Sharpton says he will "wholeheartedly" support Dean if Dean is nominee.

[BurtWorm]

No Delegates, but Status for Sharpton in Washington
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

Published: January 13, 2004


WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 — When the Rev. Al Sharpton forced former Gov. Howard Dean to admit in a debate on Sunday that he had never appointed a black or Hispanic to his cabinet, he was hoping to damage him enough so that minority voters would cast their ballots for Mr. Sharpton. But that does not mean he wants them to refuse to vote for Dr. Dean should he land the Democratic nomination.

That, at least, is what Mr. Sharpton suggested on Monday that his strategy had been. And during a campaign swing through this city on the eve of the Washington primary, it was clear he had struck a chord. People repeatedly approached Mr. Sharpton on the street and thanked him for eliciting Dr. Dean's admission in the debate in Iowa.

Nevertheless, Mr. Sharpton said that regardless of Dr. Dean's past: "I still think what he is saying is good in terms of race. And I still think that if he happens to get the nomination, I would support him wholeheartedly against President Bush."

(snip)





http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/13/politics/campaigns/13SHAR.html

[Padraig18]

1. Thanks, Burt!

:)

[CMT]

2. wonderful news!!

I'm positive we will unite whoever the nominee is.

[sfecap]

3. "I like the fact I think he can beat George Bush,"

(snip)

It was about 8:30 this morning when Mr. Sharpton arrived at the Anacostia metro stop to greet people as they headed to work. Cynthia Kain, 34, had been there for hours before he arrived. Ms. Kain is exactly the kind of voter Mr. Sharpton is hoping to draw, but she was campaigning for Dr. Dean.

She said she liked that Mr. Sharpton was in the race and appreciated the issues he was raising. In fact, Ms. Kain said, "I am disappointed Governor Dean didn't have any people of color in his cabinet."

But she still plans to vote for Dr. Dean. "I like the fact I think he can beat George Bush," she said.




http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/13/politics...gns/13SHAR.html

[LuminousX]

4. further evidence

of this molehill trying to be turned into a mountain.

[bigtree]

5. evidence

of the sincerity of Rev. Sharpton's query.

[no name no slogan]

7. Sharpton is being pragmatic

IF Dean is the nominee, Sharpton will be a big help rallying African-Americans. And he'll probably want something from the Dean administration in return.

Additionally, do you honestly think Sharpton would support GeeDubya over ANY Democrat? Highly unlikely.

As all the candidates have said, they will support the eventual nominee, whoever that is. This should hardly be news to anyone.

[Hep]

6. Piss off, Sharpton, the damage is done

I don't care if you support Dean or not, windbag.

[bigtree]

8. Piss off supporters who may agree with him, as well?

Hope not.

[Hep]

10. Agree with him about what?

n/t

[bigtree]

15. That the governor did not try hard enough to elevate minorities

to cabinet level positions in his 11 years as governor.

[candy331]

11. As I said in another post, Sharpton

calculated his move to win black voters over to him and he figured they would come from Dean and calculated that since Dean has been labeled as angry, uncontrolled, speak w/o thought that he would not attack back. I read here where some say Sharpton told the truth ,well two can play that game and Dean could have reciprocated and told the truth too about Sharpton, however Dean showed true Presidential quality by not attacking Sharpton and alienating blacks or Sharpton supporters. I would bet that when Dean asked Sharpton to speak with him(in privacy) after the debate Sunday night Al was given fair warning.


Dean 04

[BurtWorm]

9. I do.

I'm glad he said what he said.

[eissa]

13. That's right, Hep

It's like the abusive husband who slaps his wife around and then mutters "but I still love you." Sharpton can kiss my ass; if you want the dem nominee to win (and I'm just assuming it's Dean for the moment) then stop tearing him down and doing Rove's job for him.

[Bush loves Jiang]

12. I hate Sharpton...

When your closest political allies include Alphonse D'Amato and George Pataki, it's high time you get the fuck out of the Democratic party.

Sharpton, Nagin, Miller -- The Axis of Evil

[Capn Sunshine]

14. I dunno..

how and where can you make the case D'Amato is Al's "closest ally"?


Al's fun to have around; he can say things that any mainstream candidate would be skewered for

Besides,he admitted this was about getting some votes for himself....

but most telling regarding Gov. Dean:
"I still think what he is saying is good in terms of race."[/b}

[bigtree]

16. And everyone here thought he was branding Gov. Dean as a racist

by challenging him on his cabinet appointments.

"I still think what he is saying is good in terms of race."

Rev. Sharpton also has said that you have to do more on race than just talk the talk. You also have to walk the walk.

[madison]

22. how many white people has Sharpton appointed ??

Does anyone know how many white people Sharpton has appointed to HIS inner executive staff?

[SadEagle]

20. Well, not quite closest ally, but Sharpton supported D'Amato and Pataki

See for example http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2003/01/14/bush/

[madison]

17. "Dean tried to appoint minorities in Vermont"

"Dean tried to appoint minorities in Vermont"

- - - - - - - - - - - -
by Ross Sneyd
Salon.com
Jan. 12, 2004

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/01/12/dean_minorities/index.html


<During more than a decade as Vermont governor, Howard Dean did not appoint any blacks or Hispanics to his Cabinet, but minority leaders say it was not for lack of trying in the nearly all-white state. "

<snip>

one black leader who met regularly with Dean praised his efforts as governor. He recalled turning down Dean's requests to serve in the administration. "He asked if I had an interest or if I knew of anyone who had an interest"

<snip>

"Those who have assumed the mantle of leadership in Vermont's very small black community are fully aware of Dr. Dean's commitment to inclusion, to diversity, and to fairness," he said. >

<snip>

"It wasn't that Howard didn't try," said Kathy Hoyt, Dean's former chief of staff. "He asked everybody to recruit for us in the minority community....Hoyt said one effort to recruit a black man to the Cabinet fell through because he would not be paid as much as he was making in Massachusetts. ">

[bigtree]

18. Tried, apparently.

Failed, definitely. Needed to try harder.

[madison]

19. Vermont's minority LEADERS praise Dean for his efforts to be inclusive

That is EXACTLY what Vermont's black leaders said Dean did - he tried and tried to recruit minorities.

There are only about 2 percent minorities in Vermont; we can assume at least half of them are children. Many - as with all populations - are not interested in getting into politics.

"Minorities comprise 2.1 percent of Vermont's population of 608,827, according to Census Department figures for 2000. Less than 1 percent of the population -- 5,504 -- are Hispanic. Even fewer -- 3,063 -- are black."

The point is that Vermont's minority LEADERS have praised Dean for his efforts to be inclusive.

[bigtree]

21. 11 years

4000 days

[madison]

23. Sharpton's question covered only Cabinet appmts; there are other jobs

Al Sharpton's question covered only Cabinet appointments; he didn't want to hear about minorities that Dean appointed to other positions.

[bigtree]

24. All of the talk about the dearth of minorities in Vermont

Why didn't he elevate one of them to cabinet level? Happens all of the time.

[madison]

25. More Congressional minority members are supporting Dean than

You are impugning Dr. Dean's commitment to civil rights and the advancement of minorities in our society. Not even Al
Sharpton is doing that, so I think you have some obligation to document your allegations with more than Dean's not
appointing minorities to his five-person Cabinet in a state where minorities comprise two percent of the population.

More Congressional minority members are supporting Dean than any other candidate, including Al Sharpton. I wonder if
they all don't know something you don't.