Obama's Early Success Exposes Sharpton And His Ilk As Irrelevant

The Baltimore Sun ^ | March 16, 2007 | Kathleen Parker

[edpc]

The Rev. Al Sharpton's desperation is showing. His recent attacks on presidential candidate Barack Obama and his threat to withhold his support have exposed the trick behind Mr. Sharpton's magic act. His audience is leaving the tent, and Mr. Sharpton is scrambling for relevancy.

Mr. Sharpton has been challenging Mr. Obama's credentials in the black community and saying that the Democratic senator from Illinois is the darling of white leadership, according to Democratic sources. Mr. Sharpton told CBS News that he is withholding his endorsement until after his National Action Network summit next month. Meanwhile, he's playing hard to get between the Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton camps.

Now, it is fair to ask, what is Mr. Sharpton really up to? What is his real objection to Mr. Obama? That Mr. Obama has white supporters? That he has become the first serious black presidential candidate in U.S. history? That he lacks the civil rights bona fides that Mr. Sharpton claims for himself? Or is the real problem that Mr. Obama's biracial appeal has trumped Mr. Sharpton's race card?

[edpc]

Regardless of whether Mr. Obama wins, his candidacy has exposed Mr. Sharpton and other race peddlers for what they are - and threatened their relevancy.

Interesting one-two punch on the Left's candidates/supporters today in the Baltimore Sun. See Clarance Page's Op/Ed piece a few stories below.....

[edcoil]

I have never seen a photo of Obama and his mother together or, a photo of his mother. Is she still alive?

[unkus]

I would like to know what Divinity School or whatever the Rev. went to. Same with Jessie Jackson.

[edpc]

No...she died in the mid 90s.....1995, I believe.

[Borges]

Obama's mother died of cancer a few months after the publication of his 1995 memoir.

[3AngelaD]

She died about 10 years ago. Here are links to some pictures of them.

http://www.voanews.com/croatian/archive/2004-07/a-2004-07-28-7-1.cfm


http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec04/obama_7-27.html

[Malone LaVeigh]

His audience is leaving the tent, and Mr. Sharpton is scrambling for relevancy.

The fact that anyone ever considered this con man relevant never ceases to amaze me.

[LYSandra]

Sharpton is part of the problem with racial divide in this country. Between him and Jackson the U.S. will never get past the race thing. They keep the division front and center.

[sgtbono2002]

Or is the real problem that Mr. Obama's biracial appeal has trumped Mr. Sharpton's race card?
___________________________________________________________

I guess some guilt ridden whites cant wait to flock to the Obama tent ,but when i view his Churche's website and when I fail to hear him give any thanks to his white grandparents or recognice his white side at all, when I see him campaigning in black churches , I dont see a bi-racial appeal. He is going for the black vote and I dont think it can put him in the White House.

[3AngelaD]

Obama's early success? What has he been successful at other than being a successful campaigner? And that "success" has come about only because everyone on all sides is sick to death of Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and their demagogic ilk, not because Obama has ever accomplished anything.

[edpc]

I guess some guilt ridden whites cant wait to flock to the Obama tent....

Perhaps some of it is guilt. My belief has been his "broad appeal" is due to the fact his early white "supporters" wish to be viewed as progressive and non-racial. When it's time to cast the ballots, however, I don't think many of them will be voting for him. It'll have less to do with racial matters and more to do with his lack of substance.

[kennyo]

If the Reverend Sharpton wants to help "his people" he should go and straighten out the mess in Ivory Coast.