Did Jesse Jackson say he wanted to cut them "off" or "out"?

July 11, 2008 | 9:42 pm

In case you didn't know, there's a brand-new controversy raging about Jesse Jackson's whispered comment on Fox News about what he'd like to do to Barack Obama's private parts.

The controversy is not about whether the reverend's remarks are crude; that seems pretty well-established. And Jackson tried to preemptively apologize on another network as soon as Fox News asked him for comment before airing the tape.

The controversy is not over whether Jackson's mutilation desire shows a jealousy between the two Chicago South Side black leaders, at least one way on Jackson's part.

The controversy is over whether Jackson said he wanted to cut Obama's "nuts off" or "nuts out." No, really.

Apparently the actual tape is somewhat muffled. Although establishing such genital distinctions was not covered much back in journalism school, for the record for the moment The Times is going with "nuts off," because that's what Fox News showed on its screen caption.

There is, however, a good bit more to this simmering story, which thrust Jackson back into the publicity spotlight where he always looks so comfortable. And, as usual, The Times' Matea Gold doesn't miss a detail. She has the full engrossing story now over on the Show Tracker blog.

We'll just say also for the record that, frankly, "off" or "out" seems like pretty much the same effect and pretty much the same pain. But we're pretty much speculating there, fortunately.

--Andrew Malcolm