Sharpton's address to Bush stole the entire show, in my view

[jpgray]

Awesome, awesome delivery and conviction in that speech.

[Massacure]

1. Edwards was still visable though.

[The Blue Knight]

2. Al Sharpton killed during his speech.

[jpgray]

3. I may be biased because I've heard the nucleus of Edwards' speech before

During the primaries.

[GBD4]

36. couldn't agree more

It was extremely similar to his old stump, including the part about poverty. I was hoping for some more new material. Yes, he's a great speaker, and if I never heard it before, I'd say it was a great speech. But too much was a repeat.

[GreenArrow]

37. positive platitudes, pleasantly parlayed.

Nothing earthshaking in it, but well delivered.

[Kipepeo]

4. He made me whelp!

With enthusiasm!!

[tblue37]

32. I hope you found homes for those puppies! n/t

[Tosca]

5. Yeah, well, he can afford it.

/Awesome, awesome delivery and conviction in that speech

The speeches are always awesome when the speakers have nothing to lose. Geeziz, Al can be wide open because the stakes are about as high as a mouse under a tire.

[Kool Kitty]

6. Al's speech was my fave tonight, too.

[sandnsea]

7. Yes it was spectacular

But then, it has a different purpose than Edwards' speech. He doesn't have to lay out a plan to gain anybody's confidence to get a vote. But it was wonderful and I loved him for taking it to Bush the way he did. I hope we hear alot more from him, and so many other wonderful speakers at this convention. I am so excited!

[jpgray]

8. Had Edwards given that kind of speech, he would never hear the end of it

Sharpton was the perfect man for the job, and I'm glad someone recognized that, because he hit a homerun after a slightly shaky start to his speech. Edwards did exactly what he needed to do, and with an eloquence and ability that I've come to expect from him, but the real shocker tonight was Al.

[Frances]

9. Sharpton is sharp!

We have had some great speeches at this convention: Bill and Hillary the first night; Obama, Teresa, and the 12-year-old girl last night; and Sharpton and Edwards tonight.

I decided not to watch the spin tonight and just enjoy the convention. I think the delegates there are going to go home really pumped.

[Sugarbleus]

12. Sharpton can think on his feet. He has what it takes to tell it

like it is. He's a bulldog and won't back down. I love it. The pundits et al can yak all they want but Sharpton just gets "sharper" in spite of it.

In case you haven't already, go check out the convention pics thread here in GD. Some show Sharpton, among all the rest. It's awesome.

[teresafan]

10. Was the ride the donkey a slight or warning?

Was he saying they been taken for a ride?

[jpgray]

11. Neither--an affirmation of their bond to the party

He mentioned how the Republicans gave them nothing of their promise from the Civil War to Herbert Hoover, and yet the Democrats passed the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, etc. George's attempt to 'bargain' for African American votes was met head-on with the contempt it deserved--these votes are not for sale.

[sandnsea]

13. Teresa fan?

I think not. We have a search function, you know. Bye Bye!

[hlthe2b]

14. I agree.... And if the Repugs think they are going to strip many minority

voters away from the DEMS, I got news for them. Reverend Al will go very far in pulling them right back (not that I really think many African Americans or Hispanics were likely to have been too tempted to go Repug). Someone here posted earlier that they thought the DEMS should disavow Sharpton. Assuming that person was being sincere, I can only say YOU ARE CRAZY!

Reverend Al said what needed to be said-- and extremely effectively.

[shindig]

15. Al's speech rocked!

It's interesting to hear the "pundits" use terms like "angry" and "bash" to describe Al tonight. They hear a man preaching about liberty and they label it angry.

The people covering things on tv really don't relate. They are just one pre-conceived notion after another.

Al was funny after the speech, talkin to candy crowley. She asked him about bashing bush. He said he wasn't bashing, he was answering Bush's questions about why black people support democrats. He said bashing would be calling names. He didn't do that, he said. He reminded her that he was not disrespectful in any way. He called the unelected fraud Mr. President, etc. But Candy just hears the loud voice and got scared. Doesn't matter what he says, she don't like it! Al got another great line in to Candy also when he said that that it's policies not appointing "token" (my words) black people that counts.

Al was a little screechy though, unfortunately. He seemed to be breathing a little funny. Might not be feeling well. I'm sure if he listened to the tape, he would admit he should have been one octave lower throughout the speech.

The volume was perfect. He was just one notch too high, so he was screeching. If he fixes that, he speaks in there like a MLK. He was poetic and moving. Of course the stupid pundits just keep wanting to call him a comic, because they don't understand anything not-white.

[ashling]

27. I loved his dig about the supreme court

If Bush had appointed the court in 1954 Clarence Thomas would never have gone to law school.

[shindig]

29. awesome line

That was a GREAT line. Haha, the republicans are simply "flabbergasted" by that one. But if you remind them that Bush opposes any form of affirmative action, they don't know how to answer. Then if you remind them that Bush is a poster boy for what affirmative action can do for someone, they get really mad. hehe

[progressivebydesign]

17. His financial dealings with the GOP is what some of us question about him.

Nader (I'm not a Nader fan) was trashed here for taking GOP money, etc. Yet Sharpton has done the same thing recently, ala Roger Stone, GOP strategist/facilitator. If someone could explain to me why this was okay.. then I'd be cool with him. The calls to disavow Sharpton come from those GOP finance revelations that have not been addressed here lately, but were discussed at length here when it all was revealed during the primary season.

[hlthe2b]

21. I take Sharpton on Balance....

besides the financial dealings during the primary, I still have issues with the whole Tawana Brawley debacle. But, as I say, I take him on balance (as I do with all of our Dem leadership.

[progressivebydesign]

25. That's the right attitude. One that I'll adopt. Thanks.. N/T

[Radical Activist]

30. When Democrats start funding liberal African-American candidates

in a serious way, then I'll worry about Sharpton taking money from Republicans. But, the way things are now, I can hardly blame him. Democratic Party donors are usually rich white people who don't give much to candidates who address issues that are largely of concern to the working poor. Sharpton has to take campaign money where ever he can get it. It bothers me less than the amount of corporate money most Dems take.

[progressivebydesign]

16. I respectfully disagree...

.. Edwards speech was the best. With Sharpton, I always believe he gives his speeches.. not from the heart, but from the ego. He writes excellent speeches, and delivers them with fire.. but he never connects with me emotionally. I still haven't warmed up to him after reading the extensive coverage of his dealings with Republican Roger Stone, et al, and how they paid for much of his campaign, and provided him with a lovely Manhattan pad to hang out in.

Edwards was much more sincere, in my eyes. Sharpton did a great job of stirring things up.. and I appreciate that.

[shindig]

18. well, i agree

I have been having some mixed emotions about Al's ego lately. He seemed to be getting a little cozy on right-wing talk shows over the last few months, too. And the Roger Stone thing was weird, no doubt. I thought he made up for it tonight.

[progressivebydesign]

22. Yes, his speech was great..

.. I have such mixed feelings about him. I truly appreciate what he did at the convention tonight. You know, I just still have that nagging feeling about the Roger Stone thing.

[ewagner]

19. I'm different I guess

Al connected with me tonight because he reminded Bush* ,as well as me and the rest of the nation, that the Black American vote was paid for in blood of civil rights workers in Mississippi and with the blood of four little girls in a church .....

that vote is too precious to be bartered...

Thanks Al...thanks for reminding me.

[shindig]

31. AND he brought up the supreme court justices

to be appointed in the next president's term. That's reason enough why Bush must go. It's not mentioned enough. I appreciated Al for talking about it.

You know Al Sharpton has problems. I think the Tawana Brawley thing is far enough in the past to let that go now. Nobody died on that one, you know.

And there's the ego thing and all that. But Al seems pretty sincere when talking about the civil rights struggle and the meaning of constitutional law.

[shindig]

20. Edwards was great!

When he talked about the troops and how they were alone, I thought of one of my good friends who came back from Iraq, thankfully, after being there for 9 months.

He's got a great family and friends, but he's having some problems coping with things and himself. It's taking a long time for him to completely open up to us about things that went on there. While I was listening to Edwards' speech, I was hoping he was catching some of it.

My buddy in the army is through with Bush, but getting him to accept Kerry and Edwards is taking some time.

On a lighter note, we have to keep workin at it. It's cliche I know, but I think the independents who vote are going to vote for Kerry. We win if our base shows up, BIG TIME, on election day. I think we win big IF we turnout.

[progressivebydesign]

24. You must have loved the speech by Steve Brozak..

.. Did you catch that one? It was wonderful. He was the Lt. Col (?) of the Marines who worked with soldiers returning from Iraq. He realized how wrong things were going in Iraq, and the lack of support by the Bush Admin. for the troops returning. He switched parties, and I believe he is running for Congress(?). His speech alone would be utra important for any of your pro-military friends who may be wavering about Bush. Brozak spoke eloquently about our troops... as did Edwards.

[Dancing_Dave]

23. It was profoundly brilliant and got some real DEMOCRATIC energy going

With no "Bush Lite" BS!:yourock:

Many Democrats are making a fatal error in echoing the Republicans misleading militarist foreign policy themes. They are headed straight for disaster just like President Johnson was with the Vietnam War.

[shindig]

26. I don't completely agree

because of 911. If you're saying America's foreign policy is failing, then I agree with you. If you're saying that we don't have a right to defend ourselves while continuing to work to change ourselves, then I disagree with you.

[CaTeacher]

28. Sharpton is the greatest! I wish we

had more people who could deliver a rip rousing speech the way he does! It had me cheering, screaming and crying! What a wonderful orator!

[DemWitch]

33. just caught him on the replay

and then sat there stunned at Wolfie and Judy bitch and moan.

Al fired the place up... and he wasn't bashing Bushie... he was answering a question that Shrubya asked... Rev. Al did a great job. When he started in about how the vote was sacred to him, damn, I puddled right up. I am so proud to be a Democrat this week.

[Gore1FL]

34. I had to jump from MSNBC to CSPAN mid speech

for some reason, MSNBC decided to break in midway and start bitching about it.

[Shopaholic]

35. Chris Matthews and his over-inflated ego

decided to break in near the end of Al's speech and start bringing up the Tawana Brawley stuff--essentially calling him a liar and saying how Al was ruining the Democrats' chances for reaching the undecideds by putting on the radical Al on in primetime. Yes, I've fired off an e-mail to MSNBC for pulling the speech early. I suggest you do the same. [e-mail] or [e-mail]
---ask them if they're going to do the same during the Republican Convention. No, I bet we get all those speeches uninterrupted. Of course, the repugs are putting out their "moderates"--folks who clearly aren't representative of 99% of the Republican party--but will the media point that out???????