Congressman Jackson told Mark Stricherz of the online newspaper, "The Daily," he was "not well" during a two to three minute conversation. Jackson spoke with Stricherz over the wall of his back patio at his Washington, D.C. home. Stricherz said Jackson was sitting outside with his father, Jesse Jackson Senior.
"I asked him how he was doing and he didn't really answer my question. He said, "I was picking up my kids when your photographer saw me," Stricherz said.
Stricherz felt as though Jackson was eager to make the point that he is doing responsible things on a daily basis. However, the reporter says Jackson's statement contradicted another answer to a question.
"I asked him just what he'd been doing that day, what his usual routine was. He said, 'I go to the hospital a couple of time, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., which I thought was conflicting account because when I first asked what he was up to, he said he was picking up his kids at 1 o'clock," Stricherz said.
Congressman Jackson has been at his Washington, D.C. home since he was diagnosed with bipolar depression. His wife, Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson, has said he is under doctor's orders to stay home.
"I said, 'How are you feeling?' He said, 'not well,' and he bowed his head, not looking at his dad. It was an unusual response," Stricherz said.
