Democrats scramble to court Sharpton

[rodeodance]

Source: AP



Democrats scramble to court Sharpton

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 21 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Democratic presidential contenders are scrambling for support in what's being dubbed the
Al Sharpton primary. The civil rights leader livened up the 2004 Democratic primary with his pompadour hairdo and sharp, witty oratory. This election, the high-profile Sharpton, fresh from the fight over Don Imus' derogatory remarks, is attracting all the party's major candidates this week for his annual National Action Network convention.

The solid attendance — starting with John Edwards on Wednesday and continuing with Sens.Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) later this week — reflects Sharpton's prominence in the party, concern that he might run again and the Democrats' effort to appeal to the base, particularly black voters.

No wonder the event was being called the Sharpton primary.

"I think some people really believe that we have put these things behind us; that the civil rights movement took care of all that and everyone is on a level playing field now," Edwards said in prepared remarks in which he talked about bigotry, intolerance and the Imus controversy.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_on_el_pr/campaign2008_sharpton;_ylt=AgBR7gkozYlA8ser4WC1XHiMwfIE

[brentspeak]

1. They should be scrambling to stay the heck away from him

[babylonsister]

2. Amen. nt

[IndianaGreen]

4. Sharpton was the chief race baiter in the Tawana Brawley fiasco

Get your picture taken with Sharpton, and lose votes!

[Mike Daniels]

12. Not to mention that he did nothing to try to calm things down in Crown Heights

but instead provoked the situation by using certain loaded words to describe the Jewish population.

[wisteria]

5. No argument here! n/t

[BlueManDude]

3. yep

[leftist.]

6. Brawley is a poor argument.

Can we PLEASE stop using it at DU?!?! Once, when I was a kid, I wet the bed. Will I forever be known as "Former Bed-wetter"?? The Brawley argument is old and done with, left as remnants for right wing entertainment radio to pick up. Can we please be done with it here at DU? Please?!

[Superman Returns]

7. bad comparison

wetting your bed when you were young and comparing it to ruining someone's life, career, and reputation is not comparable

[wellst0nev0ter]

8. Eh, I Guess Whites Have The Right To Denounce Sharpton

For Tawana Brawley, Crown Heights, "white interlopers" etc. Blacks (at least black New Yorkers) have a right to denounce everyone else for Howard Beach, the Central Park Jogger case, Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond, Sean Bell, etc, where Al Sharpton was there to support the victims and the black community while everyone else distanced themselves. Yes, Sharpton made his mistakes, but unlike some penny-ante politician, he doesn't let those quiet his advocacy for the black community, and for blacks, like myself, that matters much more than the fact that some white men were cleared of raping Tawana Brawley.

[Roy]

9. Very well stated... Thank you..

[Laughing Mirror]

10. I've come to the conclusion that they're jealous

None of the candidates could display such a brilliant and quick a mind as Brother Sharpton in the 2004 debates, and none of them ever came close to expressing their mind so plainly and with such force and beauty. Remember how each and every one would all would audibly groan when they were scheduled to speak after Sharpton had spoken. He was too tough an act to follow. In fact almost impossible it seemed. Next to Al Sharpton, all the other candidates paled (no pun intended) by comparison.

The haters keep demanding an apology although there are laws in this country against double jeopardy and Sharpton has already been convicted and has already paid for Tawana Brawley, and appears to have learned his lesson from it.

Instead of hating, the haters might offer their forgiveness instead. But then they wouldn't be haters anymore.

[IndianaGreen]

15. Sharpton was never convicted of anything. He was found liable by a jury.

Sharpton remains unrepentant and defiant about his despicable role in the Tawana Brawley case.

[annabanana]

14. This white chick agrees..

I'm tired of Sharpton getting beat with this old stick.

[Mike Daniels]

13. Until Sharpton apologizes for false accusations he leveled in that case

the Brawley incident should dog him anytime he becomes someone to be approached for endorsement in a political race.

[Pavulon]

16. Duke Lacrosse, same shit, different decade

still a race baiting asshole.

[Irreverend IX]

11. A "Reverend" is nothing but a used car salesman with a Bible.

"Holy men" should be kept as far away from politics as possible.

[legerdemain]

17. Amen.

Brother Sharptongue is one of the truly despicable characters in modern American politics.