Sharpton Joins Democratic Presidential Field

Reuters ^ | 1/21/03 | John Whitesides

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Controversial civil rights leader Al Sharpton on Tuesday officially entered the Democratic race for the White House in 2004, promising to speak for the disaffected who have been shut out of the political process.

Sharpton, who said three weeks ago that he would run, filed papers in Washington to form a committee to raise funds for his long-shot bid.

"The majority of Americans have been left out of the political dialogue," Sharpton said outside the Federal Election Commission.

He said no other Democratic candidate running for the right to challenge Republican President Bush could speak to people outside the political mainstream "with more credibility and more of a track record than I have."

"The others have been part of what I feel has caused the kind of problems we face today," he said. "The Democratic Party cannot win unless we expand our base and get those who have been disaffected."

The controversial 48-year-old minister, head of the 25-chapter National Action Network, has been a polarizing figure at the center of some of New York's most heated controversies.

He became well known for his advocacy on behalf of Tawana Brawley, whose 1987 claim that she was raped by a gang of white men stoked racial tensions in New York and was eventually found by a jury to be a hoax.

Sharpton eventually was found to have defamed a white prosecutor during the episode and was fined $65,000.

"I am not dogged by any of that," he told reporters on Tuesday, saying the incident was simply a preoccupation of the New York media. "The controversies that I was in were fighting for justice."

He added: "If that's all they got, I am proud."

The activist is given little chance to claim the Democratic nomination, but could win enough black support in early primary states like South Carolina and Michigan to wield some influence at the nominating convention.

Sharpton, however, refused to accept the premise he can't win. "I think my best shot is to do what George Bush did -- put my hand up and be sworn in as president," he said.

Sharpton, who has run unsuccessfully for mayor and the U.S. Senate in New York, said he would reach out to those voters who backed Green Party candidate Ralph Nader in 2000 and to disaffected voters across a wide swath of America.

"My candidacy won't be black only. Clearly I think blacks have been mistreated, but there are a lot of other people who have been mistreated," he said.

He joins a Democratic field that includes former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri and Sens. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina.

Sharpton promised to tackle issues that he said other Democrats were ducking.

"I am the only one that is talking of running this race that is anti-war, anti-death penalty, anti-tax cuts across the board, not voting one way on the Hill and speaking another way on the trail," he said.

[ewing]

Run, Al Run!

[Support Free Republic]

Interesting.

[mhking]

Al is now officially a running moron, as opposed to just a moron...

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[ewing]

LOL!

[expatpat]

I shall re-register as a Maryland Democrap, just so I can vote for Al in the primary. Great stuff!

[Norman Conquest]

Dear Lord, you know I don't pray often, so I don't ask for much. But please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please ...

[Wild Irish Rogue]

The Dems are so worried about Al,that McAuliffe and most likely,clinton, have ordered Carol Mosely-Braun to enter the race. She will siphon black votes in the southern primaries,from Al and when the time comes-throw her delegates and support to the candidate hand picked by the clintons.The DNC will use CMB as a place holder, to suffocate the candidacy of the only black man running.Another shining example of the utter hypocrisy and racism of the Democrats.

[F.J. Mitchell]

LOL, the dims really are throwing everything including the kitchen sink and commode into this race. It will be similar to watching those people run with the bulls except in this case it will be neck deep in Bull sh*t instead.

[uncbuck]

Al Sharpton to the rescue! Ta Da!

Al Sharpton to the rescue! Ta Da!

[schaketo]

I will be changing my voter registration to Democrat in 2004. My state does not have open primaries so you have to be registered in the party. I will vote for Al Sharpton in the Democraptic primary.

Imagine Al at least getting enough votes to land a prime-time national TV (all the liberal networks) speaking spot on Friday night at the Demomaniacs National Convention. Can it get any better?

I’m sending a couple bucks to his campaign, when its official, I’m voting for him, and I hope to plant a yard sign out by the road. Think of it … lapel buttons, tracts for windshields in the parking lot, posters, etc.. Heck, maybe I could be his county coordinator.

This is going to be fun! The ultimate Freep. Will you join me?

[Mudboy Slim]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Finally, a DemonRAT candidate I can respect...I shall change my registration from Independent to DemonRAT and do all I can to see that this FINE MAN, this Reverend, wins the DemonRAT Nomination fer POTUS!!!

Somewhat Sincerely...MUD

[per loin]

Throw my vote into the pot too. Al is the best thing the Demos have going.

[Mudboy Slim]

"Al is the best thing the Demos have going."

The Honorable Reverend really is the Epitome of ALL that is Good and Pure about the Lib'ral DemonRAT Party!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA...MUD

[iceskater]

Finally, a DemonRAT candidate I can respect...I shall change my registration from Independent to DemonRAT and do all I can to see that this FINE MAN, this Reverend, wins the DemonRAT Nomination fer POTUS!!!

MUD, you don't need to go to all the trouble. Primaries are open in Virginia (unless something happened and I didn't get the memo). Feel free to vote early and vote often for Rev. Al.

[mombonn]

Sharpy should have been watching Hardball last night. 20 hardcore Rats and Independents laughed their faces off at the mere suggestion of him in the race.

One person said it was an insult to the other RAT contenders to even hang his picture up along with theirs.

LOL - Rush played it this afternoon. I saw it last night, it was worth watching Chrissy Matthews just for that alone.

Hehe, the other great part was their reaction to John Edwards - called him Pretty Boy, lightweight, inexperienced to name a few.

[per loin]

Al is the only Demo with the guts to challenge the media for not jumping Hillary and Ted Kennedy over their pasts.

[xJones]

Heck, maybe I could be his county coordinator.

Could I be on the phone calling committee? I can't wait to assure people that our man Al is strictly against lowering taxes.

[ewing]

And Donna Brazile hasn't even pulled 'Jihad Cindy' McKinney out of the hat yet in Georgia!