FREE REPUBLIC.COM, YOUR AL SHARPTON FOR PRESIDENT HEADQUARTERS! (Shameless Vanity)

The New York Sun ^ | December 13th, 2002 | Yers trulee

[section9]

Sharpton Blasts ‘Favorite Son’ Plan

Says Democrats Are Afraid of Him

BY BENJAMIN SMITH

- The Rev. Al Sharpton, moving ever closer to a run for president, yesterday blasted a leading Democrat’s plan to steer black voters away from him in 2004.

Al Gore’s former campaign manager, Donna Brazile, says she may push popular black officials to run for president in their home states as “favorite sons.” That strategy, she says, would increase black voters’ impact, while pulling the rug out from under Mr. Sharpton in key southern states.

Ms. Brazile’s plan — and Mr. Sharpton’s response — mark the beginning of a back-and-forth some Democratic insiders fear will poison the party’s 2004 primaries and undermine their chances of unseating President Bush.

Mr. Sharpton was at the center of the rancor that enveloped the last days of Mark Green’s run for mayor, and he is touring the country exploring a run for president on a platform of economic populism and racial justice. Above all, Ms. Brazile’s early discussion of the unusual strategy reveals just how worried Democrats are about the Brooklyn-born cleric.

“I’m sure there will be all kinds of schemes to dilute my impact, none of which will work,” Mr. Sharpton told The New York Sun. “The fact that it’s even being floated by Gore’s former campaign manager shows that they’re a lot more concerned about me than they’re saying.”

Ms. Brazile outlined her plan in Newsweek magazine this week. She estimated that a coalition of local African-American candidates — like Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, and former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial — could pick up enough delegates to have a say in the party platform and, potentially, a role as kingmakers.

She told the Washington Post’s George Will that without the competition from favorite sons, Mr. Sharpton could win states like South Carolina, Delaware, and Maryland, where black voters play a leading role in Democratic primaries.

“We’re looking at the rules and the legal details right now,” she said.

Rep. Clyburn of South Carolina told the Sun the notion of running local presidential candidates emerged soon after the November 5 election.

“I would consider doing it myself in South Carolina only if considerable numbers of South Carolinians, black and white, saw it as a valuable option,” he said.

Mr. Clyburn denied the plan would be a direct assault on Mr. Sharpton, who he called a “fringe candidate.” Ms. Brazile also called Mr. Sharpton recently “to say this is not an anti-Sharpton strategy,” Mr. Sharpton said. Ms. Brazile did not return a call seeking comment.

Democratic insiders say the Sharpton campaign is a rising source of worry in Washington. And Mr. Sharpton seems set on moving forward.

He has become a lower-profile player in New York as be takes on national issues — like Senator Lott’s apparent praise for a segregationist presidential campaign — and tours the country.

Last week, Mr. Sharpton said, he was in Salt Lake City and St. Louis; and in the next days he plans to travel to San Bernadino, Washington, Chicago, and Boston.

“The fear among the Democratic party leadership is not that Sharpton is going to win primaries or win delegates, but that he’ll turn the Democratic Party primary into a circus,” said a Democratic consultant, Richard Schrader.

A Democratic strategist in Washington, Kenneth Baer, said Mr. Sharpton would likely change the calculus in the Democratic primary.

“If you’re going south, it’s not a matter of winning the white conservative Democrat vote now. It’s a matter of winning the black vote. If Al Sharpton takes all that off the table, he could really, really, really disrupt some people’s campaigns.”

But an attempt to siphon black votes away from Mr. Sharpton could backfire.

“This inside nonsense from Washington is not going to stop Al Sharpton,” said another Democratic consultant, Henry Sheinkopf. “What’ll stop Sharpton is a Democratic party that talks about things that make sense.”

Ms. Brazile’s plan is still in its infancy. Two of the candidates whose names she floated — Mr. Clyburn and Denver mayor Wellington Webb, say they have not even spoken to her. Mr. Kilpatrick told the Sun he was “flattered” to have been mentioned, and that he agrees with Ms. Brazile that “we need to concentrate on building a base again.”

But even as Ms. Brazile looks for another way, there’s a growing sense that Democrats have no way around Mr. Sharpton.

“The Democrats are looking for a savior, but there’s no savior from Al Sharpton,” Mr. Sheinkopf said.

[section9]

Folks, I'm convinced that the Rats can be made to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

What Al is getting today is a private meeting with Mark Racicot. In that meeting, Al will be told that the President in no uncertain terms condemns the comments of Trent Lott, but is more concerned about building for the future.

Naturally, he will be told that the President and the RNC value the sage advice of a senior statesman within the black community: Al Sharpton.

He will also be told that his client base in New York will be taken care of financially by the Republican National Committee when the Republican National Convention comes to Madison Square Garden in 2004. The Right Reverend will be taken care of, as well.

Folks, this guy's ego needs a real strokin'. When you see the likes of Donna Brazile arguing for Black Favorite Sons to run for the Presidency to siphon votes away from Big Al, then you know that the white elite that runs the Party is scared.

So come on, Freepers! The enemy of our enemy is our friend! Let's pony up for Big Al. Let's all register as Good Democrats for the primaries. Let's be the shock infantry for his campaign; staffing his offices and doing his door to door for him.

What say you, Freepers?

Al Sharpton For President: The Man has met the Moment!

Okay, so it might look a little strange in Sharpton HQ to see a bunch of Republican Conservatives with "W2004" buttons going door-to-door for Al. However, we can register as Dems (esp. here in FL) and we can give money until the donkey screams and begs for mercy.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[eureka!]

I love it. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Crossover primary voting is a wonderful tool. Remember the McCain primaries? This would also be an effective way to make a statement that we don't agree with Trent Lott's less than judicious statements.....

[ken5050]

don't forget.....when Lott quits as SML, it will be a big scalp on Sharpton's belt..he'll claim credit for it...which will boost his support among blacks, and thus, his nascent candidacy....

[Slyfox]

“What’ll stop Sharpton is a Democratic party that talks about things that make sense.”

Then, there will be no stopping him.

[Andyman]

So, if the Dumbascraps fail to nominate Al for prez, can we insinuate that they are racists as, for example, my brother has because the Republicans failed to nominate Alan Keyes?

[Slyfox]

[section9]

I'm smelling a deal between Bush, Rove, Racicot and Al Sharpton.

Trent stays. In return, Trent promises Al to agitate for increase in federal grant money to "historically black" colleges and universities, including any clients Al might have in the northeast. Some pet legislation that Al is concerned with moves out of the House and gets put on the calendar of the Senate by Lott with the President's blessing. Al and Lott show up for the bill signing at the White House.

Al goes to his base vote as the guy who "forced" Bush and Lott to dance to his tune.

Folks, this can be Freeper heaven, if the WH is smart enough to do what I'm saying.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[ken5050]

My friend, I greatly enjoy your posts/comments, and 99.99% of the timewe are usually on the same wavelenght..but on this....well, I can't see it.....I can sooner see a "Sharpton/Lott 04" ticket....

[schaketo]

I'm in! Where do I get my t-shirt, bumper sticker and lapel pin? I'm calling for a new voter registration enrollment card today. Line up, sign up, and vote for Al in '04!

[Malcolm]

I've never voted in a Dem primary, believing that to be dishonest in principle. But if I think this may result in a Sharpton v. Bush matchup, (Bush having NO primary opposition in 2004), then I may just vote Dem that day, and for Sharpie. Gawd, talk about landslides! LOL, Bush may even win DC.....

[section9]

You don't think that Racicot is meeting with Sharpton just to tell him that Republicans care about black people, do you?

No sir. We're Republicans. We can do business with the Reverend. We can increase his standing in the black community.

We can make him a player in the DNC's 2004 fiasco.

We're going to make him an offer he can't refuse...

That's what Donna Brazile is scared of. If we take care of Al, Al will take care of us.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[ken5050]

I heard the Racicot/Sharpton meeting was cancelled......and, IMHO, you CAN"T do business with Al...he's corrupt, slimy, and if you lie down with a dog..ya get fleas.....if Al's candidacy gets a little off the ground, the Dems will leak enough dirt on him to bury him....

[section9]

I heard Racicot was meeting with Al today.

Yes, Al is a slimy dirtbag, but, when you make a deal with him, it stays.

He wants to be Big Man on Campus in the black community. We need to help him out.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[mikeb704]

What say you, Freepers?

Al Sharpton For President: The Man has met the Moment!

Sorry, I've already got a candidate.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[exmoor]

Yo ! he be havin my vo...

[SwinneySwitch]

SHARPTON for PREZ!

Happy Kwanzaa!

[schaketo]

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In the upcoming democratic primary (2004) ...

Register as a democrat and vote for Crazy Al!

Time magazine reported a while back that the Rev. Al Sharpton is planning to run for president in 2004.

"I feel that the Democratic Party must be challenged in 2004 because it didn't fight aggressively to protect our voting rights in Florida," he said in a recent issue. "I think we need to look at running a black in the primary. I have said I would be available to do it."

Sharpton said the idea came to him while he sat under a tree in Sudan, which he visited in April 2001 on a fact-finding tour about slavery.

Assume GW has the Republican nomination sewn up. Its time for all good republicans to stand up and be counted. Lets take a page from Sen. McCain’s play book. Prior to the 2004 democratic presidential primary in your state, re-register as a democrat and vote for Al Sharpton!

Wouldn’t it be great if Crazy Al won! At the very least, lets ensure he gets prime time speaking rights at the democratic convention. You gotta love it. Line up, sign up, and send this to all your like-minded friends.

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