Jackson's son stumps in LV for Democrats

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson urged members of the Las Vegas black community to elect people on Nov. 3 who they feel will address the needs of blacks regardless of party affiliation.

Still, the son of the famed civil rights leader of the same name said that the candidates who will best do that job are area Democrats.

Jackson, D-Ill., visited Las Vegas on Monday to stump for U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and congressional candidate Shelley Berkley.

Jackson, 33, spoke at a luncheon at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and later visited the West Las Vegas Library for a rally.

"There is a sense of urgency among the Democrats," he said. "Republicans seem to be divided on the future of the president. Many Democrats, while they don't approve of his (Bill Clinton's) personal transgressions, don't believe they reach the standard of impeachment."

Jackson said voter ignorance in the black community will serve only to further under-representation of blacks. He said if blacks do not vote they should not expect to have a strong political voice.

Jackson, who represents Chicago's tough south side, said blacks need to watch the progress of every black politician in the country, and need to be aware of political history, including that of politicians of the past as well as office holders of today.

John Mason, chairman of Nevada Republican Party, said a visit from Jackson provides little help to Nevada Democrats. He said Jackson's fame doesn't come from his political accomplishments.

"Jesse Jackson Jr. is probably more famous because he is Jesse Jackson's son than for anything he has done in Congress," Mason said. "That kind of member of Congress generally does not make it to Nevada (to campaign) for Republicans."

But Jackson said: "Why shouldn't they be impressed by the 91st African American ever elected to Congress? Nevada has never seen anyone like me. ... Most people in Congress don't look like me. They have never looked like me. There have been 11,544 Americans to serve in Congress and less than 103 have been African Americans.

"I'm not a basketball player, so I will not fill a stadium. I'm not a boxer so the casinos have no big interests in what I'm about. I'm not a rapper. I'm not a dancer. I'm not part of the entertainment culture. I'm just one of those young African Americans who happens to be one of 435 members of Congress that are making decisions on the direction of the entire nation."

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