Rush, Davis defend Jackson
Tuesday, Oct 23, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Congressmen Bobby Rush and Danny Davis defended their colleague Jesse Jackson, Jr. yesterday…
Rush said that Jackson’s absence from Congress has not harmed his district because the legislative body has been in session only 32 days since Jackson took his leave.
“Nothing really occurred in those 32 days, that his constituency has suffered,” Rush said.
And until his illness, Jackson had “an almost impeccable voting record,” according to Rush.
“It’s kind of paradoxical to me to see someone who has one of the best voting records in Congress now he’s being accused of being a loafer and not showing up for work,” Rush said.
Davis noted that Congress’ next lengthy session won’t be until January.
Rush was also critical of recent media reports about Jackson drinking in bars. “These accusations about bar-hopping and that kind of thing are ludicrous, it was not only disrespectful it had no basis in the truth. The man was not in a bar carousing with any women.”
* But, as to be expected when it’s Rush and Davis speaking, they went over the top…
But as both congressmen defended Jackson, once a rising Democratic prospect, the theme of the wounded innocent was ever-present.
“I remember a fella named Job who got sick during the Biblical days,” Davis said. “And Job’s friends went to see him because they thought that he must have done something that was terrible to have this illness heaped upon him. Turned out that Job had not done anything!”
Rush, meanwhile, likened Jackson’s situation to that of Bulls star Derrick Rose, who is recovering from a knee injury.
“Nobody is clamoring for Derrick Rose to come back before the doctors say he should come back,” Rush said.
Oh, please. Derrick Rose hasn’t mysteriously disappeared from public view and sent surrogates out to speak for him. Quite the opposite.
And Job? You’re gonna compare J3 with Job?
Sigh.
* Also, this…
Confirming reports that Jackson planned to return to the Mayo Clinic this week for further treatment, Rush said the lawmaker left for Mayo by car later Monday.
He’s apparently driving to avoid the media.
Definitely NBA style, that.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 11:14 am:
His situation doesn’t make me think of Job as much as it does Gob, as in Gob Bluth, because we’re in the Final Countdown to this election.
Now try getting that song out of your head. It’s stuck, and you’re welcome.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 11:26 am:
This isn’t even about his medical condition, anymore. He’s hiding from the media and running from the investigations. Yet, he’ll win re-election.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 11:58 am:
How bad is it when your front men defenders have a favor -ability rating lower than your own
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 12:03 pm:
–This whole thing just shows how ignorant the voters of Illinois really are. This reminds me of OJ Simpson in the Bronco. –
What are Illinois voters ignorant of in this situation? And exactly how is it like OJ?
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 12:04 pm:
Well, the Bulls lost without Derrick Rose. They would not have made it to the finals, but they would have beaten the sixers (most likely).
And speaking of Jobs, Steve Jobs is dead and Apple is still doing well! 2 more years, 2 more years!
- Angry Republican - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 12:30 pm:
Wow, is Bobby Rush now claiming Jackson is the same kind of cheater as Derrick “someone else take SAT for me and change my high school transcripts” Rose?
Next thing you know Rush will be comparing Lance Tyson to Lance Armstrong
- Heh Heh - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 12:40 pm:
There were accounts of a reincarnated Greek chariot driver in Wisconsin on I-90/94 yesterday, details are sketchy.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 12:48 pm:
the special election next fall should be a real barn burner..
- Irish - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 12:58 pm:
I am tired of all of this. When this recent development first came out J3’s people and his wife tried to make the media the fall guy. “J3 has to go back to Mayo because he can’t make his doctor’s appointments because of the media.”
However he can go to at least two bars. (I am not going to get into the cigar shops and sitting outside smoking a cigar. Others could have bought the cigars and you can’t fault a guy for relaxing outside with a stogey.) Whether he was with other women, a group, or whatever, that shows he seems to be able to move around unfettered.
So the conclusion I draw from this is that J3 and his people realize that saying nothing and continuing to hide behind this illness will win J3 the election. Once he is elected the only thing that will oust him is if the charges are proved and he is convicted. So once again the preserving of the status quo and preserving the job and lucretive benefits of an individual are more important than the constituents he serves.
And no surprise his cohorts are on board with all of it. And all of the youth that should be looking up to him as an example of possibilities and how to act come away with the lesson that you don’t have to have honesty, integrity or ethics, you just do whatever it takes to get what you want. And this is pervasive across the board, irregardless of party, race, gender, or faith.
- Heh Heh - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 1:00 pm:
Here! Here! Irish
- train111 - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 1:01 pm:
The sad part about it is that J3 is more intelligent, articulate and a harder worker (meaning doing something outside of sitting on your duff and collecting a paycheck) than Rush and Davis are combined. Illinois would be much better off if J3 got the help he needed and those two pieces of dead wood got out of the way (like that’s ever going to happen.)
Sad to see where J3’s career has come to. He had so much potential.
train111
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 1:13 pm:
train111: check out the demographics in Danny Davis’ district. Because of declining black population in Illinois/Chicago, and the black delegations demands to keep the same number of black seats, his district is not going to be a minority black district by the next cycle.
- train111 - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 1:25 pm:
Anonymous 1:13pm I sincerely doubt that Danny Davis’ district is 50%+1 African American today. The census data is as of 4/1/2010 and if the population continued to shift (depopulation of the west side, and increased population in downtown Chicago) in any way that it did the previous 10 years-then Davis is in a less than 50% AA district. Keep in mind that you probably can be assured that you keep an African American Congressman with 40% AA population however. The Democratic primary is the defacto election in that district.
train111
- mokenavince - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 1:45 pm:
I think Bobby Rush is going to be my new congressmen.The only thing I know about him
is he did’t sign the Norquist pledge.
That I believe that a step up from the
last guy.
Now at least I know I have no Congressmen
to represent me.
- DuPage Dave - Tuesday, Oct 23, 12 @ 6:59 pm:
Is anyone else reminded of the team, close to a recent election day, that went to visit the stricken John Stroger and emerged to inform the public that he was in fine shape?
In fact, weren’t these two well-wishers among the first group? My recollection is fuzzy.