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A former high school football star in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson won the state's Democratic caucuses in 1984 and 1988.

Success needs no explanation. Failure does not have one that matters.

When I grew up in Greenville, every white man was a deputy sheriff.

I was never taught to be inferior in my home. I was taught that something was wrong with them. It's not that we weren't ready. They were not fair.

We had faith. We had hope. But faith is spiritual. Hope is spiritual. At some point, you have to have the law.

After we won Brown v. Topeka Board of Education in 1954, most folks where I lived couldn't understand what that really meant. Civil rights had no meaning to a lot of the older generation. I remember sitting on a porch in Greenville with my grandparents and their friends. Somebody said, "What does integration mean?" I said, "Well, you take salt and pepper, put 'em together, and shake 'em up -- that's what it means." Somebody said, "No time soon." Oh, that got some laughter. "No time sooooon."

A man who cannot be enticed by money or intimidated by the threat of jail or death has two of the strongest weapons that anyone has to offer.

My high school football coach taught me to bark signals with authority, or the other 10 players will not be inspired. You cannot get a team to move with precision on a weak signal.

People are screaming for the running back who scored the touchdown. But the lineman knows how he got there.

What was funny at one point ain't funny no more. One of my mama's favorite jokes was, "How do you name all them Chinamen? Drop the silverware. Ting-tong. Ching-chong." That ain't funny no more.

Everybody has a best.

Our goal was not freedom. Freedom was the necessary prerequisite to get to equality.

Unequal school funding will not end on the day of Barack's inauguration.

If you think black people have a motivation problem, open up a Wal-Mart and advertise a thousand jobs. Watch 5,000 people show up.

This is what you hear: Kobe made it. The Williams sisters made it. Why don't you work harder? Well, working harder did not solve the problems when the levy collapsed in New Orleans and 200,000 were sent into exile.

Sometimes it's the context. If Michael Richards is sincere, then you forgive. You redeem, and you move on.

When you're behind, get up earlier.

Storms come, and they are so personal, they seem to know your address and have the key to your house.

If a black doctor discovers a cure for cancer, ain't no hospital going to lock him out.

I supported Barack in the state senate. I made his case before people knew who he was. There was no plan to attack him. I was talking about a philosophical difference. I had no idea it was being recorded. But locker-room trash talk has no place in the domain for responsible leaders. I was sincerely pained by the error and quick to apologize.

When all the dust settles, love covers all.

Interviewed by Cal Fussman, July 24, 2008

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