Press Office of Jack Jenkins

[Jack Jenkins]

PRESS OFFICE OF THE HONORABLE JACK JENKINS


Representing the 5th District of Atlanta

[Jack Jenkins]

Jenkins visits with CCGA

Rep. Jack Jenkins held a fundraiser with the Christian Coalition of Georgia yesterday, talking about the importance of family, and a few of the problems with the current capital punishment system. He called for support for the Democrats, saying that they would bring a change in the moral fiber of America, bringing back the strong judeo-christian values on which it was based. The text of his comments can be seen here:

capitolhill3.proboards76.com/index.cgi?board=democratfr&action=display&thread=1136188749

[Jack Jenkins]

Jenkins Holds Fundraisers

Rep. Jenkins held two fundraisers recently, meeting with the Nashville Songwriters Association International and then taking a tour of Fort Rucker with, and speaking to, the AMVETS of Alabama. He spoke on several subjects including Intellectual Property Theft, Taxes on the song rights, the Defense R&D bill, and Veteran's rights.

[Jack Jenkins]

Jenkins named House Minority Leader

Congressman Jack Jenkins, a retired Colonel in the Army Rangers was named House Minority Leader by the Democrats today. After the unexpected and unfortunate resignation of the respected Dennis Retton, Jenkins said he was honored to be given the position, and that he could only hope to do as good a job of directing his party's interests as Retton did.

[Jack Jenkins]

Rep. Jenkins dismisses Jackson-Cortez interview

Holding a press conference to discuss the next stop on his campaign trail, Retired Colonel Jenkins was asked to respond to comments made by Congresswoman Jackson-Cortez from Pennsylvania regarding the Democrats, in particular Rep. William Reynolds, the DNC Chair, and himself.

“Well folks, Ms. Jackson-Cortez is a respected minority member of the Republican party. That is the truth, and no mistake. She’s upset that we’ve used ads “attacking” the Republicans. First off, they started this campaign by attacking the Democrats, and secondly, if researched and verified facts count as deception, I’m in the wrong business. To tell you the truth folks, I’m just trying to lay out some facts, which have all been researched, verified and presented long before we reached this campaign. If she did her research, she would know that. It looks, however, like she’s too busy spouting off about my friend Mr. Reynolds’ apparent stereotyping of black people. I guess she hasn’t seen his picture lately.”

*laughter*

“Furthermore, I’m here to tell Ms. Jackson-Cortez that I have a gift for her. It’s right here in front of me.”

*pulls out history textbook*

*the crowd chuckles*

“Ms. Jackson-Cortez, this book is for you. It discusses the evolution of political parties in the United States. It might be useful for you to look at before you start spouting off about the roots of the Democratic Party, because you are obviously misinformed.”

“Now folks, if we could move on to more important issues, I’d like to put that interview aside.”

[Jack Jenkins]

Jack Jenkins' phone is ringing off the hook for comment regarding Representative Jackson-Cortez's latest comments, especially those regarding history. One reporter was able to get through, and had the following to ask:

Q: Mr. Jenkins, Ms. Jackson-Cortez had the following to say regarding your statements that she needs schooling in history: "Frankly I was incredulous when I heard the suggestion that I research the origins of the parties. It barely needs research - the information is out there for anyone to read. It may be that he is confusing the current Republican party with the Republican party that existed in the first years of the 19th century - whether deliberately or not. That Republican party took the name Democratic Republicans and then dropped the Republican title in the 1850s with the birth of the Republican party as it is now. After that, it was simply the Democratic party. The Democratic party who were in power at the time were strong among the slave-holding South and opposed ending slavery, opposed free labor, opposed the 14th amendment and early civil rights legislation. The Republicans fought for such rights. The information is readily available. I wonder if Mr. Jenkins can really be unaware of it." Do you have any Comment?

A: Well, Ms. Jackson-Cortez has at least half of her information correct, which I applaud. The Democratic Party was founded by Thomas Jefferson as the Democratic-Republican Party, more commonly referred to as the Republicans. It was not referred to as the Democratic Party until 1830. And there were Democrats who supported slavery and other such abominations at the time. However, what Ms. Jackson-Cortez fails to do is recognize the split in the party that took place before the 1860 election. If she were to read a ballot from that year, there were TWO Democratic candidates, Stephen A. Douglas for the Northern Democrats, and John Breckenridge for the Southern Democrats, who were the ones who supported slavery. In addition, after the election and subsequent secession by the South, the Northern Democratic Party was the only party left, and THAT split in two during the war, into the War Democrats and the Copperheads.

It is a matter of historical record that it wasn't until 1910, after several Republicans, including Theodore Roosevelt, split from the Party altogether, that the Democrats were able to successfully unify, and elected Woodrow Wilson to the presidency as the example of the new, unified Democratic Party. An example, who, in case Ms. Jackson-Cortez needs a refresher, attempted to outlaw child labor law (an effort rebuffed by the Republican nominee-led supreme court) and gave women the right to vote, as well as winning World War I. *chuckles* To think, without Democrats, Ms. Jackson-Cortez wouldn't even have been elected, let alone allowed to vote.

And yes, there was a period between 1919 and 1928 in which the Democrats were deeply divided by those against racism, and those who supported the Klan. And yes, during that time the Republicans came to power and led ably....led us right into the Great Depression. The next Democratic President was elected in 1928 after the Klan sympathizers finally lost the hold they had on the party. That man was FDR. A man who led us out of the Depression, through World War II to a triumph over evil until his death, one of the greatest leaders America has known.

As far as Strom Thurmond is concerned, the man was indeed an openly racist man. And he was originally a member of the Democratic Party during which time he spoke out in the longest recorded fillibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. However, he also split with the Democrats. He ran for president in 1948, but was not allowed as a Democrat, so he invented his own party, the States Rights Democratic Party, because the Democrats were supporting the beginnings of Civil Rights and encouraging minorities to vote. And then, in 1964 when he did switch parties, he became a Republican for the most ignoble of reasons. He left the Democrats because President Johnson shepherded the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law.

Basically, that moment was the culmination point in which the Democrats, a traditionally strong party in terms of Southern conservatives and other predominantly white communities, became the party of Civil Rights and Liberties. Republicans, on the other hand, started pandering to those former Democrats and became the more conservative party. In effect, the two parties completely switched roles in the system between 1948 and 1964. Since then the roles have remained, for the most part, the same.

But, if you want to listen to Ms. Cortez-Jackson, who merely slaps a label on things and leaves it as such, go ahead. But personally, I don't like to put milk in the orange juice carton. What's not important in this instance is the name Democrat, as she's implying, but instead what that name has stood for, and how it has evolved over time. These are not the Democrats of the KKK, just as these are not the Republicans of Lincoln. She said the information was readily available and requires no research, and she's right in that it shouldn't. But then, what does need research if you only look at surface labels.

Q: What about her comments regarding William Reynolds being a racist?

A: It's absurd. I have known of the man since we were both in the Army Rangers, and have known him well since we both retired. He has never been, nor is he now, discriminatory or prejudiced towards any group. I find it telling that she is so outspoken against Reynolds, but when confronted with the comments of her Republican colleague William "Whitie" Power, notably him referring to those living in the Middle East as Camel Jockeys, Women as the weaker sex, and spoke of a Jewish Conspiracy, she glosses them over, saying that of course they'd be different, they're from different districts and states. I suppose it's ok to be openly racist as long as you're a Republican in her mind. Those comments of hers are beneath contempt, full of partisan hypocrisy, and a cheapshot designed to distract away from the lack of substance she has provided in criticisms of our policies ( I challenge her to name one fact in any of our ads that cannot be verified by research) and of our history, and party.

Ms. Jackson-Cortez is a respected member of the House of Representatives, as I said before. That respect however, becomes drained when it is returned with ignorance.

Rep. Reynolds is an exemplary American who has served his country with pride. He represents his district, himself and his race with integrity and honor. He has never shown himself to be discriminatory or prejudiced in any way, and I am proud to know him as a human being, and serve alongside him in this Congress.

I apologize for being so longwinded, but I felt that such personal attacks on a personal friend and colleague deserved a response. He would do the same for me, and anyone else in this Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike should they be assailed by blatant falsehoods. I will not be answering any more questions about Ms. Jackson-Cortez, even if she should make any more comments. It's a waste of the time I could be using to better serve my country, and work towards a better America.