--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is…" description: "\"I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is controversial, and not a popular figure with many, but he hired me in 1984. He gave me my first job in politics.\" — Do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/donna-brazile-2392_controversial_i-know-reverend-jesse-jackson-is-controv_3122357.png" --- # I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is controversial, and not a… ![“I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is controversial, and not a popular figure with many, but he hired me in 1984. He gave me my first job in politics.” quote by Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/donna-brazile-2392_controversial_i-know-reverend-jesse-jackson-is-controv_3122357.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/donna-brazile-2392_controversial_i-know-reverend-jesse-jackson-is-controv_3122357.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/donna-brazile-2392_controversial_i-know-reverend-jesse-jackson-is-controv_3122357.png) > “I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is controversial, and not a popular figure with many, but he hired me in 1984. He gave me my first job in politics.” [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges hiring a controversial figure, highlighting pragmatic choices over popularity. **In simple terms:** She hired despite controversy for practical reasons. Key Takeaway Prioritize competence over public opinion. Themes politics pragmatism controversy Mood pragmatic cautious Type political career advice When to use this quote - campaign staffing - political strategy - mentor selection Key Concepts networking career advancement Questions to Reflect On - When is it acceptable to work with a polarizing individual? - How do you mitigate reputational risk? A Different Perspective Choosing controversial allies can damage reputation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Controversial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [First job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-job/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Gave Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-job-436885/) [Hired 1984](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hired-1984-5487248/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesse-jackson/) [Job Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-politics-1090365/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reverend Jesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverend-jesse-1317956/) [Reverend Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverend-jesse-jackson-223025/) [Reverends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverends/) ## Related quotes > [Following revelations that he fathered a love child, the good Reverend Jesse Jackson - or should we say the 'very' good Reverend - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/following-revelations-that-he-fathered-a-love-child-the-good-reverend/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [It has always been an irony to me that the 'religious right' has come under so much attack for being involved in politics when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-coles-james/it-has-always-been-an-irony-to-me-that-the-religious-right-has-come/) [Kay Coles James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-coles-james/) > [When I used to work for Reverend Jesse Jackson he would say, "You've got to know the rules in order to break the rules."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/when-i-used-to-work-for-reverend-jesse-jackson-he-would-say-you-ve/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [The United States, for its part, downgraded from low-level to complete withdrawal, much to the regret of other delegates such as the Reverend Jesse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/the-united-states-for-its-part-downgraded-from-low-level-to-complete/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [In 1984, I managed Walter Mondale's campaign for president. Mondale won the nomination after a bruising battle with Colorado Senator Gary Hart and Reverend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/in-1984-i-managed-walter-mondale-s-campaign-for-president-mondale-won/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [When I think about what I'm going through, as President, it doesn't compare to what the folks that I'm representing are going through. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-i-think-about-what-i-m-going-through-as-president-it-doesn-t/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It is our job above all in politics to tackle the big issues and to explain them, and have the honesty to say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/it-is-our-job-above-all-in-politics-to-tackle-the-big-issues-and-to/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [Everyone knows that I have just accepted, with short notice, the worst job in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/everyone-knows-that-i-have-just-accepted-with-short-notice-the-worst/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) > [Or they'll talk about fear, which we used to call politics- job politics, social politics, government politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/or-they-ll-talk-about-fear-which-we-used-to-call-politics-job/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [My father was the Prime Minister of Pakistan. My grandfather had been in politics, too; however, my own inclination was for a job other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/my-father-was-the-prime-minister-of-pakistan-my-grandfather-had-been/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [I suppose I've always put the career, the job and politics, all of that first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/i-suppose-i-ve-always-put-the-career-the-job-and-politics-all-of-that/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [I have the best job in politics in Alabama. As the attorney general, I just go to work every day and think of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/i-have-the-best-job-in-politics-in-alabama-as-the-attorney-general-i/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [My father was a director, and he used to always tell me, "You should be an actress." When I was 17, he gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/my-father-was-a-director-and-he-used-to-always-tell-me-you-should-be/) [Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/) > [My dad gave up his job; he stopped working - for me. Without that, I definitely wouldn't be as successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-kim/my-dad-gave-up-his-job-he-stopped-working-for-me-without-that-i/) [Chloe Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-kim/) > [Dear haters... thank you, you gave me a job. Yours sincerely, middle finger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-haters-thank-you-you-gave-me-a-job-yours-sincerely-middle-finger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Donna Brazile > [“Wait,” I said. “That victory fund was supposed to be for whoever was the nominee, and the state party races. You’re telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/wait-i-said-that-victory-fund-was-supposed-to-be-for-whoever-was-the/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [We were not republicans or democrats during Katrina. We truly were all Americans, and Trent Lott came through for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/we-were-not-republicans-or-democrats-during-katrina-we-truly-were-all/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“As I stood up to walk to the spin room I saw that it was different for this debate. We were surrounded by gossip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/as-i-stood-up-to-walk-to-the-spin-room-i-saw-that-it-was-different/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [Since Bush has been in office, African-American women have fallen behind in terms of income and wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/since-bush-has-been-in-office-african-american-women-have-fallen/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“I didn’t believe that these nice liberals would have missed seeing the film 12 Years a Slave, in which Solomon Northup’s friend Patsey was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/i-didn-t-believe-that-these-nice-liberals-would-have-missed-seeing/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [Trent Lott saved my family. I needed three things from him personally, and he came through for me. He made sure that the ice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/trent-lott-saved-my-family-i-needed-three-things-from-him-personally/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [No voters will be left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/no-voters-will-be-left-behind/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [There's no question that Donald Trump has said things that are very unsettling. I mean, whether it's comparing Mexicans to rapists, demonizing Muslim Americans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/there-s-no-question-that-donald-trump-has-said-things-that-are-very/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“Although the Russians had sown disinformation through fake news in the Ukrainian election in 2014 and hacked into the election system to manipulate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/although-the-russians-had-sown-disinformation-through-fake-news-in/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [Donald Trump has not held an event in the black community. He has not gone to a black church, as Hillary Clinton has done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/donald-trump-has-not-held-an-event-in-the-black-community-he-has-not/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“learned two things from the students. One was that they disliked identity politics. They thought that Hillary spent too much time trying to appeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/learned-two-things-from-the-students-one-was-that-they-disliked/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [If a critic doesn't think I can act, it's because I'm not acting. That's me - and that's the way I act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/if-a-critic-doesn-t-think-i-can-act-it-s-because-i-m-not-acting-that/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“After CrowdStrike rebuilt the system, all of our staff had to learn new computers, new log-ins, new procedures, at the moment when their personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/after-crowdstrike-rebuilt-the-system-all-of-our-staff-had-to-learn/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“The fact that the press could not get a straight explanation out of Hillary or her staff meant they turned to the next person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/the-fact-that-the-press-could-not-get-a-straight-explanation-out-of/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [“We decided about six in the morning that we did not want Chip to suffer. His last act was to kiss Betsy on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/we-decided-about-six-in-the-morning-that-we-did-not-want-chip-to/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) [Explore all 169 Donna Brazile quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) ## More Controversial quotes > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [For a lot of women, one of the hardest things about leadership is the desire to be liked by everyone. That's often inconsistent with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weddington/for-a-lot-of-women-one-of-the-hardest-things-about-leadership-is-the/) [Sarah Weddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weddington/) > [The chief beneficiary of life insurance policies for young, single people is the life insurance agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/the-chief-beneficiary-of-life-insurance-policies-for-young-single/) [Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/) > [If art is singular expression, then by nature, the best art is controversial. But when art stirs debate for reasons besides its artistic integrity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/if-art-is-singular-expression-then-by-nature-the-best-art-is/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Here - at this final hour, Harlem has come to bid farewell to one of its brightest hopes - extinguished now, and gone from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ossie-davis/here-at-this-final-hour-harlem-has-come-to-bid-farewell-to-one-of-its/) [Ossie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ossie-davis/) > [Those who misrepresent the normal experiences of life, who decry being controversial, who shun risk, are the enemies of the American way of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wriston/those-who-misrepresent-the-normal-experiences-of-life-who-decry-being/) [Henry Wriston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wriston/) > [“My personal analysis is that the media have made the AI-safety debate seem more controversial than it really is. After all, fear sells, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/my-personal-analysis-is-that-the-media-have-made-the-ai-safety-debate/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [I think if I'm controversial it's not because I set out to be. It's because I've never felt comfortable being part of someone else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-think-if-i-m-controversial-it-s-not-because-i-set-out-to-be-it-s/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [I was very willing to take on controversial roles that people didn't really want to look at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-perez/i-was-very-willing-to-take-on-controversial-roles-that-people-didn-t/) [Rosie Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-perez/) > [I get called 'controversial' all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-get-called-controversial-all-the-time/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [I've been a very effective leader in the gay rights movement, though at times I've been controversial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-o-leary/i-ve-been-a-very-effective-leader-in-the-gay-rights-movement-though/) [Jean O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-o-leary/) > [“At the time, though, vaccination was controversial. Many were opposed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wright/at-the-time-though-vaccination-was-controversial-many-were-opposed/) [Jennifer Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wright/) [Browse all 486 Controversial quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is controversial, and not a popular figure with many, but he hired me in 1984. 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