open mic night

I first found this whole "Jesse Jackson trash talking Obama on an open mic and Bill O'Riley getting an orgasm over it" thing interesting, and now it's almost, but just almost, pushed into amusing.

I turned the corner in my thinking over this when I read Dan Savage's comment:

It may be the crudest language you’ve ever heard on a television news program (or more likely not), but it’s definitely the nicest thing Jackson’s done for Obama all year.

Obama now gets to accept a groveling apology from Jackson; he gets Bill O’Reilly telling his (white) conservative audience about how Obama’s upsetting a guy they probably already dislike; and the whole affair gets everyone in the media talking (again) about how Obama’s willing to say tough things about faith and personal responsibility even if they end up pissing off members of his traditional base.

Rev. Jackson, you just became this year’s Sister Souljah.