Al Sharpton on the Campaign Trail

ByABC News
October 19, 2003, 7:32 PM

— -- ABCNEWS' Beth Loyd is on the campaign trail with the Rev. Al Sharpton as he runs for president. For the latest report, scroll down.

Campaign asserts its seriousness

Nov. 11 While Sharpton held meetings in Chicago the campaign distributed a press release entitled "Sharpton Unveils National Progressive Network for 2004," naming the contributors to the campaign's drive. Among those "leading the efforts" are Congressmen Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) and Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.); Earl Graves Jr., President of Earl Graves Publishing; Cathy Hughes, Founder and Chairperson of Radio One; Bill Campbell, former Mayor of Atlanta; Percy Sutton, Chairman of Inner City Broadcasting; and Newark Mayor Sharpe James.

The motivation behind the release is two-fold. First, Sharpton felt the need to respond to the idea that the campaign is not serious about being competitive. Secondly, Sharpton is often questioned about his lack of support among black political leaders. This is his answer to that (and, arguably, more specifically to Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s endorsement of Dean). The campaign was planning to send it out more than a week ago, but last week was a little busy what with the Dean/Confederate flag business to attend to. The press release also takes what some might observe as a shot at Jesse Jackson, Sr., saying " we can pick up where the Rainbow Coalition left off a decade ago to ensure that our top issues are no longer ignored by the national Democrats."

The campaign says Washington, D.C. and South Carolina are its focus. It also mentions 17 other states Iowa and New Hampshire are not included. A number of young Democrats have approached Sharpton in various spin rooms and questioned him about his complete avoidance of Iowa and New Hampshire some actually volunteered to help. His only answer is that he will campaign there when he has to go for debates.

Charles Halloran says, "Sharpton will spend most of his time where he can compete most effectively. We would much rather be strong in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina than to blow a lot of resources in places where we have very little horsepower. You have to take your best shots."

Busy weekend for campaign

Nov. 10 Reverend Sharpton spent the weekend doing voter registration in Maryland, preaching in Delaware, opening his Washington, D.C. campaign headquarters (complete with "Slap the Donkey" T-shirts), and addressing the story of the week: Howard Dean.

Sharpton said that Dean's apology over the Confederate flag flap was "a little weak," and that Dean had damaged himself, particularly among black voters and in the South. Sharpton Noted that, given the events of the last week, he is less concerned about the threat of the Dean campaign usurping any of his supporters.

On Dean refusing federal matching funds, Sharpton, who believes that all campaigns should be funded in full with federal money, urged Dean to be consistent on campaign finance. Yet he is clearly less concerned with how Dean raises money than he is with qualifying for matching funds for his own campaign (10 states down, 10 to go).

On Sunday, Sharpton cut the ribbon at the campaign's D.C. headquarters in front of the Bowie State marching band, a pack of press, and about 20 supporters a rather disappointing turnout, according to one campaign source. Sharpton stood on the podium in front of a sea of red "Sharpton 2004" posters taped on the windows of the campaign office, and challenged the other candidates to participate in the D.C. primary although Kerry, Lieberman, Gephardt and Edwards have already opted out an action that could dramatically decrease the significance of a Sharpton D.C. primary victory.

"If we can go to Iowa and New Hampshire, then what is the standard you use to not come to the District of Columbia? Those double-standards need to be dealt with."

Sharpton, who is not exactly pleased by the frequent mention of his perpetual lateness, Noted that he was on time to the event: "By the way, Beth, I was here on time. I was early, in fact."

As Sharpton campaign staffers handed out "Slap the Donkey" T-shirts to supporters, the Reverend, in a rather playful mood, quipped, "we even have T-shirts in [the other candidates'] sizes all ready."

After dining on some KFC macaroni and cheese, Sharpton did a little role reversal with the press. As two reporters interviewed Charles Halloran, the Reverend came over and stuck his hand up to Halloran's mouth, as if he was holding a microphone. He said, "I'm the chief embed of this campaign. Hey, if Beth can preach the end of my sermon, I can ask questions."

One other Note: Marjorie Harris, the Executive Director of the National Action Network and voter registration coordinator, travels with Sharpton. Apparently, she is writing a book from "inside the campaign." Details TBD.

The Sharpton clarification

Nov. 7 Yesterday, the Washington Times ran a piece on Sharpton's opposition to the filibuster of President Bush's nomination of California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. LINK

Shortly thereafter, Sharpton took some serious heat from various party leaders. Apparently, he didn't really mean what he said. Sharpton's campaign manager, Charles Halloran, explained that the Reverend used the word "filibuster" as a "term of art" rather than Senate procedure vocabulary.

On Wednesday, Sharpton compared the filibuster to a pocket veto and said:

"We've got to stop this monolith in black America because it impedes the freedom of expression for all of us I don't think she should be opposed because she doesn't come from some assumed club."

Here's what Webster says about 'filibuster':

1 : an irregular military adventurer; specifically : an American engaged in fomenting insurrections in Latin America in the mid-19th century2 : [2filibuster] a : the use of extreme dilatory tactics in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly b : an instance of this practice

The Sharpton campaign 'clarification' press release said the following:

"I am strongly opposed to the nomination of Janice Rogers Brown to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. She is so far removed from the judicial mainstream that she poses a serious threat to the progress we have made in civil rights. This morning, I made phone calls to Senator Leahy, through his Chief-of-Staff, Luke Albee, and Senators John Edwards and Charles Schumer, to convey my opposition to the nomination of Justice Brown. I asked the Senators to do everything within their means to prevent her from gaining a lifetime appointment to this important Court, and call upon the full Senate to take the same steps to ensure that she is not confirmed."