What is your opinion of Al Sharpton?

[ecstatic]

I see Tawana Brawley's name brought up far too often on this site.

Personally, I like the guy. He fights repug disinformation and tells it like it is.

[JI7]

1. i really like Sharpton

[liberal N proud]

2. The only thing I can really say about Sharpton is that he can

be a dynamic speaker.

[ixion]

4. when he was a presidential candidate

he spoke the truth as much as Kucinich did. Certainly, he is a showboat speaker, but if you go beyond that, he says what's on his mind, and he speaks the truth as he sees it and for that I have to respect him.

[baldguy]

3. He's a good guy to have on our side.

But not in a position of leadership. That's where he wants to be, and that's where he does the most damage to our cause.

[katmondoo]

5. He is a very sharp guy, quick thinker

but because of the Tawaina thing he will forever be tainted. Until the primeries I was very dismissive of him, then I changed. Many times he said it like it was while others pussy footed around.

[dalloway]

6. Wacko but entertaining

I disagree with his approach nearly all the time, including the excessive use of campaign money to hang in posh hotels, etc. BUT I find him a refreshing quick wit that serves a purpose. He'll say the emperor has no clothes. That is an important role.

[mulethree]

7. He gets too .... racially identified at times

There are times when he gives a great speech that would appeal to
a huge chunk of the population. Except he gives it as a black american speaking to the black community, and misses 60% of his potential audience.

I get to loving his message, really into his speech and then Pop! he'll say something that excludes me from his audience.

[ecstatic]

8. funny

I've never noticed that. Maybe he should take the Clarence Thomas approach? J/K

[sherilocks]

9. Read through the Tawana Brawley case

and see what you think of Sharpton.

http://www.courttv.com/archive/legaldocs/newsmakers/tawana/

He's a good speaker and cuts to the chase, which I like. But I wouldn't trust him, especially with my money. He's an opportunist who uses whatever he can for self aggrandizement.

[genius]

26. I think the Tawana Brawley attack on him is pure racism. He trusted a

perceived victim. He's a good man.

[Leilani]

35. It was racism?

How about the race riot he started in Harlem?

Calling the Jewish store owner a "white interloper" & the crowd then burned the store down, killing 7 people?

Or the Crown Heights Riots?

Who's the racist?

[genius]

39. If races had been reversed, it would be forgotten.

[Leilani]

41. But it wasn't one incident

He built his name by fanning racial hate in NY, & people DIED as a result.

How can you excuse this?

[leftynyc]

43. You're more than right about this

I remember what it was like in NYC the time - Sharpton took race relations back 20 years with his nonsense. I'll never forgive him.

[ecstatic]

51. "white interloper"

interloper (defined) 1. One that interferes with the affairs of others, often for selfish reasons; a meddler.

Was the guy white? And was he an interloper?

Maybe those questions should be addressed first before we jump to conclusions. I hear whites refer to "that black guy/girl" all the time.

[ecstatic]

50. I think so too

It's almost as if Sharpton's biggest mistake was believing a *black* girl was raped by *white* men.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. I like him and am glad to have him around to speak out for the Left

------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[blondeatlast]

11. Too simple of a question. As a surrogate, he kicks ass.

As a candidate, no thanks.

[cali]

12. I don't like Sharpton though

he can be very amusing. Don't like how self-promoting he is. Don't like the recent pay off he took from the DNC. It would have been one thing for him to have been reimbursed for his travel expenses, but pocketing 35 grand to campaign for Kerry is a real turn off to me.

[Fleurs du Mal]

13. He's great

I like his caustic approach.

[cali]

14. As an afterthought,

I rarely see Tawana Brawley's name brought up when folks here discuss Sharpton.

[spooky3]

15. Mixed views: Great speaker, unknown governing skills

[Cuban_Liberal]

16. Less than favorable.n/t

[TexasLady]

17. He makes me laugh,

and any man that makes me laugh because he has a sharp enough wit, is alright in my book. If I hear he is on the TV I love to watch.

[hoosierblue]

18. "Our vote is not for sale!"

I would say he's a great speaker, but I don't think that's giving the man enough credit. He's dynamic, charismatic, educated and honest. Plus, he's funny. And that's real funny--not the stupid "Got any wood?" jokes that seem to pass for Republican humor. I will never forget Al's words: "...we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us."

[AlinPA]

22. That was the best quote of the campaign. Welcome hoosierblue!

[212demop]

32. Yet he took money from the Kerry to campaign for them

and has a history of sketchy financial doings. He's a fantastic speaker, however. Very powerful. And since most of the country doesn't know the stigma he has in NYC, he can be a very effective campaigner. Unfortunately in NYC he'll never be totally trusted- he likes to ride the backs of celebs like P. Diddy, he's an opportunist, and during the campaign he traveled five star all the way- better than the Kerrys- and one of his backers was a major right wing contributor. Also, the Tawana thing will never completely go away. He was just such a TV whore through the whole thing it just seemed like yet another opportunity for self-promotion, and he stuck to it even after the scandal was uncovered.

But like I said- if he can help others with his great wit, more power to him. He's a charmer. I just don't want to see him in elected office. There would be so much corruption it would be out of control.

[livinginphotographs]

19. I really like Sharpton.

Most of the baggage he carries is created by the right. You say "Al Sharpton" and most Republicans will go into a rage, not because they know anything in particular the dislike about him, but just because you have to hate Sharpton to be a good Republican.

I think it's time for us to get over the Brawley thing; he believed a girl who said she'd been raped is what it boils down to. She was the liar; he was just standing up for what he believed was right.

His speech was the absolute best at the Dem convention this year.

[Slit Skirt]

20. sharpton is great with analogies...

highly entertaining and many times says what many of us express here, but can't get any other dem leader to say.

[tilsammans]

21. Sharpton is . . .

. . . sharp, intelligent, and witty. One of the best speakers the Dems have.

But his clinging to the Tawana Brawley thing hurt his credibility, IMO.

[artv28]

23. Tawana

I grew up in the same area as Tawana Brawley and most people knew that story was a scam from the start. It continued to drag on for years and at that time I really hated him. After watching the debates during the primaries I discovered that he is a great speaker and that he expressed many of my same view points in a very articulate manner. Currently my feelings have shifted from 'loathe' to somewhere between 'neutral' and 'don't like him'

[ursacorwin]

24. mostly dislike

but i grew up in a family that has a strong tradition of being very, very critical of the black church.

i think essentially he's a huckster. he lives in a ritzy hotel, pays his mistress enough money to buy expensive cars and the like, left his wife and kids, and owes a lot of black business $ for services rendered during the campaign. he hired an ex-GOP operative for his campaign, and in my opinion is a negative lightning rod for progressive causes. no matter how right his opinions may be at any given time, he's not who i want representing me as a black woman or progressive.
(the villiage voice has info above)

i've met a lot of preachers in my time, and most of them are good and simple people. but some are nothing more than showmen, and just moneygrabbing unchristians like falwell and robertson. i really wish we could take religion out of politics and keep these guys off center stage, and back in local churches where they belong.

[greenohio]

25. Best speech at the convention.

He was my favorite to watch in the primary debates.

[blackangrydem]

27. It bothers me when our party values the Jacksons and Sharptons

because they are "fun to listen to" or "good speakers" or "funny". It's almost like they are there for comic relief or entertainment, but would never be considered for a serious leadership position within the party.

As many votes as Jesse Jackson has received in democratic primaries, has he ever been offered a cabinet post? Has he ever even been mentioned for the VP short list? Could you imagine Al Sharpton being offered a cabinet post? It will never happen.

We may hate the repug policies, but let's face it, Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice, Rod Paige and Colin Powell are not valued over there for their one-liners and knee-slappers.

[ecstatic]

28. good point

We really do need to try harder to diversify the *upper levels* of Dem leadership. Sadly, Republicans beat us in that respect.

[greenohio]

29. It bothers me when you pay someone a compliment and it pisses them off.

Sharpton had the best speech of the convention. I didn't say the funniest, or the funnest to listen to, or that he we just a good speaker. I said he speech was better than the parties leadership.

[blackangrydem]

31. So do you think Sharpton would have or should have been

offered a seat on John Kerry's cabinet, since he had the best speech at the convention? Better than the party's leadership?

[greenohio]

33. I think Sharpton should receive reconginition for his contributions to

the party. Whether that be a cabinet seat or not is all conjecture, since it doesn't look likely that Kerry will be making any cabinet appointments.

[blackangrydem]

34. Dodge

[greenohio]

36. Your right. I should list who Kerry's appointments should be....

and that the cabinet is the only respectable place for Sharpton. Anything less would be a slap in the face.

You really know how to help Sharpton's cause. Winning strategy.

[Leilani]

40. I agree completely with you about the Dem Party

& not giving back to their most loyal supporters, the black community.

I would just say that there are lots & lots of good, decent black people who deserve a cabinet position, before Al Sharpton.

How about people like John Lewis? The man is a hero!

[WoodrowFan]

30. isn't that how the RW excuses rush and company

when we compain about rush or savage or their crew you are told "well I just listen to them because they're funny" or "I like them because they're entertaining."??? Sharpton is a lying jerk, good speaker or no.

[livinginphotographs]

38. He's never been offered a VP spot or cabinet position

Because, as we're starting to see more and more, the Dems in power are too gutless to offer him anything. They'll put him out for a little while to get the taken-for-granted black vote, then tuck him away until they need him again.

I think he SHOULD be offered a cabinet post. I'd love to see him in a Dem administration. I'd also like to see a woman president, or a black president (Anyone but Condi), or a gay president, or an atheist president. I just don't think it's going to happen anytime soon.

[blackangrydem]

42. He is patronized. He and Carol M-Braun got the kid glove

treatment during the primaries from the others. No one wanted to piss them off because to do so might piss off black voters. In the back of other candidates minds no doubt was the fact that, "this guy will never get the nomination anyway."

Catering to Sharpton during the primaries is just a part of the old axiom, "run to the base (humor Sharpton) during the primaries, run to the middle (away from Sharpton) during the general election."

Kerry didn't do well enough on part two of this axiom to win. Instead of appearing in black churches with Big Al in Oct, he should have carefully picked and executed his "Sista Soulja" moment.

[livinginphotographs]

44. My favorite picture of all time

Which is a symbol of how the Dems constantly snub black voters.



This was when he was the only candidate in the primaries to show up at an event organized by the Detroit NAACP. The three empty chairs are for Kerry, Dean, and Clark.

Things like this are why I respect Sharpton immensely.

[blackangrydem]

45. Yet get 90% of their vote election after election.

[livinginphotographs]

46. I've talked to quite a few of my black friends about this.

All of them say that they just vote Democratic without thinking about, much like some Bush voters who just vote straight Republican.

I don't know how long the Dems can count on this, and I think they owe it to a very loyal base of voters to start aggressively addressing their issues.

[blackangrydem]

47. That's why the repugs small chip at the black vote this time...

+ their attempt to end the NAACP "as we know it"...

+ trying to make the more moderate Urban League THE flagship black poltical organization...

should make us all a little nervous.

[Quill Pen]

52. I'll bet you there isn't a person here on this board

...who wouldn't lay their last shirt down in a mud puddle so Barack Obama wouldn't have to step in mud.

The difference being that Obama doesn't have a history of being a race-baiting scandalmonger. He's a statesman.

I enjoy Al's wit and canny analysis, but that doesn't make him a statesman.

Don't look for racism when there isn't any there.

>>>We may hate the repug policies, but let's face it, Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice, Rod Paige and Colin Powell are not valued over there for their one-liners and knee-slappers.<<<

Indeed; they're valued for their zombie-like repetition of the established party line. And if they dare to reveal independent thought, they're outtie. Powell, case in point.

[eridani]

53. Sharpton and Jackson are very different from each other

Sharpton's a great speaker, but he can't organize his way out of a paper bag. Jackson has made very strong and credible and successful efforts to go beyond his base. The Dem leadership ignores him because they are basically afraid of their grassroots base (the DLC was formed essentially to counteract the Rainbow Coalition base), not because of his race per se. Just basic gutlessness--the Rethugs can throw their fundie base a bone with appointments like Ashcroft, but the Dems won't do the same for their base by appointing Jackson to any serious position.

[robbedvoter]

37. Not to be trusted (but likeable, for sure)

NYC owes him a GOP mayor - BFEE owes him a convention in NYC. Plush shady GOP arrangements for his own campaign,
As a speaker, he is amazing.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

48. I like him. He's cool.

Despite the baggage of the past, he's come a long way. His passion and commitment I respect.

[MrSlayer]

49. He's a huckster.

But I like the way he speaks.

[journalist3072]

54. Al Sharpton

I like Al Sharpton. He really speaks truth to power, and he cares about lifting up the least among us.