FOX Scoops All With Jesse Jackson - Obama Meltdown Tape

SHAKEDOWN'S MELTDOWN

Jackson's Candid Obama Comments Have Politicos Buzzing





*** NEW: Was Jesse's Tirade A Political Stunt? ***
*** CONTINUING COVERAGE: Shares Of Radio Broadcast Firms Collapsing ***


Here's a scenario to make the left cringe: the FOX News Channel's ratings will be through the roof tonight, all thanks to Mr Shakedown himself, Jesse Jackson!

Yes, as a result of his bluntly candid (read: obscene) remarks about Barack Obama, apparently not meant for prime time, both the O'Reilly Factor and Hannity & Colmes should expect record viewership.

To that end, network insiders say a tight lid is being kept on this tape ahead of its airing tonight.

Though Jackson has already apologized for the rant, said to be so severe the networks are afraid to show part of it, it must reflect his real feelings about the Democratic nominee. It brings back to the surface previous concerns that some African- Americans are said to have about Obama's candidacy, even if that isn't usually stated in public.


Most of the coverage so far is of Jackson's apology, without an indication of what the longtime radical activist actually said in the first place to cause such an uproar. CNN takes that to the extreme, leaving the reader baffled as to the source of the controversy:

(CNN) — The Rev. Jesse Jackson issued an apology to Barack Obama Wednesday for criticizing the Illinois senator's recent comments directed toward some members of the black community.

According to Jackson, a Fox News microphone picked up comments he meant to deliver privately that seemed to disparage the presumptive Democratic nominee for appearing to lecture the black community on morality.

Jackson didn't elaborate on the context of his remarks, except to say he was trying to explain that Obama was hurting his relationship with black voters by recently conducting "moral" lectures at African-American churches.

"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," Jackson said in a statement issued to CNN. "My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment."

"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility," Jackson also said.

But there are indications from several other sources that Jackson said something to the effect of "cut his nuts out." We'll await the context of this kind of language, just in case it matters.


For O'Reilly, Hannity & Colmes, the most difficult task may be in keeping this tape from getting into the wrong hands ahead of tonight's programming.

As for Jackson, he has just blown a hole the size of a Chevy into the idea that the left, particularly African- Americans, are unified unconditionally behind Barack Obama. The damage he has caused to the Democrats could prove incalculable.


NEW: USA Today has more, as does Hot Air, Brian Stelter and Kathryn Jean Lopez


UPDATE: FOX aired surprisingly little of the conversation. Why that may be will be the subject of much speculation, but according to Drudge, Bill O'Reilly gives this explanation:

O'REILLY: 'We held back some of this conversation... we didn't feel it had any relevance to the conversation this evening. We are not out to get Jesse Jackson. We are not out to embarrass him and we are not out to make him look bad. If we were, we would have used what we had, which is more damaging than what you have heard'...

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