Grassroots can Elevate Sharpton

[AmericanErrorist]

People are given to comparing Rev. Sharpton’s campaign to that of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson 20 years ago. While that comparison suffers from the reality of changed political circumstances, it is still useful to remember that the very same charges of lack of political organization and absence of political advisors plagued Rev. Jackson’s first campaign for President. Moreover, virtually every major African American politician shunned Rev. Jackson in 1984. But in the end, it didn’t matter because his crusading, electrifying campaign received a resounding vote of approval from the people – A message from the grassroots!

We must also remember that Sharpton, like Jesse is campaigning in a field which includes seven candidates which will splinter the White vote. If Sharpton can manage to get the lion’s share of the Black vote and some White and Latino votes, he will garner a significant number of delegates and be positioned to bargain with clout at the Democratic Convention. Indeed, with a solid block of delegates pledged to him, Black political leaders who ignored him earlier will have no alternative but to deal with Sharpton to preserve their fledgling influence.

So before anyone proclaims the Sharpton for President Campaign dead on arrival, keep a close eye on South Carolina. A massive vote for Sharpton in that state’s primary will catapult him to the forefront of the ranks of the Democratic candidates – a position which will ensure his influence/power within a party which is increasingly reluctant to be seen as promoting and protecting the interests of Black people.

http://www.thenorthstarnetwork.com/news/opinion/182503-1.html

[jenk]

1. south carolina, we expect better from you

[progressivebydesign]

2. Unfortunately, his campaign spending excesses have already hurt him..

Regardless of whether it is legal or not.. the reporting of his spending on hotels and limos, has damaged him alreadry. It belies his image of a man of the people... The media came out early and hard on all the candidates, we just have to see what sticks to them, ultimately. If you are to consider a candidate soley on race, as it relates to the South, I would have much rather seen Carol Mosely Braun running. Sharpton has said some really great, insightful things in this campaign, but his image still needs some work. The hotel bill thing didn't help him.

[DevilsAdvocate2]

3. Yes, spending excesses and racist, bigoted past

I guess Al won't be asking the cop who was falsely accused in the Tawana Brawley case for a campaign endorsement. Nor will he ask the Jews he defamed.

[Ficus]

4. Sharpton is no Jackson

by a long shot. Jesse came to Iowa and did well, as well as many other states. Sharpton seems to only concentrate on voters who are black. Jesse had crossover appeal, and he registered tons of people to vote here. We have Tom Harkin in the US Senate because of Jesse Jackson and his 1984 Iowa campaign.

Seems to me Sharpton is running for leader of the black community more than anything. I wish he'd be a little more serious about the campaign other than to show up at debates and give one liners.

And find out what the Federal Reserve does.

[Dolphyn]

5. Does Sharpton have any support in California?

I like Sharpton, but I haven't seen the slightest sign of support for his campaign here in California. And I've been looking!

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the California Democratic Convention on the evening that Sharpton was scheduled to speak. He didn't make it because his flight was cancelled at the last minute due to weather, but he was scheduled to speak, and his supporters should have been there. They were invisible. (By contrast, Kucinich, Dean, and the uninvited Larouche were highly visible. Kerry, Edwards, Clark, and Lieberman had a presence.)

I also attended the Martin Luther King celebration in San Francisco. Among the predominantly African-American crowd, again I saw no sign of any Sharpton supporter. There were people campaigning for Kucinich, Dean, and Clark. I kept wondering, "Where are the Sharpton people?"

By contrast, Jesse Jackson had a very lively campaign in California in 1988.