Full audio of the press conference of Reverend Jesse Jackson, born October 8, 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, an American civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and politician whose bids for the U.S. presidency (in the Democratic Party's nomination races in 1983–84 and 1987–88) were the most successful by an African American until 2008, when Barack Obama captured the Democratic presidential nomination. He is the founder of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition.
5:55 PM: Reverend Jackson, a towering, tank of a man enters through the black steel gates of Pace University flanked with an entourage. Photographers, Pace University administrators, and those scheduled to appear later on a panel with the Reverend, greet him at the entrance and walk him into the reading room where the press is set up and waiting.
Jackson begins on the topic of railroads. He has just traveled extensively and talks about the effects of cuts he has seen in the sector of mass transit jobs, a sector he refers to as a bastion of "green jobs." Underlining again and again the importance of not laying off mass transit workers during the ongoing crisis (which has largely been the case), the Reverend believes such "green jobs" should be expanded to the railway system and other mass transit forms in the U.S., and alternative forms of energy such as wind turbines built en masse.
Enter the health care bill and Reverend Jackson's takeaway from it: while not perfect, it represents a line to be crossed. Once this has been accomplished, the Reverend explains, we can later make modifications and build up the foundation that has been laid. While problematic, it is a beginning and should we lose, the Reverend fears, "we will live to regret it for a very long time to come."
But what of the opposition to the bill? Referring to Republican outrage which erupted soon after the beginning of the health care bill revival, Reverend Jackson states, "The Republicans have a pre-existing condition to say 'No' to the President." This gets chuckles from the press but his point is well taken: every step of the process has seemingly been plagued by the Republicans fierce, tactical and ideological opposition, akin at times to the tantrums of small children.
The Reverend stops speaking and opens the floor to questions. Questions are fielded from three people: Dred Scott, Danny Schecter and yours truly.
Have a listen! (audio begins at :40)
Reverend Jesse Jackson Press Conference
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