While Trying to Smear House GOP as Racist, MSNBC Mixes Up Rep. Jesse Jackson With Rev. Jesse Jackson
In the midst of fill-in host Craig Melvin hyping accusations that black
lawmakers were "being unfairly targeted for ethics investigations" by
the Republican-led House Ethics Committee during Firday's News Nation on
MSNBC, the channel's graphics department mistakenly displayed
an image on screen of the Reverend Jesse Jackson senior, instead of his
son, Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. [Listen to the audio]
Melvin touted Democratic Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver "now calling for
members...of the House ethics panel to temporarily step aside." He
continued: "The Congressman writing a letter saying in part, quote, 'I
write to express my deep and abiding concern with the protracted length,
abnormal number, motive, and fairness of pending matters.'"
As pictures of five black Democratic members of Congress under
investigation appeared on screen, including the wrong Jackson photo,
Melvin turned to Politico's Manu Raju and wondered: "Is this, first of
all, is this an unusual number?"
After the segment concluded, Melvin apologized for the error: "I also
want to apologize to our viewers at home. We just put up a graphic of
the – of the five congress people who are under investigation, under
scrutiny by the ethics panel. We mistakenly put up a picture of Jesse
Jackson senior, it's Jesse Jackson Jr., we apologize for that mistake."
This is not the first time MSNBC had an ID problem with Jesse Jackson. In October of 2009, then-MSNBC host Contessa Brewer introduced Jackson as "the Reverend Al Sharpton."
Here is a portion of the May 18 exchange:
2:40PM ET
CRAIG MELVIN: Are black lawmakers being unfairly targeted for ethics
investigations in Congress? Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, chairman of the
Congressional Black Caucus, is now calling for members of House ethics –
of the House ethics panel to temporarily step aside. The Congressman
writing a letter saying in part, quote, "I write to express my deep and
abiding concern with the protracted length, abnormal number, motive, and
fairness of pending matters." Joining me now is Politico's Manu Raju,
and of course his article first appeared in Politico. Manu, good
afternoon to you.
MANU RAJU: Thanks for having me.
MELVIN: Five black lawmakers currently under scrutiny in some shape or form by the Ethics Committee.
[ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC: Pictures of five members of Congress under ethics
investigation, including Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, but Jesse
Jackson senior's picture is shown. Click on image to enlarge.]
MELVIN: Is this, first of all, is this an unusual number?
(...)
MELVIN: I also want to apologize to our viewers at home. We just put up
a graphic of the – of the five congress people who are under
investigation, under scrutiny by the ethics panel. We mistakenly put up a
picture of Jesse Jackson senior, it's Jesse Jackson Jr., we apologize
for that mistake. There are the five congress people who are under
scrutiny by the congressional ethics panel.
-- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.
