What should have been a solemn memorial for Jesse Jackson instead turned into something else entirely.
At the funeral in Chicago, several Democratic figures used the occasion not simply to honor Jackson’s legacy, but to pivot toward partisan attacks — particularly against President Donald Trump and his supporters.
Former President Barack Obama was the worst, using his time at the podium to issue his typical divisive racial rhetoric to hammer more than half the American people (Trump supporters) rather than talk about Jackson’s life work.
And it turns out we weren’t the only ones who noticed this appalling behavior: The reverend’s son, Jesse Jackson Jr., addressed the crowd Saturday at a separate memorial at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters, stating that the three former commanders-in-chief who spoke did not truly know his father.
The opening portion of his statement is the biggest rhetorical slap to the face you could ever imagine:
He added: His father had a “tense relationship with the political order” because of the demands of justice—not race or party. Yet they politicized it anyway.
Talking about Obama, Biden, and Clinton turning the service into a political rally. Dad deserved better.
YIKES.
To be sure, though, I read the transcript of Bill’s speech, and it wasn’t nearly as obnoxious as Barack’s or Joe’s.
But that wasn’t all. Jackson Jr. instructed mourners not to turn celebrations of his father’s life into obscene, selfish political rallies:
He said:
DO NOT bring your politics, out of respect to Rev. Jesse Jackson, and the life that he lived, to these ongoing services. Come respectful, and come to say thank you. But these ongoing services are welcome to ALL – Democrat, Republican, liberal, and conservative. Right-wing, left-wing. Because his life is broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American.
Exactly right.
Jackson Jr. demonstrated more class with this statement than all three presidents and Kamala Harris, who giggled at the funeral, combined. It’s unfortunate that they couldn’t show the same respect that President Trump did, even though he and the civil rights leader often found themselves on opposite sides of the political divide.
Out of all of this, I think Obama comes across the worst. We already knew that Biden struggles to get through a sentence, that Clinton tends to ramble, and that Kamala has a tendency to laugh too much. We’ve seen Barry create division in the country before, but it was still surprising to witness just how angry and bitter he has become.
“We see science and expertise denigrated while ignorance and dishonesty and cruelty and corruption are reaping untold rewards.”
“Every single day we see that, and it’s hard to hope.”
Just despicable. But then, he’s a despicable human being.
And one other thing: Where was Michelle? The media’s ‘greatest first lady ever’ couldn’t be bothered to attend the funeral of one of the most influential civil rights leaders of our time?
Apparently not.