Democratic leader Jesse Jackson may have endorsed the Bill Clinton-Albert Gore ticket, but he clearly is still angry about the Arkansas governor's strategy of courting white conservative voters by snubbing the liberal wing of the party.
But Jackson said Monday he will at least do his share of campaigning for the Democratic ticket.Jackson was asked on the ABC "Good Morning" program Monday to answer criticism that his endorsement was less than enthusiastic.
"Well, that's not true," Jackson said. "I made a commitment to vote, to support the ticket. I submit to you that when the fall campaign comes, I will travel as much as any other senator. . . . I will do my share of the work."
Jackson told a television talk show Sunday he was uncertain whether he would actively campaign for the ticket. And he compared Clinton's criticism of a black rap singer to the racially motivated Willie Horton advertisement aired by a supporter of President Bush during the 1988 presidential campaign, saying both were calculated for political impact.
Despite Jackson's comments, Gore and other Democratic political figures expressed confidence that the Rainbow Coalition founder would be actively involved in the campaign.