Jackson Jr.’s Mom: My Son Dealing With ‘Enormous Disappointment’
Jackson Jr.’s Mom: My Son Dealing With ‘Enormous Disappointment’
July 13, 2012 3:36 PM
U.S. Rep Jesse Jackson Jr. (Credit: Getty Images)
CHICAGO (CBS) — The mother of U.S. Rep. Jesse
Jackson Jr. broke her silence about her son’s illness, acknowledging the
congressman has had trouble dealing the “enormous disappointment” over
the past few years.
“I’m not ashamed to say,” Jacqueline Jackson said at a speech at an
Operation PUSH luncheon on Friday, “he thought he was going to be a
senator. He thought he was going to have a chance to run for mayor. And
young people don’t bounce back from disappointment like me and my
husband.”
Jackson Jr. was once in line to succeed Barack Obama in the U.S.
Senate before he became entangled in the corruption scandal of former
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted to trying to sell the Senate
appointment to the highest bidder. A Jackson fund-raiser allegedly told
Blagojevich he could raise millions of dollars for him if he named
Jackson to the seat.
That scandal torpedoed any mayoral hopes for the congressman, who has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Jackson Jr. has taken a leave of absence from Congress for about the
past month, while he gets treatment for what his doctors are calling a
“mood disorder.”
Mrs. Jackson said that young people need to understand that nothing in life is certain.
“We don’t believe a darn thing until we see it,” she said. “You’re
going to have to show us. We’re from Missouri. But young people also
need to listen. They need to make themselves available to understand
many of the illusions and the trinkets that are being dangled in front
of their faces.”
Mrs. Jackson also asked for prayers and privacy.
“My son, is unwell, and he needs a moment to heal. And I ask you to
pray for me without cease. Do for me what I’ve done for you. I want you
to respect that. Give us a moment. Most of all for him.”
