Activists point to debate in civil rights community about Obama
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson's inflammatory comments about Barack Obama this week highlight a philosophical debate within the civil rights community about the focus of his campaign for president, activists said.
During a break from a Fox News program, Jackson whispered to another guest that Obama was "talking down to black people" and then, unaware that his microphone was on, used crude language to describe wanting to castrate Obama.
Jackson's off-air comments came after a guest asked him about Obama's recent speeches in black churches about the responsibility of black fathers and his proposals to expand President Bush's faith-based initiative.
While some civil rights stalwarts dismissed Jackson's remark as vulgar and offensive, they said Jackson's broader criticism of Obama should not be overlooked. Some activists say Jackson has not focused sufficiently on policy solutions to some of the problems facing the black community.
