Martin Gottlieb's justifiably curious about just what Jesse Jackson thinks he's doing here in Ohio. His conclusion is that it's pretty much about staying in the spotlight at any cost and hoping to lay the smack down on Ken Blackwell.

So, the question arises, what is the Rev. Jesse Jackson up to?

This thing in Ohio — going to court over the re-election of George W. Bush, holding rallies, generally keeping the election alive — seems awfully pathetic, doesn't it?
...
Like others, [Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune] sees Jackson as keeping himself in the spotlight by rallying a part of his old base, which Jackson is wont to do as various issues come along. Page says that Jackson has been diminished by the revelation that he fathered a child out of wedlock, and that staying in the spotlight — which is necessary to maximize his impact — is not as easy as it once was.

Page also mentions the name of Blackwell as a motivator of Jackson.

"Everything is there," says Page, to get Jackson going. Blackwell is a black conservative Republican — of all things — who is moving toward the governorship and is "cocky" about it. Jackson, says Page, "feels dissed" by this development. He "takes himself very seriously" and doesn't want to be eclipsed as a leader by somebody like Blackwell.

That has the feel of a pretty good summary.

--Dayton Daily News