

He's nibbling at bush rather than confronting him. Jackson is right.

[K-W]

22. How long will it take you to realize that is completely false.

Kerry can stand up and scream for hours at the top of his lungs. If the media doesnt play it, nobody will hear it, if the papers dont print it, nobody will read it.

How ignorant of the state of the media do you need to be to think that somehow if Kerry just spoke up a little more, he would drown out all the talking heads and force the media to cover him? This has been the case in our media for centuries, yet you still dont understand? This isnt the first time and certainly wont be the last time that somebody is saying things very loudly indeed, but thanks to the media, the general public is generally unware that it is being said. This isnt a Kerry problem, it is a problem of every person who has ever tried to spread information that corporate america doesnt want spread.

Blame Kerry, the next person to take his place will face the exact same problem. We can keep on killing our own politicians for years and years and years if you want to, it wont change anything.

Now, I have no problem with a criticism that discusses Kerry not properly using the little access he does have. I have no problem with criticism that he is not using resources or methods he could use to get access. But just blanketly critisizing him for not being heard is a complete waste of time and an exercise in mischarecterizing his campaign, the media, and the nation.

You then go on, in your post to list several issues, which I will ignore as they only serve as distractions to your basic point. Why you have bothered to smuggle in your opinion on certain issues is I guess your own problem.

[KoKo]

39. I think you expressed it very well, here.. "bothered to smuggle your

opinion on certain issues."

Bandera may be like many of us on DU who opposed the war in Iraq although we supported the invasion of Afghanistan. Also some of us believe Kerry should come out with stronger positions on his policies, reaching farther than Bush does.

We on the Left/anti-Iraq Invasion and more populist Democrats are disappointed with Kerry. We are still Democrats but we no longer have a voice in the Party as it stands. Without Dean and Kuchinich we have no power to ask Kerry to do anything. He owes us nothing...we can't do anything for him.

Even though the "Left/Dean/Kucinich" supporters are working their butts off for Kerry here in NC....he owes us nothing. He wants to run a center right campaign. He won't even talk about "Corporate Corruption" fgs...and I don't know any DU'ers who believe that Corporations don't need to better regulated and the crooks made to pay with some jail time.

But, that's the way it is....

[K-W]

41. You misrepresented my statement.

He smuggled the issues in because this was a discussion about Kerry's being vocal and he used examples of devisive issues, this could serve no purpose but distract from the discussion over Kerry's being vocal.

I understand your point to an extent. Of course Kerry cant be everything to everyone, but your post shows that the real problem here is your inability to tell the truth.

Kerry is against the Iraq war and invasion. And has made that absolutely clear.

Kerry has mentioned corporate corruption and is in favor of regulating corporations more. They mention Enron and Halliburton by name.

Im sorry that you drew your conclusions about Kerry in the primary that have turned out to be false. He does owe you something and is constantly concerned about appealing to progressives. He is very aware of what Dean and Kucinich have done and it has made him move left. Had we not had something of a small progressive movement. Had Dean and Kucinich not done what they did, Kerry probably wouldnt be as left as he is.

Change takes time in politics, alot of time. We have already started the progressive ball rolling, now we must fight to build momentum. You got so used to being ignored that now you dont notice when you arent.

[Kanary]

44. I don't think that's gonna happen, unfortunately

Looks like the DLC is firmly in charge.

:shrug:

Kanary

[Bluzmann57]

15. Jesse Jackson has zero credibility

ever since that allegedly racial incident in Decatur, IL where some African American kids got expelled for fighting. Those guys were kicking people in the head and deserved to be expelled, no matter their race. Jackson also once said that the firing of Ray Rhodes, a so called head coach with the Packers was racially motivated too. That was actually laughable. So if anybody thinks Jackson is still a force in the Democratic Party, or politics in general, then I guess they must be stuck in a time warp or something.

[K-W]

16. Im sure we should dismiss him because he is fallible.

Yep, no value to anything he says because he isnt perfect. Great logic there Bluzmann. Jesse Jackson has a great deal of credibility, he should be listened to and is still a force in politics. I never thought he was perfect in the first place.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

17. Jesse has a lot of credibility with labor and always generates crowds

at union events...I worked with him a couple years ago at a longshore workers' labor day event...careful not to paint with broad strokes...he's been right more often than wrong even if I don't appreciate his comments as outlined above.

[DrWeird]

20. Seemed the kids got punished to harshly, to me.

Looked like a typical high school fight to me. Saw a lot of white people panicking, but you can't blame the kids on that.

[Snivi Yllom]

28. Zero credibility leading the UFJP march in NYC...riiight

[bvar22]

53. JesseJ......"no credibility?????"

I don't think so.
When is the last time YOU talked to a black Democrat?

[fairfaxvadem]

18. sounds like Jess is bent out of shape.

I like Jesse all fine and well, his speeches are usually right on, but when his ego gets bent out of shape, geez, he is something else.

Sounds like a public cry for attention.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

25. I'm very disapointed in him-why does he have to do it when Kerry's down?

Couldn't he have done this when Kery was doing well? It just makes it look like he's kicking him when he's down. I normally like Jesse but I can't agree with his timing. He was saying positive things about the Repub. Convention AND talking about how well the Bush campaign was being run while talking about how badly the Kerry campaign is being run (it may be true - but puhleze don't say this publicly and give more ammunition to the Media AND to BushCo.

I'm very disapointed in Jesse.

[H2O Man]

27. I am not sure why.....

people are upset. I watched him. I don't think he said anything disappointing. If he had said the bush campaign was stumbling right now, people would know he was not being objective. The bush campaign is not stumbling; the bush administration is. Jesse did not say that the administration is doing a good job.

A number of the other people have made comments on Jesse's ego. A man can't do the good works Jesse has done if they suffer from an inferiority complex.

[liberalcanuck]

34. "The bush campaign is not stumbling; the bush administration is."

I really like that.

[UpsideDownFlag]

26. they must be misquoting jackson

he wouldnt slipslide at this point.

[joanski01]

29. I thought Jesse did a great job

in his interview with Judy on CNN. He is right in saying that Kerry needed to energize his base first, and then move out to the others. Jesse said that Kerry (the DNC) distanced themselves from the protesters in New York and from the people in Apallacia (?).

I think Kerry needs to distance himself from the DLC -- that's my 2 cents.

[Catfight]

38. I totally agree, I WANT the black vote, we owe the black community

that was disenfranchised in 2000 that we will end this blatant corrupt voting system that puts a black mark on democracy in the world. Kerry really needs to listen to Jesse Jackson, Carol Mosley Brown, and start promising high appointed positions not because of votes, but because it's TIME that all Americans COUNT! To top it off, hire an openly gay person as well. Now THAT would get me pounding on doors to get voters hyped up.

[Jackpine Radical]

40. By going public with his beef, Jesse's firing a shot across Kerry's

bow.

He would do this if a) he has something he really wants from Kerry and b) he already made a private approach & didn't get satisfaction

[Dob Bole]

42. He's right--Kerry better make a major left turn when he gets in the WH...

I'm talking free healthcare, public works, and ice cream for everybody. Kerry owes the Left bigtime.

[Kanary]

45. "ignoring base"

I'm wondering if many have really looked beyond Nov 2.

Any mention of major Dems ignoring the actual traditional base of the Democratic party always seems to end in slaps about the face to those who try to discuss it. So, what happens after Kerry is inaugurated, and the party wants the "energized base" to work hard for the party? After having dismissed "the base", is it really reasonable to expect the base to keep toiling away, while being slapped down?

The party is now counting on the base to remain loyal because so much is at stake given the evil in the blight house. That loyalty comes with NO rewards, and the suggestion of such is roundly hissed here. So, what is the place for that base after Jan 05?

Since it's not possible here to actually give an opinion without being attacked, I won't even bother to look at the scathing responses.

Just something to think about, and try to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

Kanary

[noiretextatique]

50. they don't look beyond the messenger

especially when the messenger is al shaprton or jesse jackson. it's all twanna brawley and "hymietown."

[Zomby Woof]

46. Jesse is in Full Demagogue Mode

Hey Jesse, how about that time you wiped King's blood all over you to make it look like you were even closer when he was shot? Some of us won't forget what a self-aggrandizing jerkweed you are.

Remember "Hymietown", anyone?

[H2O Man]

51. Demagogue:

the word means, quite literally, a person championing the cause of the common people. So, yes -- Jesse is indeed a demagogue. Malcolm used to say that when some folks called him that name. And Martin was a demagogue, too. Thank God for that!

If anyone wants to look at the photos, Jesse was with MLK when he was shot. He never implied that he was splattered with blood because he was standing next to King. Rather, he craddled Martin. What you are either confusing or distorting is the role Jesse told folks he played in the moments between the shot and the ambulance. God forbid: Jesse had had a fight with Martin earlier in the day. King made up with him on the balconey, and then said a few things about the evening meal they were preparing for. Then he was shot. Jesse was a young man, and saw his leader killed before his eyes.

[BrendaStarr]

47. Base Base? Gray Davis played to the base in the in the CA recall campaign

Didn't work so well did it?

What needs to be done is we have to get out of our liberal groups, go our to mixed message boards andfight for our ideas and our candidates or we could be out of power for the next decade too.

[noiretextatique]

49. so...this is jackson as interpreted by media talking heads

and you many "democrats" are agreeing with them....the very people you disagree with all the time.
the few people posting here who ACTUALY SAW THE INTERVIEW seem to have a different opinion than the rw talking heads most of you seem to agree with :puke:

[bvar22]

54. And the Democratic Party wonders why....

...1/2 of registered Democrats don't vote.
DUH!!!!