Free Republic

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) The Rev. Jesse Jackson celebrated his election-themed 63rd birthday party at a swank hotel, surrounded by California Democratic leaders and celebrity activists. ``It is, at once, my 63rd birthday and it is also mobilizing friends for a 19-day countdown to the Nov. 2 election,'' he said at a news conference before Thursday's party at the Beverly Hilton hotel. Jackson, who is president of the Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, urged people to get out and work ``to stop the schemes of voter suppression,'' referring to allegations by federal civil rights monitors that the ballots of black Florida voters...

While Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry addressed education during a speech at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, critics of Daimler-Chrysler picketed outside the building. Reverend Jackson is trying to help Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry connect with African American voters and this year's Rainbow PUSH conference provided a perfect venue. But Kerry's appearance this morning was overshadowed by a crowd of black activists. They're angry at Jackson for allowing an allegedly racist auto company to underwrite a portion of the rain be bow push conference. "The black vote is not for sale. The black vote is not for sale," chanted the demonstrators. Nearly...

A Loop rally demanding more jobs for young black men turned into a protest against the leadership of Reverend Jesse Jackson. With roughly 100,000 Chicagoans between 16 and 24 out of work or not in school, Rainbow Push was hoping to call to action disenfranchised young people, but a group of people disenchanted with Jesse Jackson led a spirited protest that sometimes drowned out the message of more jobs. Hundreds converged upon a frigid Federal Plaza today to hear politicians and political candidates talk passionately about creating more jobs. "Since this is a union working town the unions need to...