What does Sharpton have to gain by attacking Dean?

[rucky]

We know he's campaigning boldly because he has nothing to lose. We know he will lose. So what are his goals? To reform the Party - "slap the donkey"? To bring in disinfranchised voters?

Isn't this what Dean is also setting out to do?

So why would Sharpton be one of Dean's biggest critics. I'd expect him to agree with some of Dean's more controversial statements. Especially after making this statement just a few months ago:

http://www.jsonline.com/election2000/ap/sep03/ap-democrats-sharp090903.asp

"We must not be in a relationship with a Democratic Party that takes us for granted. We must no longer be the political mistresses of the Democratic Party," Sharpton told the audience attending the first awards banquet for the Central Virginia Business and Construction Association.

"A mistress is where they take you out to have fun but they can't take you home to mama and daddy. Either we're going to get married in 2004 or we're going to find some folks who ain't ashamed to be seen with us," he said.


Aren't they both essentially telling establishment Dems to "shape up or more will ship out"?

[OrAnarch]

1. I dont think he has much to gain..

Basically I do not believe he thinks so either. He doesn't see eye to eye with Dean on every issue and is just generally pissed and frustrated at his current plight. This isn't a smoke and mirrors deal...just venting IMHO. I wish Sharpton would ease up, as I have respect for both candidates, and dont want to see attacks amongst the actual tier Id be willing to vote for.

I think his main goals are twofold: to provide a liberal black voice to the race and to remind the dems of the importance of the black community, and hence, to remind dems not to forget them after the election. Attacking Dean doesn't fit into this agenda so much.

[mc6809e]

2. Revenge for Dean's "confederate flags on pickup trucks" remark

Didn't Dean make a comment about how the Party needs to go after people that have confederate flags on pickup trucks?

Maybe Sharpton thinks Dean is racist.

I might even agree.

There is still racism in the party and it needs to STOP!

[OrAnarch]

4. I hardley think this is the case...

Such a display of lack of understanding and unwillingness to let things go lie at the root reasons for racism. Id hardley opt to say that Sharpton shares those characteristics, and is holding a misconstrued remark over Deans head, when he himself is not blind to media lies (you may be).

Dean is hardley a racist...I find it despicable you call any dem candidates rascist or agree on that point.

[Melodybe]

10. Yay but they completely misconstrued his comment

I like Sharpton, but I wanted to slap him when he turned Dean flag comment into something racist. Half of my family has confederate flags on their pick up trucks and they are quite poor and they vote republican. I don't associate with them any more, but Dean's comment about them voting against their own economic interests is true. Dean is not a racist and I am offended that your would even suggest it. His roommate in college was a Black Panther and speaks highly of Dean. You should go and read the transcript of what Dean ACTUALLY said as opposed to the CNN sound-bite that is used to make him look bad. As usual Dean was right.

[revcarol]

3. But Dean wants to play the "seem liberal, but actually be right-leaning"

game. Sharpton is calling him on this. Dean is taking "the liberal base" for granted, and the "black vote" for granted, just because he pictures himself in the media as liberal.

Sharpton is calling his bluff. He wants the real deal, with Dean and with Democrats.

[Frodo]

5. Sharpton is all about Sharpton.

I don't think we need to ascribe any other motivation to him.

If there is a single clear leader in the pack, then the fringe candidates don't really have any play in the media... and sharpton needs air time. So he's got to pull him down a little so Dean has to come to him.

He need to be recognized as a "leader" and "powerbroker". He needs to be able to threaten to take the AA vote away from us so that he can take credit for "giving" us the same number of AA voters we would have gotten anyway ("gee, aren't you glad you gave me respect). The african american community has a lot more valuable people who could be up on that stage (CMB being one of them) before Sharpton should get his airtime.

[private_ryan]

6. Sharpton is running against Jesse Jackson, not Dean or anyone else

n/t

[BeyondGeography]

13. Agreed, he'll make up with Brother Howard

as he referred to him numerous times earlier in the campaign before the Jackson endorsement, if Dean throws him a suitable consolation prize should he get the nomination. Sharpton's fallback position can always be ABB.

[movonne]

7. I think it stinks when we eat our own..I will not vote for a

candidate that does this. We are going to have a hard enough time winning the election as it is. We do not have to give the repugs amnunition.

[Frodo]

11. Looks like you'll be voting for Bush this year??

Cause just about all of our candidates have been "doing this".

[killbotfactory]

8. It gets his name in the papers..

So he can eek out a few more donations to wine and dine himself at first class hotels and resturaunts across the country.

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. Sharpton is not to blame for the choices the Democratic party has made

You may agree with the choices or disagree, but that is politics.

The top 25 income tie is pretty much who votes, and keeping it that way is in the short-term interest of the Democratic party as well as the Republican.

The only candidate who has even proposed a Living Wage is considered unelectable by the money boys - Democratic money boys.

As for Sharpton himself, I see things said about him on this board that if anyone said about any other candidate, all the TIPSters would be spraining their fingers on that alert button, and raising holy hell.

I think his analogy is very accurate, except that not only does the party not want to marry him, he's not even their regualr mistress!

[nancyharris]

12. Perhaps he is trying to awaken his fellow Democrats

to the growing reality that it is not enough to simply give “lip service” to minority viewpoints. African-Americans have for many years been at the core of shaping the Democratic Party issues. Yet (according to most polls) registered Democrats give scant (1 to 3%) voter support to either of the 2 African-American candidates (and the only female candidate) for president.

For instance, without a single vote being cast you have already written off one of those candidates with (in your own words) “We know he will lose”. How do you expect him to react?

[Jerseycoa]

14. One word

"Bossism" - remember that one? A lot of people, including Sharpton, do not forget that Al Gore and Howard Dean betrayed the rest of us and caused the mess the Party is in today, when they held their little Harlem Tea Party. Like it, don't like it - that's what it is.

[TLM]

18. Yeah that's it...your guy is losing because of Gore...

not because he was too cowardly to even say he was a democrat until 3 months ago.. or because of his support for the SOA, or because of his statements about murdering journalists in kosovo, or because he worked as a defense lobbyist, nor is it due to his republican voting history nor his raising money for republicans and showing praise on Bush and his crew, and it could have anything to do with his tied to Carlicci and Kissinger.

Nope, your guy is losing because Gore backed Dean.

[elsiesummers]

15. IMO, Sharpton wants to be seen as a party unifier

First - before Sharpton entered the race his entrance was eagerly anticipated by Republicans because he was seen as a disruptive force, and one who would possibly leave the party and make an indey bid. (Go back and read some of George Will's columns on this topic, for an example.)

None of this has proven true. Sharpton has often been the candidate in the debates who has suggested that all of the candidates are better than Bush, or that some criticism amongst Democrats has been over the line, or, while pointing out the problem with Dean's confederate flag comment, also said "I know you are not a biggot."

He has also provided levity at moments when the tension among the Democrats has been over thick.

The only times I see Sharpton say anything critical of Dean is when Dean has said something that is potentially divisive within the Democratic party.

When Sharpton speaks against these carefully selected, divisive, statements, he is pointing out that he (Sharpton), despite fears of the worst, is playing the role of unifier and is not threatening to work outside the party. He has been an overall positive influence in the primary.

Sharpton is proving expectations incorrect and proving his detractors wrong - but it has to be noticed (so he draws a comparison to Dean) in order for him to gain credit for an accomplishment.

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. Not agreeing with Dean

is NOT attacking him. Sharpton calls it like he sees it. Dean said many things he should never have said. Dean had Gore endorse him before any vote was cast. Gore asked supporters of other candidates to get behind Dean. Dean lied about Kucinich supporting the war. Sharpton has every right to call him on those things. He needed to be called on them. His arrogance is a real turn off. If it's a turn off to me, imagine what it's like for the other candidates.

[TLM]

17. And Dean did not even say that much...

Dean only said he can not guarantee that his supporters are transferable. He says he'll support the nominee, but a lot of his supporter are greens and independents who might not.

What Sharpton said was a direct threat to ditch the party.. what Dean said was that he doesn't control his supporters to the point of being able to tell them all to support someone else and have them all do it.

Big difference.


And it isn't exactly news that sharpton is a lying hypocrite.