Jesse Jackson To Artur Davis: "You Can't Vote Against Health Care And Call Yourself A Black Man'"

Yes, ol' Rev played the race card tonight at a Congressional Black Caucus event. Rev. Jesse Jackson (pictured) on Wednesday night criticized Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) for voting against the Democrats’ signature health care bill (hat tip: The Moderate Voice). “We even have blacks voting against the health care bill,” the liberal Democrat said at the reception. “You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.”

The remark stirred a murmur at the reception, held by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation as part of a series of events revolving around the 25th anniversary of Mr. Jackson’s run for president. Several CBC members were in attendance, including Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who’d introduced Mr. Jackson.

Rep. Davis, a moderate Democrat who is running for governor, is the only black member of Congress from Alabama. He is also the only CBC member to have voted against the health care bill earlier this month. Rep. Davis referred to Mr. Jackson’s 1988 run for president in a statement that said he would not engage Mr. Jackson on his criticism. “One of the reasons that I like and admire Rev. Jesse Jackson is that 21 years ago he inspired the idea that a black politician would not be judged simply as a black leader,” Rep. Davis’s statement said. “The best way to honor Rev. Jackson’s legacy is to decline to engage in an argument with him that begins and ends with race.” Mr. Jackson said later that he "didn't call anybody by name and I won't."

Mr. Jackson added that he wasn't saying that black lawmakers must vote a certain way. Instead, they should vote the interests of the people in their districts, and he said the health care bill would help Alabama because it's one of the poorest states in the country. "The poorest people need health care protection," Mr. Jackson said. "They have the highest infant mortality and the lowest life expectancy. They're dying from lack of access."

Other members of the CBC found no fault in Jackson's words. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) was in the audience. He called Mr. Jackson's criticism of Rep. Davis "accurate," but said he did not hear Mr. Jackson say "You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man." "If it is an issue that disproportionately impacts black folks, race has to be considered," Rep. Cleaver said. Mr. Jackson, he added, "is expected by his constituency to call balls and strikes."

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) called the remarks "vintage Jesse Jackson," but said Rep. Davis's vote against health care was consistent with a voting record more conservative than many CBC members. "Artur Davis has a more conservative constituency," Rep. Waters said. "Since he's running for governor of Alabama, he reflects an even more conservative constituency."

Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) said each man was doing what he considered the right thing. "People have a right to vote their constituency, and people have a right to speak their conscience," Rep. Jackson-Lee said. "Both happened."

Rep. Davis (pictured left) said he voted against the health care bill because "House leadership's approach is not the best we can do." He said he preferred a version passed by the Senate Finance Committee because it reduces subsidization of the health care industry, taxes high-value health plans instead of wealthy people, and is more effective in getting employers to help with health coverage.

Booker Rising response: Oh come on, Jesse, we all know that you were talking about Artur. Don't insult our intelligence with that coy nonsense. All blacks must tow the liberal orthodoxy or else we're not "authentically black"? No diverse views allowed in Mr. Jackson's world. What's next? Somebody claiming that Rev. Jackson can't call himself a black man because he supports abortion, which disproportionately affects blacks (just for the record, I'm pro-choice)? Folks could play this game all day. Just argue your point on its merits, Rev. Let's not forget that Mr. Davis also believes that Congress should sign up for any health care reform bill that it passes, as an accountability measure...which of course quickly got shot down by Democratic leadership in Congress.