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CNN Live Saturday
Interview with Jesse Jackson
Aired August 23, 2003 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL: As Kathleen said there are speakers represent a wide variety of interests from labor to women to gay rights. Jesse Jackson is among the activists to address the crowds, and he joins us from Washington.
Reverend Jackson, thanks so much for you time we do appreciate it.
JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW PUSH COALITION: Let me say quickly, There's a lot of focus on the "I Have a Dream" speech. That had a two-fold purpose, a, civil rights legislation, our government might honor it's promise to all Americans. And, two, jobs, at least at this time, we could meet with President Kennedy and the attorney general. But Mr. Bush in two and a half years has not met with civil rights or labor. A closed door policy at a time when we need to address the issue of jobs, and justice in ways we have not done in a long time.
SAN MIGUEL: There was an agenda for the speech there, but also the words and the passion with which they were delivered are remembered by many Americans, not just African-Americans. I wanted to know, you were a young man then, give me your personal take on what that speech did for you.
JACKSON: I was a student at North A&T and I just left jail, because we had taken the sting out of jail. We turned jail cells into a place of dignity and honor as fought to end legal apartheid, and some victories came out of that struggle. The Public Accommodation Bill. We came here that day from as far as southwest of Texas to Florida up to Maryland, we couldn't use a single public toilet, hotel, motel, we were in absolute racial terror and apartheid. Out of that came the right to vote. Out of that came open housing. There were some battles won in that season, but now with a reversal of these rights, we have lost 4 million jobs in two years. We have a White House door closed in our faces, but we now do have the power to vote. And next year we volt with a passion in our quest for jobs, and to even the playing field, we can regain our victories in the south if we vote in our numbers, and with in coalition, we can regain the House, the Senate and the White House. We have that power now.
SAN MIGUEL: You are being critical of the Bush administration using this event as an opportunity to do that. I will play into that.
You have been critical of the Bush administration on Affirmative Action and other issues. Are you willing to give the administration any credit for, say, naming African-Americans Like Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell to his cabinet.
JACKSON: But those appointments have nothing to do with public policy. He recognized first class talent. But having said he choose to undercut the rights that made this service possible. On Dr. King's birthday he tried to get the supreme court to under cut Affirmative Action, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice come out of the Affirmative Action pool. He accepts legacy points for people like himself, but not Affirmative Action for those who have been locked out. I think we must again focus on the promise. Dr. King focus. A hundred years ago, the Congress, you promises to abolish slavery, discrimination the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to even the playing field. Supreme Court you compromised that promise. What do we need today, build the constitutional amendments with equal high quality public education for all Americans. Equal high quality public health, workers right to organize and equality rights amendment for women. We must know fight a battle -- it's really the Union rights versus Confederate rights. State rights vs. federal rights. We must now fight for, again, federal protection for our basic economic and social rights.
SAN MIGUEL: Reverend Jesse Jackson, from Washington. Thanks so much for your time and you inside we do appreciate it.
JACKSON: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 23, 2003 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL: As Kathleen said there are speakers represent a wide variety of interests from labor to women to gay rights. Jesse Jackson is among the activists to address the crowds, and he joins us from Washington.
Reverend Jackson, thanks so much for you time we do appreciate it.
JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW PUSH COALITION: Let me say quickly, There's a lot of focus on the "I Have a Dream" speech. That had a two-fold purpose, a, civil rights legislation, our government might honor it's promise to all Americans. And, two, jobs, at least at this time, we could meet with President Kennedy and the attorney general. But Mr. Bush in two and a half years has not met with civil rights or labor. A closed door policy at a time when we need to address the issue of jobs, and justice in ways we have not done in a long time.
SAN MIGUEL: There was an agenda for the speech there, but also the words and the passion with which they were delivered are remembered by many Americans, not just African-Americans. I wanted to know, you were a young man then, give me your personal take on what that speech did for you.
JACKSON: I was a student at North A&T and I just left jail, because we had taken the sting out of jail. We turned jail cells into a place of dignity and honor as fought to end legal apartheid, and some victories came out of that struggle. The Public Accommodation Bill. We came here that day from as far as southwest of Texas to Florida up to Maryland, we couldn't use a single public toilet, hotel, motel, we were in absolute racial terror and apartheid. Out of that came the right to vote. Out of that came open housing. There were some battles won in that season, but now with a reversal of these rights, we have lost 4 million jobs in two years. We have a White House door closed in our faces, but we now do have the power to vote. And next year we volt with a passion in our quest for jobs, and to even the playing field, we can regain our victories in the south if we vote in our numbers, and with in coalition, we can regain the House, the Senate and the White House. We have that power now.
SAN MIGUEL: You are being critical of the Bush administration using this event as an opportunity to do that. I will play into that.
You have been critical of the Bush administration on Affirmative Action and other issues. Are you willing to give the administration any credit for, say, naming African-Americans Like Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell to his cabinet.
JACKSON: But those appointments have nothing to do with public policy. He recognized first class talent. But having said he choose to undercut the rights that made this service possible. On Dr. King's birthday he tried to get the supreme court to under cut Affirmative Action, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice come out of the Affirmative Action pool. He accepts legacy points for people like himself, but not Affirmative Action for those who have been locked out. I think we must again focus on the promise. Dr. King focus. A hundred years ago, the Congress, you promises to abolish slavery, discrimination the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to even the playing field. Supreme Court you compromised that promise. What do we need today, build the constitutional amendments with equal high quality public education for all Americans. Equal high quality public health, workers right to organize and equality rights amendment for women. We must know fight a battle -- it's really the Union rights versus Confederate rights. State rights vs. federal rights. We must now fight for, again, federal protection for our basic economic and social rights.
SAN MIGUEL: Reverend Jesse Jackson, from Washington. Thanks so much for your time and you inside we do appreciate it.
JACKSON: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
