Sharpton Fights for Equal Footing

Associated Press ^ | Wed Jul 30 | NEDRA PICKLER

[presidio9]

Al Sharpton said Wednesday he's tired of the notion that there are two tiers of candidates in the Democratic presidential race.

Sharpton questioned why Sens. John Edwards of North Carolina and Bob Graham of Florida are considered top-tier candidates and he is not, even though they are polling at about the same level.

Sharpton said they may have more money than he does, but he thinks it's dangerous for America if elections are determined by money. Edwards has raised $11.9 million, Graham $3.1 million and Sharpton $137,415, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

"If we are going by polls and money, why even have an election?" he told the audience, mostly interns working on Capitol Hill this summer. "Let's just declare Bush the winner.

"I'd rather take my pennies to bring Bush down than be intimidated."

___

President Bush (news - web sites)'s campaign goal is to raise at least $170 million. And even though he has no primary opponent, the money won't sit in a bank account.

"Just watch," he said Wednesday when asked about spending it.

In his first news conference since announcing his bid for re-election in May, Bush said he's not worried about appearing that he's paying too much attention to his wealthy backers. Bush and Vice President Cheney have several fund-raisers planned for August.

"I think American people, now that they've realized I'm going to seek re-election, expect me to seek re-election. They expect me to actually do what candidates do," Bush said.

The campaign has raised at least $41.4 million so far, well ahead of any Democratic contender. Sen. John Kerry (news, bio, voting record) of Massachusetts leads the field of nine Democratic presidential hopefuls with $13 million, followed by Sen. John Edwards (news, bio, voting record) of North Carolina with $11.9 million.

"It's kind of an interesting barometer, early barometer about the support we're garnering," Bush said.

___

John Kerry's advisers are working on a contest to build support for his presidential campaign, and they are offering a day with the Democrat as the prize.

Details are still being worked out, but the contest already is being promoted at his Web site, www.johnkerry.com.

The promotion includes a photo of the Massachusetts senator at a campaign stop, his arm around a blackened silhouette. Text over the photo reads, "This could be YOU!"

Kerry spokesman Robert Gibbs said the contest will be announced in the next few days. It will focus on grass-roots organizing and small dollar fund-raising, with the winner getting the chance to accompany Kerry on the campaign trail in Iowa or New Hampshire.

[presidio9]

ping

[TheBigB]

The promotion includes a photo of the Massachusetts senator at a campaign stop, his arm around a blackened silhouette. Text over the photo reads, "This could be YOU!"

*snicker*...yeah, that'll work...

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

Sounds like a William Castle movie promotion. "Be very afraid....THIS COULD BE YOU!!!"

[wasp69]

Sharpton questioned why Sens. John Edwards of North Carolina and Bob Graham of Florida are considered top-tier candidates and he is not, even though they are polling at about the same level.

Because, Al, your only function in the democrat party is to help keep the blacks mad at conservatives and thereby help keep them on the plantation.

[ElectricStrawberry]

The race-pimp fights for nothing but the green rollin' in.

[amused]

Slap the Donkey in ‘04 Al Sharpton (the presidential candidate, not the extraterrestrial) brought the audience to its feet by bellowing that he was the only presidential candidate to have done jail-time.

If you would like on or off the Go Al Go ping list, please freepmail me.

[katykelly]

There needs to be another Dem debate. That's when Al is at his best.

[amused]

There needs to be another Dem debate. That's when Al is at his best.

So true. In a TV debate where the zinger is king, there is no Dem as lethal as the good Rev.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

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[Bernard]

John Kerry's advisers are working on a contest to build support for his presidential campaign, and they are offering a day with the Democrat as the prize.

Second prize is two days with the democrat. And we won't even talk about third prize...

[What Is Ain't]

Sharpton said they may have more money than he does, but he thinks it's dangerous for America if elections are determined by money.

Yeah, Al, money talks, feces walks.

[xp38]

Equal Footing? He takes up a footprint of Jabba the Hutt in size.

[Kenton]

Oh, this is silly. Everybody knows the Democrats won't run a black guy for President.

The Republicans should make hay out of the way the Democrats are trying to send Reverand Al to the back of the electoral bus. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to hear the tortured explanations of the Democratic "party leaders" trying to explain this phenom away...

[jagrmeister]

It's so pathetic to watch Sharpton be forced to sit at the back of the Democrat nomination bus. White Democrat party brokers sideline Sharpton and treat him with all the relevance of an observer. You think that dignity would compel Sharpton to tell the Democrat party to walk the walk as far as racial equality goes. But they'll just snicker in private, pander in public, and go back to the "serious business" of running their politics as they see fit. Meanwhile, the GOP is open for business, as it's always been, to blacks who want true race neutrality.