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*The Rev. Al Sharpton is trying to defend the recent actions of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who caught a firestorm of criticism for his off-air remarks regarding Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
"We have all made mistakes. We have all erred, and we ought not try to sugar coat when we err," Sharpton said during a meeting of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Kenner, LA.
"But we should not throw away everything when we err, and to say that Rev. Jackson made a mistake is correct, but to act like Rev. Jesse Jackson is not pivotal to our movement, our history ... is wrong."
"Jesse Jackson," he added, "is somebody."
Jackson was scheduled to address the SCLC's 50th anniversary convention Tuesday morning, but his camp said he was on vacation and a rep was sent in his place.
Sharpton, meanwhile, also used his appearance at the event to applaud Obama's success and make a promise to be of service to his campaign if needed. But he also said there is room for more than one leader in the ongoing civil rights struggle. He called the Illinois senator a product of the movement — not the end to it.
"The bias in the media is they try to act like we can't have multiple strategists," Sharpton said. "We have never had a one-man movement."