NYPost

HOW DARE THIS JERK BUTT INTO THE CRISIS

By ROD DREHER

September 28, 2001 -- A NUMBER of comfortable illusions collapsed on Sept 11. One overlooked until yesterday was the idea that Jesse Jackson's obnoxious presence in our public life could be tolerated.

Who but Rev. Jackson would cast his gaze across the nation and the world, facing its greatest immediate peril since the Second World War, and think, "What's in it for me?"

Jackson's audacious bid to insert himself into the war unasked is a transparent and pathetic effort to restore himself to the level of pseudo-statesman he enjoyed before his tumble from grace earlier this year.

The man knows no shame.

It appears almost certain that he approached the wicked Taliban government, with whom this nation is about to wage war, and asked if he could wing over and practice his freelance diplomacy.

Oh, he says that the Taliban approached him, but the Taliban say otherwise.

There is no reason for the Islamic zealots who run that desperate nation to try to open a diplomatic channel with a phony-baloney American civil rights leader who has no entree to the White House whatsoever.

However, it is entirely in keeping with Jackson's character that he would seek out America's enemies to negotiate a deal that would serve his self-interest.

Who are you going to believe, then, Jesse Jackson or the Taliban? Plainly, the Taliban, which in this instance has more credibility than Jackson. Think about that.

The U.S. government has been quite generous with Jackson in this matter, saying it's up to him to decide if he wants to go to Pakistan to talk to the Afghani mullahs about securing the freedom of eight Christian missionaries.

Surely, government officials worry about forbidding Jackson's mission, given that his efforts have freed American hostages from hostile governments in the past.

It is rotten for Jackson to put his president in this position. Bush has already said there would be no negotiation with the Taliban.

A private American citizen has no business negotiating with his nation's enemy at a time of war. This is close to treasonous. The White House ought to have told the jerk to stay home, shut up and put his country ahead of his own career, for once.

One source close to Jackson tells me that Jackson leaned on Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to obtain for him an invitation to President Bush's luncheon in the Windy City yesterday.

That's our Jesse, desperate to be relevant, starving to be part of something with a little more dignity and gravitas than his latest scurrilous triumph: shaking down Toyota for $8 billion over some silly advertising.

Jackson may have won a place at the table yesterday, but he also made a fool of himself by playing footsie with the Islamofascists in Kabul.

We are a nation at war now. We can no longer put up with Jesse's foolishness. The only useful things Jesse Jackson has to offer his country are his prayers and his silence.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001

Answers

A reporter from CNN yesterday, ask Jackson twice if our government ask him not to go would he. He skirted the question both times, he would not agree to do so. To me, Jackson needs to go live in another country.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001

I have a suggestion on which country, too.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001

he was just on MSNBC, speaking from somewhere in Florida. Said that the Taliban should concede to US demands because the alternative is world war.

no one else has used that phrase world war.

the talking heads were really going on about that.

what a jerk!

I say we send him over there with the first wave of bombs.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001