CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Aug. 1, 2008 – 4:32 p.m.
Jesse Jackson Jr. Says He’ll Step Up (if Asked) to Fill Obama’s Seat
By Jonathan Allen, CQ Staff
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. would accept an appointment to the Senate if Barack Obama wins the presidency and leaves Gov. Rod Blagojevich with a vacancy to fill.
“I wouldn’t say no if asked,” said the Illinois Democrat, who serves as a national co-chairman for Obama’s campaign. In the past, he has declined to speculate on Obama Senate succession scenarios.
Several of Jackson’s colleagues also have been mentioned as possible successors to Obama if the Democrat wins the White House, as has Tammy Duckworth, a disabled Iraq war veteran who lost a House bid in 2006. Democratic Gov. Blagojevich could also appoint himself or another ally in state government.
Other than Jackson, the Democrats most often mentioned as replacements for Obama are Reps. Rahm Emanuel , Jan Schakowsky and Luis V. Gutierrez . Schakowsky has made clear that she is interested in the seat. Emanuel insists he doesn’t want it.
Despite being more than 20 years younger than Schakowsky, the 43-year-old Jackson has more seniority. If appointed to the Senate, he would be the chamber’s youngest member.
An Obama presidential victory would also leave the Senate without an African American member, which may, or may not, figure in a Blagojevich decision.
Comments
Arrgghh! Therein lies his interest in Obama.
NO TO A CONGRESSMAN JACKSON CANDIDACY FOR ILLINOIS GOVERNOR (and I can ammend this for U.S. Senator as well) The Sun Times Columnist Laura Washington wrote a column regarding the 2010 Illinois Governor's race and that one possible candidate could be Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. The campaign of Roland Burris put a bad taste in the mouths of any Black politician aspiring to be Governor. It was made clear that the majority White population abandoned Roland Burris who should have been Governor for he was the highest vote getter in EVERY part of the State when he was State Comptroller and Attorney General, but those same communities that elected him those prior positions did not vote for him for Governor. At this point I do not see another Black politician able to generate the kind of support that Roland Burris enjoyed when he was voted Comptroller and Attorney General. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr is in line to be the most powerful Black politician in Congress with a few more elections, for the majority of those in line for major political power in Congress will either be dead or gone from office, putting Jackson in a position to be the first Black to be Speaker of The House or Chairman of the powerful House Ways Means Committee with the ability to personally direct where federal dollars go and that can mean the most significant influx of dollars to Urban communities. We need NOT take Jackson out of that Seniority line. Congressman Jackson will be able to help more people from the constituencies he is concerned about as The first Black Speaker of The House or Chairman of House Ways and Means than being the Governor of Illinois. I do not see another Black politician on the rise that has the ability to generate the Seniority in Congress that Congressman Jackson currently represents. Those of us who call ourselves politically astute need to recognize the points I am making and should be doing all they can to keep Congressman Jackson where he is for the much bigger picture than just the State of Illinois. "Mark Allen is one of the best organizers of grassroots people in this country" (U.S. Senator and U.S. Presidential Candidate Barack Obama; U.S. Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr) MARK S. ALLEN, 46 Recently included in the 2007-08 edition of Who's Who In Black Chicago, and listed in Who's Who Among African Americans. Mark S. Allen has over 32 years of public service on local, state, and national levels, including 7 years as a national staff member to the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. Allen is a former talk show host on the legendary news/talk station WVON-AM. He is currently the Associate Editor of The South Street Journal Newspaper and Co-founder of The New Black Independent Media Coalition. 773-392-0165
heal the rift by appointing a woman
Young Mr Jackson shud not have a problem as Mr Obama will still be in Congress after the election.
Tammy Duckworth would be a great to replace Obama in the Senate.
JJ Jr. is quite a pol and could help keep Illinois important in the Senate. Tammy Duckworth was a great candidate for US Rep but lacks the experience to be a US Senator. Jan Shakowsky would be a great choice, as would Rahm Emmanuel, Lisa Madigan, or Melissa Bean. How about Jane Byrne? Blago will appoint whomever he thinks will challenge him for the Governorship in order to increase his chances for a third term of flying back and forth between Chicago and Springfield every day.
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