Politics

Fox: Jackson Used N-Word In Off-Air Remarks

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Last week, Rev. Jesse Jackson was quick to apologize for crude off-air comments about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama that were caught on tape while preparing for an interview on Fox News.

Now, Jackson is apologizing again for using the N-word during the same incident, a racial slur that he has asked others not to use because it is offensive and degrading.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports that, although Jackson did not directly address the slur he used in a conversation he believed was private, he apologized Wednesday "...for the pain and sorrow that I have caused as a result of my hurtful words."

The words, leaked to and posted Wednesday on the TVNewser blog, were from the same hot-mic conversation in a Fox News Channel studio that got him into hot water last week.

While waiting for an interview on the "Fox & Friends" news show earlier this month, Jackson said "see Barack been um, talkin' down to black people, on this faith based … I want to cut his n--s out."

Those comments first aired on Bill O'Reilly's program on Fox News, but the network decided not to air another portion of the same conversation, when Jackson used a more controversial n-word, completing the sentence: "Barack...he's talking down to black people ... telling n-----s how to behave."

On Wednesday's broadcast, O'Reilly defended the decision not to air the rest of that sentence. "We're in business to bring you important information and we did that. We tried to spare Jesse Jackson further embarrassment, but somebody obviously wants to hurt him," O'Reilly said.

But it was Jackson himself who was out front in the movement for a voluntary ban on the N-word that took flight nearly two years ago after a racial rant by comedian Michael Richards.

Richards, who played the wacky neighbor on the popular Seinfeld show, was captured on a video cell phone using the N-word after two African Americans heckled him during his comedy routine.

After that incident, Jackson said, "We will challenge and urge all artists and comics to stop using this word. … What other group is subjected to such a degrading terminology?"

Jackson, traveling in Spain on Wednesday, was apparently told the transcript had been released, or soon would be; his apology nearly beat the reporting of what he was apologizing for. As he said last week, "I'm quick to say if I've done any harm or hurt, for that I have deep regrets because I want my pluses to be stronger than my minuses."

Rev. Al Sharpton, who joined Jackson in 2006 to push for a voluntary ban on the N-word, declined to discuss Jackson specifically on Wednesday, but said, "I am against the use of the N-word by anyone."

Thursday morning on the CBS Early Show, Rev. Sharpton said the comment doesn't represent Rev. Jackson, but Sharpton is disappointed.

"I think we have to be consistent," Sharpton said. "We have denounced the N-word in National Action Network and many groups. Those of us, and many of us have used it privately, said we must refrain from it if we're going to challenge people using it publicly. You must be consistent and I think this is very disappointing."

While its use is still common in many situations, in conversations between African-Americans about African-Americans, many believe that it's wrong for someone of Rev. Jackson's stature to use it.

The question is whether the use of the N-word by an African-American to another African-American, talking about African-Americans is offensive.

 We want to know what you think.

 Read what other viewers have had to say: Part 1 | Part 2

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