Psst, Jesse Jackson's crude Obama whisper almost slipped through

Turns out Jesse Jackson's whispered crudity on Fox News about what he'd like to do to Barack Obama's privates almost made it through without notice.

Jackson, who has eagerly worn microphones over the years almost as much as Al Sharpton, obviously knew he could be heard. Why else whisper? Which he did, criticizing Obama to a fellow black guest on "Fox & Friends" before the show went live.

But as The Times' diligent Matea Gold reports here today, no one in the Fox control room caught the exchange at the time.

It was only during the night that a Fox staffer who was transcribing the program caught the whisper and then noticed Jackson's hand-cutting motion beneath the desk.

The catch worked its way up the in-house news chain and, finally, onto the air Wednesday. But Jackson was tipped about the imminent embarrassment when Fox News fairly asked him for comment before its broadcast, and Jackson immediately arranged to go on CNN to attempt a preemptive broadcast apology.

Judging by online reaction, that didn't work too well. And people ....

... are examining all sorts of angles, including the potential jealousy of a once leading civil rights and political pioneer as another African American wins the presidential nomination that he -- unsuccessfully -- worked so hard to get 20+ years ago.

Also, unnoticed by much of the country, Chicago's predominantly South Side black community is riven by the same feuding factions as any other urban demographic.

But what Jackson's spoken mistake also underlined is the stubborn, inexplicable memory loss that strikes public figures unexpectedly when they put on those little microphones or sit near a larger one. What do they think they're there for? To zap bugs?

Remember a few years ago George W. Bush's muttered podium comment to Vice President Dick Cheney describing a passing New York Times reporter as a "major league" anatomical orifice? That got picked up. As did Cheney's growling response: "Big time!"

And then Obama's bitter-small-town comments got taped during an allegedly private San Francisco fundraiser this spring.

And John  Edwards' and Hillary Clinton's whispered post-debate comments about the need to whittle down the number of fellow Democrats participating in such forums?

Public figures are constantly reminded (warned) by communications staffers when wearing the small, portable mics that TV crews favor because they eliminate the huge and obtrusive microphone booms. Politicians strap a BlackBerry-sized device onto their belt if possible or, if necessary, some women even wear them on their thigh. A wire is run up inside the clothes to the lapel mics.

Many experienced professional political communicators make informal but strict private deals in advance with TV crews that any inadvertent side comments by the politician or others approaching him or her will not be used. And the crews generally agree in order to get the access.

Rob Stutzman, former communications director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, an actor accustomed to microphones everywhere, remembers constantly reminding gubernatorial staffers that their boss was wearing mini-mics, so watch what they said around or to him.

"Just because a camera's not rolling," Stutzman says, "doesn't mean the mic isn't hot and catching everything."

But studio settings like Jackson's are different animals, and anything there is fair game. Remember Connie Chung's disingenuous interview question some years ago "just between us" as millions watched silently at home?

Fox News says it was not seeking to embarrass Jackson or else it would have used allegedly far worse comments about Obama also caught on that tape. (UPDATE: Once again, our colleague Matea Gold is on top of the story with a Show Tracker blog update on Fox's further explanation tonight on "The O'Reilly Factor.")

It's uncertain how long it will take for those remarks to make their way onto YouTube or Fox, where executives are discussing them now. (Speaking of tape, wouldn't you like to hear one of that meeting?)

But what is certain is that, despite such mortifying incidents and constant warnings, someone else in public life will soon utter yet another gaffe. (And each of us can imagine how we'd sound if everything we said at the office today was taped and broadcast to millions.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Arcane]

Well, what about the gentleman that was talking with Jackson, he seemed to agree with the comment. How is it that no one has mentioned that factoid. It seems that the conversation style was normal between the two. Is this the level of discourse in the political community? It explains much.

[Jeraldine Zimmerman]

I do not believe Jackson's comments about Obama were meant to not be heard by the American people. A great number of people dislike Jackson immensly; his remarks makes Obama look better to these people. I also don't believe the Obamas are sorry to have placed their family on public display with interviews and photos with the children: this is Obama's intent....to try to show his all American normal family. Now he says he regrets doing so. Bullcorn. This is the most arrogant people to have run for the presidency in our history: Obama has his own 'presidential seal', has already determined how to redecorate the Lincon bedroom, now he is saying he hopes to visit Alaska when he is president. Someone, please tell Obama that he needs to be elected before all this happens. I'd rather have Jesse Jackson as president tho I dislike the man, rather than Obama who is tremendously mistrust with our country.

[Tom Destry]

A quibble: Obama wasn't wearing a mic when he made the "bitter" remark -- it was picked up by an amateur reporter and I don't know if it was clear that the conversation was being recorded or that there was a reporter in the room. That's not an excuse for sloppy phrasing, but it's a different style of gaffe than saying something while you know you're miked and in a hostile studio.

Of course, if the resulting story had been "Obama says workingclass whites feel they have no control over their economic problems and so tend to concentrate on symbolic issues .. " it would have been a different story . But that's a quibble for another day ...

[Shelama]

This is only one more nail in the coffin of Jackson's irrelevancy.

The very best thing one might hope for from Obama's candidacy and Presidency is to totally marginalize the likes of Jackson and Sharpton. At some point the majority, if not the entirety, of the Black community is going to have to open their eyes with Cosby, Juan Williams, Shelby Steele, et.al., to what the current proximate and solvable real problems are. Whatever and however devastating their roots in white racism. That is if there is ever going to be any hope of solving the disastrous situation in a disproportionately large segment of the Black community. Obviously, neither Jackson, nor Sharpton, nor the Black intellectuals like West and Dyson are (or are capable of) having much impact on the hard numbers of criminality, illegitimacy, illiteracy and drug use which for too many decades have destroyed so many lives and opportunities. And for which affirmative action can never hope make more than the smallest dent. And for too many, no dent at all.

Cry "racist" or "honkey" or whatever you like for as long as you like. And when you finally tire of worsening numbers, or failures to improve, then actually DO SOMETHING to honestly recognize, acknowledge and solve the problems. White racism is probably at minimal basement levels now. Your choice. Your move. Or else the unacceptably bad numbers will only get worse and time runs out.

[Eliana]

I think the funniest part of all this is how absolutely um, nuts, the press has gone over all of this. There's a really funny reel that shows a compilation of the absurd reactions of news anchors/political pundits. Enjoy! http://www.236.com/news/2008/07/10/cable_news_anchors_choking_on_7663.php

[Mike Licht]

What Was Jesse thinking? Well, who was he talking to?

See

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/no-dead-mics-on-fox/

[VJ Machiavelli]

It seems "Bills monsters of the ID" made him say it. Just as Bill could not live with Hillary Soprano being president, Jessie could not accept Obama will be the Democ"rat"ic nominee and maybe president.

VJ Machiavelli
ps Iran-Have Missiles Will Fire, see video
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[pacificGatePost]

AMERICA HAS EXPECTATIONS,

Obama’s impossible road ahead:

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-obama-will-win-but-cant-deliver.html

[David Irby]

Memo to Rev. Jackson (and Rev. Wright): Rocking chair, porch, pipe. Get 'em quick!

Your day is over. And, by the way, good riddance!

Martin Luther King said, “A change is gonna come!” And (forty years late) the day for that change finally has come.

Barack Obama IS that change! Stand aside and let him (and us) make it!

[jonny the fart]

Who is a Jackson? He is a child of rasim. He lives in a world of racists where peoples culture are writen by color of their scin and imaginary borders "race" and "race power". Jackson is saying that he will break those borders. but does he it realy? i dont think so. If Jackson wanted to wanish the racism then he should start to stop thinking like "black". he should start to think like "human". Jackson has no alternatives to "black - white" racism thinking. Until now Jackson was claiming to fight a racism by making racial rate(today black mayor tomorow white on) and by force people into multiracism.

Who is Obama? He is a grandson of ethnical and federal nationalism. He is trying to break those imaginary racial borders by bring into focus a being of "human" and "american". Obama doesnt want multiracism, he wants equal "citizens" inside of a one nation. (ironicaly thats what USA fathers wanted) i think that is right way and i hope he will not foget about when he wins. (or even not)

[Jack Marvin]

If Jessy was white you would play the whole tape.
Now who is prejudice?

[brkdckdwg]

it would appear that the once bright beacon of pride hope and inspiration to not just AFRO-AMERICANS but AMERICANS from different ethnic ,social,political and religous backgrounds HE who has walked arm and arm with some of the great civil rights leaders ,mover and shakers.along with numerous dignitries and heads of states in the name of truth justice and human rights for all ; that bright beacon no longer shines with the same glow, but is slowily becoming smolderin mixture resentment, selfishness and dare i say it ... prejudice ..which renders him it would seem incapable r unwilling to accept the realization that seasons change as must he as must you and i and that letting go and going on is better than overstayed too long goodbyes MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MILLION OF OTHERS HAS BEEN MADE ALOT MORE FULLER AND REWARDING BECAUSE OF THE BUMPS BRUISES

[Venus]

I'm utterly appalled at how the Obama campaign, including his own son, called Rev. Jackson "irrelevant". Have they lost all their sense of history! Regardless that his comments were inopportune and vulgar, the fact remains that there was a civil rights movement long before Barack Obama appeared on stage, and he actually benefitted by the sacrifices of those who preceded him. It's OK to criticize his rude comment, but they shouldn't have called him irrelevant.

[clarence hodges, jr.]

I agree that Jackson should have known not to make such comments, being the public figure that his is, knowing his statements could have easily been picked up. Jackson has made some mistakes, but then again most outspoken public figures do. No one has a clean track record. Unfortunately a once-dominant civil rights leader like Jackson is not allowed to even mutter his own thoughts: which thoughts could be similar to many other Americans, not to mention African-Americans. I do not however think it was wise for Juan Williams to publicly criticize Jackson to a white political analyst. It seems that "tattling" to "Mr. Charley" has been the downfall of Black Americans for many generations; and yet we still have not seemed to learn the lesson. Yes, I think Jackson should have been chided by Black Obama supporters on a Black talk show like Americas Black Forum or through some other Black media. If Williams thought what he was doing was to win respect from White voters, it could actually prove detrimental in the long run. It often does. And when it does it is the result of Blacks who are out for their own agenda.