Al Sharpton on the Campaign Trail

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

Singing a redemption song

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 8 — After a strong showing in Detroit, the Sharpton campaign picked up seven delegates and a little relief over the weekend. The collective "Whew" is audible. Campaign manager Charles Halloran is very pleased and says it's a bit of redemption, proving the Reverend still maintains appeal in urban areas.

The success can in large part be attributed to two people: Marjorie Harris, the executive director of the National Action Network, who recruited "invaluable" volunteers for the two week push leading to primary day, and Michael Pitts, who moved to Michigan and organized the effort there with little more than $3,000.

The strategy was to bombard Detroit with visits by Rev. Sharpton to churches, colleges, and organized forums. Unfortunately for the campaign, Michael Pitts has quit the campaign and is getting some much-needed R&R at home in California. He says he is suffering from lack of appreciation — both verbal and financial.

On Sunday, Sharpton made his usual tour of churches, this time focusing on Richmond and the surrounding suburbs, which are largely African-American. The campaign will tour Richmond until Wednesday, rarely straying outside the city limits. One campaign source said that the less-than-satisfying showing in South Carolina is a result of failure to focus the effort on certain parts of the state.

Down, but not out

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 3 — Rev. Al Sharpton strolled into his primary night headquarters nearly an hour late. He was greeted by a swarm of media, about 20 supporters, and nearly a dozen stragglers from the hotel who came by to catch a glimpse of the Reverend and to feast on the free food.

A third place South Carolina finish by itself is a decent showing for the Sharpton campaign, but the failure to collect a single delegate is clearly a huge disappointment.

In his speech, Sharpton claimed victory for his third-place showing, saying that he beat so-called mainstream candidates: Dean, Clark, and Lieberman. He repeatedly mentioned his "double-digit" showing but didn't acknowledge the fact that he only got 19 percent of the black vote. The "I will win delegates to carry me to the convention" talk is packed away, likely never to return.

Sharpton did not walk away completely empty-handed. He got one delegate in Delaware — meager, but better than nothing. He vows to stay in the race, now turning his attention to Michigan and Virginia.

Yet, the campaign has no money. In fact, it is nearly half a million dollars in debt and the FEC has yet to approve its requests for matching funds. Sharpton argues that he's proven he can do well without money. But money or no money, he won't get to take the stage at the convention with no delegates.

The Rev.'s Last Stand

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 1 -- Rev. Al Sharpton kicks off his last South Carolina tour today beginning with a "From Property to President" Rally at the Charleston Slave Market.

The Sharpton campaign put all of its relatively few eggs into two baskets -- the Washington, D.C. basket and the South Carolina basket. (The campaign currently has three radio ads on the air in South Carolina -- including one with Johnnie Cochran and another with Russell Simmons).

The non-binding primary result in Washington, D.C. was quite satisfying for the campaign and all are hoping for the same here. Although it is unspoken, a third place or better finish would qualify as a victory and the campaign hopes it will provide them some much-needed momentum heading into Michigan and Virginia.

After the Town Hall Meeting in Aiken on Sunday, Sharpton joked around with Rep. Clyburn and then was approached by a woman who was in attendance. She handed the Reverend a flier that her mother had given her. It was an advertisement for "the boy preacher" that her mother had saved all these years. It was certainly "a moment."

Campaign trouble wrap-up:

The campaign is facing a couple of disputes. Rev. Sharpton is planning to file a court challenge to get on the Louisiana ballot -- a state he has visited more than a few times. The deadline was Friday and although the campaign met the deadline it used a personal check, not an accepted form of payment. The Secretary of State tried to contact the campaign, but failed numerous times -- the phone number listed on the paperwork was wrong.

Meanwhile the FEC is not recognizing Rev. Sharpton's request for federal matching funds, which the campaign desperately needs. While campaign manager Charles Halloran says he will work out the dispute, it turns out the campaign owes the FEC money, in the form of a $5,500 civil fine for failing to file a statement of candidacy and late submission of financial disclosure forms.

No Iowa, No Problem

Harlem, N.Y., Jan.19 - Monday, January 19 was significant to the Reverend Al Sharpton because it was a day to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and not because of a caucus in a state where Sharpton said "there ain't many blacks." The result of the Iowa caucus is of virtually no consequence to Sharpton. He didn't expect to be a blip on the radar screen but he does have a vested interest in the success or failure of Howard Dean. Sharpton is more than happy to take credit for any damage done to Dean over the last week. In fact, he demands props for his most recent attack at the debate.

Campaign manager Charles Halloran says the impact in South Carolina of Gephardt's dropping out could fall either way. Some of those planning to vote for Gephardt because of Rep. Clyburn's endorsement may vote for Sharpton. On the other hand, Gephardt's presence in the race could've split the white vote and given Sharpton a better chance to do well.

After attending a rally in Columbia, S.C., Sharpton flew to New York to attend his National Action Network's annual MLK Day celebration-which seemed to be more of a Sharpton campaign rally than anything else. As usual, the Reverend was running behind schedule. He strolled in 45 minutes late and greeted those officials already on stage including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Councilman Charles Barron-who is running (with Sharpton's endorsement) for mayor in 2005, Congressman Rangel, and former Mayor David Dinkins.

Sharpton, as fiery as ever, took the opportunity to poke a little fun at General Clark. "I saw your candidate [in South Carolina], Congressman Rangel. He's learning how to do the black thing. I'm going to teach him. We might even have him clapping on the beat by next year this time."

Then, amid gasps by the audience and smirks on the faces of the officials, Sharpton went on a Dean-bashing tirade, throwing in Moseley Braun just for fun. "He hired Carol. She, you know, dropped out of the race and endorsed him; he hired her. So, I hit him at one debate and got her a job. So, if I hit him this week at the debate, maybe I can get two more Negroes jobs. Maybe by the end of the race, I can get him to hire at least ten black folks. That's progress."

Second place, but "still a winner"

JAN. 13--Howard Dean may have won the Washington, D.C. primary, but the Sharpton campaign is declaring its showing a victory. Early Tuesday morning, campaign manager Charles Halloran said that unless Dean completely blows them away, he will consider it an accomplishment. He was hoping for the best and expecting the worst. A strong second is wildly pleasing to them, indeed.

Sharpton, the only candidate to campaign in Washington, is likely to take at least some of the credit for the surprising voter turnout -- 12 percent of registered voters, 16 percent of Washington Democrats, compared to 8.4 percent in 2000. The Reverend will continue to argue that, although he didn't win, he ran a mean grassroots campaign in Washington, focusing on the churches, while Dean was endorsed by local officials.

Besides spending a proportionately monstrous amount of time campaigning for the primary, Sharpton's strategic attack on Dean at Sunday's Brown and Black debate and the weekend bombardment of radio advertisements in Washington, contributed to the "victory." Several Washington residents approached Sharpton during his weekend blizt through the Capital, and thanked him for bringing to light Howard Dean's "all-white Cabinet."

The goal is two-fold: Of course, there is legitimacy to Sharpton's declared intention of drawing attention to Washington, D.C. statehood but the campaign is also hoping that this will create some momentum -- but not in Iowa or New Hampshire. Starting now, it's all South Carolina, all the time, where a second-place showing would be nothing less than extraordinary for the Sharpton campaign.

Sharpton rallies the district

NEW YORK CITY, Jan. 12— At 7:00 am on Monday morning, Rev. Sharpton was shaking hands at a metro station in Washington, D.C., his operatives handing out fliers promoting the Sharpton rally scheduled for later that evening. Sharpton rarely goes to neighborhoods and train stations for mano-y-mano campaigning and, therefore, is not an expert.

According to a metro station patron, the Reverend was operating more like a celebrity than politician. He just stood there waiting for people to approach him and he would shake hands and move on to the next-never once did Sharpton take the initiative to walk over and engage the metro-riders.

Dealing a bad hand, race card included

NEW YORK CITY, Jan. 11— Rev. Al Sharpton took the opportunity at the well-timed Brown & Black debate to raise a race question to his biggest perceived threat in Tuesday's District of Columbia primary. He slammed Dean for failing to have a person of color in a senior policy role in his administration in Vermont -- another example of what Sharpton calls, "walking the walk but not talking the talk." He passionately attempted to distinguish himself as the candidate bringing race to the forefront -- chiding Moseley Braun for defending Howard Dean.

When Dean made mention of his many endorsements among black and Hispanic politicians, Sharpton whipped out his favorite endorsement one-liner. He said, "I think you only need cosigners if your credit is bad" -- a rather ironic statement considering Sharpton's recent media-focused endorsement ceremonies in New York and Washington.

(Speaking of bad credit…)

When Saturday came, it brought with it an incredibly unflattering front page New York Times article on Sharpton's financial troubles both within his National Action Network and in the campaign. The campaign saw it coming yet campaign manager Charles Halloran was "relieved." He said, "It could've been worse," which makes one wonder… Fortunately for the campaign, the strategic attack on Dean will likely trump this. The campaign proudly sent around the AP article moments after it was posted.

Today marks a first in the Reverend's campaign. Besides the media hits and the church visits, Sharpton is scheduled to pop up at various Washington metro stops in an effort to promote support and to get people to the polls on Tuesday. He will also canvass neighborhoods, door-to-door.

Sharpton offers limb-er metaphor

NEW YORK, Jan. 9 — The Sharpton campaign's investment in Tuesday's D.C. primary has increased substantially. The campaign will run radio ads on five D.C. stations in the days leading up to the primary. Campaign manager Charles Halloran says the ads have a "healthy five-figure" price tag. Relatively speaking, that is incredibly expensive for a campaign that has raised around $150,000 in the 4th quarter.

At a media event yesterday at which Sharpton was "officially" endorsed by New York Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell, IV, the Reverend described the cost of the advertisement in a way that only he can-or would.

"It's like the conversation between the chicken and the pig over a ham and egg sandwich," he said. "The chicken made a contribution. The pig dropped a leg. I dropped a leg in Washington, D.C."

Sharpton runs into Jackson in a likely place

NEW YORK, Jan. 6— When Rev. Sharpton took the pulpit on Sunday at Savannah Grove Baptist Church in Effingham, S.C., he had no idea that Rev. Jesse Jackson was going to show up. About 15 minutes into Sharpton's fiery sermon, Jesse Jackson walked in the door. Reverend Jackson also had no clue that Sharpton would be there. Imagine their surprise.

Sharpton told ABC News that the two men hadn't talked in months, so one could sense a bit of tension in the air. Sharpton said Reverend Jackson sat quietly down on stage behind the pulpit and listened to the sermon. Afterwards, according to Sharpton, Reverend Jackson took the pulpit for ten minutes and urged the congregation to get out the vote. The two men cordially shook hands afterwards but had no time for conversation. "I was running late to the next church."

Sharpton said the media in South Carolina falsely reported that the two men were campaigning together -- at his admitted amusement. "I bet the Dean folks were going crazy."

The Reverend heads to Washington today for what his campaign has termed "vigorous" campaigning. Sharpton is determined to do well in the Jan. 13 primary and argues that given all the local endorsements, Dean should be ashamed that he isn't campaigning there. Even with all the support among officials, Sharpton believes Dean will get "a run for his money, so to speak."

Campaign swings through south while field camps in Iowa

NEW YORK, Jan. 4— The Sharpton campaign finally qualified for matching funds with campaign manager Charles Halloran making a whirlwind tour through Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama to pick up checks.

Sharpton skipped the Des Moines Register debate due to weekend commitments in South Carolina, including opening his first campaign office there. Halloran says it is unclear whether or not Reverend Sharpton will participate in the other two Iowa debates -- opting instead to dedicate time and resources to Washington and South Carolina.

Expect the campaign to challenge Dean to debate this week after hearing that Dean is not attending Friday's WTOP radio debate in Washington.

Holiday spirit

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 — What does the Sharpton campaign want for Christmas? Matching funds. They still haven't qualified for them. The deadline passed more than a week ago, but the FEC is giving them a little leeway. Just call it holiday spirit -- a little SNL goes a long way.

Number two on the Sharpton campaign Christmas list: more polls like the New York Times/CBS News survey released Thursday that showed the Reverend ahead of Kerry, Edwards, Kucinich and Moseley Braun. Campaign manager Charles Halloran said "[Sharpton] had sensed things were going in that direction," but he always enjoys validation.

In terms of at least one rival, Sharpton seems to be easing u4p on The DocHarlem is my turf"-themed endorsement ceremony on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday, Sharpton has ceased the Dean-bashing. On CNN Thursday with Wolf Blitzer and called the Osama bin Laden ad "an outrage" and called for the group -- to apologize to Dean.

Sharpton rallies with supporters

NEW YORK, Dec. 16 — Sharpton strolled up to the steps of City Hall for his endorsement rally about 15 minutes late. Reps. Towns and Serrano took turns praising their choice for president. Both men made not-so-subtle references to the Dean-Gore swing through Harlem last week. Towns said, "I want to thank Rev. Sharpton for making it possible for the other candidates to go to Harlem because if he was not in the race, they would not have gone to Harlem."

Sharpton welcomes formal New York nods

NEW YORK, Dec. 15 — New York Reps. Ed Towns and Jose Serrano are planning to "officially" endorse Sharpton today on the steps of City Hall -- an event that appeared on the schedule yesterday. This comes about exactly one week after Rev. Sharpton became enraged by Al Gore's endorsing of Howard Dean in Harlem, Sharpton's stomping ground. Campaign operatives called it "a slap in the face."

Just three days after Gore's endorsement, the New York Times ran a story with the headline, "Sharpton's Support Slips Despite National Attention" detailing his loss of support in New York. Sharpton issued a number of threats last week to both Howard Dean and local officials who he believes have abandoned him. Sharpton released a statement asking, "Will the real Howard Dean please stand up?" and shortly thereafter made virtually unnoticed threats to withhold votes with his political machine should Dean be the nominee.

So, is this press conference on the steps of City Hall a coincidence? I think not.

Sharpton says capture doesn't negate false motivation for war

NEW YORK, Dec. 14 — Rev. Al Sharpton was boarding a plane in Detroit at six o'clock in the morning yesterday when he heard about the capture of Saddam Hussein. Sharpton argued that, although good news, the accomplishment does not diminish what he believes was a false motivation to engage in war. The campaign anticipates a shift in the Democratic primary's landscape -- that domestic issues will come to the forefront -- and that many of the candidates will have to adjust their campaigns accordingly and will subsequently show their conservatism on domestic policy. Sharpton says the focus will change from support of the war to the continued occupation of Iraq.

West Coast Wooing

NEW YORK, Dec. 11— Rev. Al Sharpton made his first swing along the West coast today, campaigning in San Francisco and East Oakland with Rep. Barbara Lee and doing lunch with golf course designer Robert Trent Jones.

Back in the trenches, campaign manager Charles Halloran explained Sharpton's discomfort with the location of Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean on permanent Sharpton stomping ground. Halloran told ABC News that Sharpton believes choosing Harlem as the venue was "a slap in the face." The Reverend was not amused. A number of New York talk radio stations asked the question, "What? Does Sharpton own Harlem?"

Sharpton goes after Dean, wows seniors

WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 10 — The Sharpton campaign is on Dean again. The day after a big Dean endorsement, it is reasonable, and quite intuitive, to expect a Sharpton press release slamming him on his record (sealed or unsealed), but this time the focus was "things Dean has said." Evoking the rapper Eminem, the subject line read, "WILL THE REAL HOWARD DEAN PLEASE STAND UP?"

Meanwhile, Sharpton was prevented from displaying his oratorical skills to inarguably the largest crowd of the campaign, having instead to walk around and shake hands and pose for pictures with nearly 7,000 elderly people -- probably not his favorite thing to do. It was an event sponsored by a local government agency, the D.C. Office on Aging, and they decided that allowing Sharpton to address the crowd was ever-so-slightly unethical.

Amid shouts of "My goodness, it's Al Sharpton," "Al Sharpton, over here, over here!" and whispers of, "He looks like he lost a whole bunch-a weight," and "Isn't he running for President?" Sharpton made his way around the room, working about every third row -- for a total of about 25 minutes -- and then he was gone. Still, for Sharpton it was an intensely productive 25 minutes.

Sharpton responds to Dean's invite to attack him

DURHAM, N.H., Dec. 10 — Sharpton is on the offensive again -- this time criticizing Gore as he did Jesse Jackson, Jr. a couple of months ago.

After the debate, Sharpton responded to Dean's "please don't attack my friend Gore" plea. Sharpton said, "Dean said to attack him, not Gore. That's cool. I can do that."

Another development sure to ruffle Sharpton's feathers: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. sent out a press release praising Al Gore for endorsing Dean as a "pivotal moment on the road to the White House." Sharpton responded, "If Reverend Jackson thinks it's a key and pivotal statement that's wonderful. I supported Reverend Jackson against Mr. Gore. I support Reverend Sharpton against Mr. Gore's choice."

Sharpton is scheduled to meet with former President Clinton today.

So What?

NEW YORK, DEC. 8 — Sharpton was live on CNN's "Crossfire" when the Gore-Dean news broke. He turned to Tucker Carlson and said, "I don't want to shock you, but I was not expecting Al Gore's endorsement."

Rev. Al Sharpton said that Gore's endorsement has virtually no affect on his campaign, but he thinks the others can't say as much. "I think it consolidates the opposition in the primary. I think it will probably take one or two people out of the race."

Sharpton told ABC News that Dean cast himself as an outsider who is "fighting the establishment and now he has the establishment endorsement."

Sharpton says Dean's persona is false. "You know, in the early parts of this campaign, he and I were saying we were the one that wanted to return the party back to its roots … well, now the people that we wanted to return from have endorsed him, so he can't use that lie anymore."

It's also timely to Note that Sharpton's hosting of "Saturday Night Live," which grabbed a respectable 6.4 rating, didn't come close to the 7.6 Gore scored when he hosted a year ago.

The Reverend, a Kennedy and The Bird

WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 7 — After an intense evening of live television and SNL after-parties, it was time for Rev. Sharpton to join the celebration of the Godfather of Soul. In an attempt to avoid airport delays and make it to Washington on time for the Kennedy Center Honors, Sharpton, entourage in tow, decided to take the train. Caroline Kennedy had the same idea.

Just south of Trenton, N.J., there was a bit of a problem. An unidentified bird flew into the engine of the train, subsequently destroying the engine … and the bird.

They were stranded.

"Not so fast," said the Reverend, who then, acting as the mouthpiece of the dignitaries on board, insisted on another train. So, the Reverend and his crew, Caroline Kennedy and her entourage, the other First Class passengers, and one very slick 20/20 producer boarded the "rescue train" as it pulled alongside.

While Sharpton and Kennedy made it to Washington and hit the red carpet, the remaining passengers sat there … waiting. Damn bird.

Sharpton arrived at the Kennedy Center two minutes before the program began and told ABC News, "James Brown has been a surrogate father to me. I promised him I'd be here. I wrote the tribute to him on the program. Even though I was stranded on a train with Caroline Kennedy, we both got here."

If you miss SNL, you have only yourself to blame

NEW YORK CITY, DEC. 4 — Rev. Al Sharpton's debut on Saturday Night Live will be unforgettable. Here's what you can expect:

Sharpton will be wearing wigs, safari garb and maybe even a dress.

He will, of course, play himself in a number of skits, but he'll also attempt a Johnnie Cochran impression and he'll play Michael Jackson's father.

AND (drum roll) … a "Hardball" skit with Rev. Sharpton playing Rev. Jackson!

Sharpton strolled onto the set of Saturday Night Live to rehearse on Thursday looking mighty fine. He's relatively svelte — he's dropped at least 10 pounds in the last two weeks. His hair is the shortest it's been since birth and slicked WAY back (perhaps to accommodate those wigs). His teeth are a new sparkling shade of white.

And while the other cast members rehearsed in sweats and jeans, Sharpton was decked out, as always, in that three-piece suit — joking with cast members between takes and asking, "How many takes did Al Gore do?" And, for the first time in quite some time, the Reverend had to take direction.

Sharpton stood alongside Jimmy Fallon and cut some promos for the show, poking fun at himself for being desperate for votes; hence, his appearance on SNL.

Fallon: "It's almost Christmas, Reverend, what do you want?"

Sharpton: "Iowa, Jimmy, Iowa."

Fallon jokingly admits he has no idea who Sharpton is: "Do you drive my limo or something?" And Fallon ponders a Sharpton-Fallon ticket, to which Sharpton responds, "Forget it, Fallon."

In a skit about wild animals with Tracy Morgan (both will be dressed in safari garb), Sharpton's poignant line is, "I love to go clubbing and I do love the ladies."

(Tracy Morgan, who left the show recently for his own sitcom, has come back as a guest for this show — he's been the SNL Sharpton impersonator in the past.)

The brilliant Darrell Hammond, who does impressions of every president since Reagan (and Chris Matthews), joined a small group of reporters gathered to watch the rehearsals and said Sharpton dominates the debates. His favorite Sharpton one-liner (in the best impersonation I've heard): "I didn't call Giuliani a Bozo. I said a Bozo coulda done just as good a job as Giuliani."

Executive Producer Lorne Michaels said, "People don't really trust people who don't have a sense of humor." Michaels said that of the 47 possible skits written for this episode, 14 or 15 were chosen. Due to the equal time rules, Michaels told ABC News that some of the affiliates are worried and have opted not to air Saturday Night Live, but "it was worth the risk."

Sharpton, who was paid $5,000 for the week, admits he's nervous. The scripted stuff is a lot harder for him, and it showed. By Saturday night, after four days of intense rehearsals, Sharpton will undoubtedly be more comfortable with the material.

Sharpton suggested ideas and told the cast and producers that NOTHING is off limits. The Reverend called Lorne Michaels brilliant and the toughest boss he's ever had. He said that SNL is the hardest thing he's done in years and he's looking forward to getting back on the trail. "I've had to rehearse more for Saturday Night Live than I have for any debate," he said.

Sharpton's large chunk of large contributions

NEW YORK CITY, DEC. 3 —The Sharpton war chest is defined more by quality than quantity. The dollar amount of total contributions is small but Sharpton is a leader in the percentage of funds that have come from large donors. The Reverend has raised 82 percent of his funds from large donors — behind only President Bush at 84 percent and Senator Edwards at 83 percent.

Radio One — run by Cathy Hughes, a very public Sharpton supporter — is Sharpton's single most generous source of campaign income. Other flashy backers include record producer L.A. Reid, comedian Steve Harvey, disc jockey Tom Joyner, Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone magazine, and Vernon Jordan.

Live From New York...

NEW YORK, DEC. 2 — Rev. Sharpton's campaign schedule has dwindled to non-existent this week as he rehearses for his "Saturday Night Live" debut.

And it's not a done deal, but Sharpton may send a surrogate to the Florida State Democratic Convention on Saturday, since the jaunt to Florida would cut it too close to showtime. Reverend Sharpton missed one debate completely, was late to another, landed in Des Moines 30 minutes prior to the last debate … but "SNL" trumps a State Democratic Convention.

On the cash front, the campaign expects to collect a check for $100,000 in the first installment of public matching funds. Charles Halloran says much of this will be used to pay outstanding debts — including the money owed to Frank Watkins. So, Frank … the check is in the mail.

Sharpton spends Thanksgiving on the trail

Dec. 1 — While most candidates were home with their families, Rev. Sharpton spent Thanksgiving serving food at a homeless shelter in Charleston and caught a little criticism for it. The local papers reported that many of the volunteers didn't like to see such an event politicized. LINK

Afterwards, he spent time with the family of fallen soldier Darius Jennings near Orangeburg. Sharpton gave the eulogy at Jennings' funeral a couple of weeks ago.

The campaign is all atwitter about the recent Feldman Group South Carolina poll that shows Sharpton in second place behind Senator John Edwards. Sharpton polled at 12 percent, while Edwards had 17 percent and Dean 11 percent. Sharpton often says he doesn't put stock in polls, but the campaign sure is fond of this one. Recently, Sharpton's former South Carolina coordinator, Kevin Gray, jumped ship and joined the Carol Moseley Braun effort. Sharpton has named Trelvis Miller — an Orangeburg councilman — Director of Operations in South Carolina. Charles Halloran said, "The only poll that matters is the one on Election Day. These polls reflect the level of understanding that people like the Reverend and John Edwards have with Southerners from all walks of life. Other candidates will learn to their detriment that you can neither patronize nor take Southern voters for granted."

On the not-so-bright-side, another poll came out last week showing Dean far ahead of Sharpton in D.C. — where Sharpton has invested nearly half of his time and resources. The poll, conducted by WTOP radio and WJLA-TV, shows Dean at 45 percent and Sharpton at 11 percent (respondents were asked to choose from the four candidates whose names will appear on the ballot). At a recent fundraiser in Washington, many attendees said they support Sharpton in his bid and they donated money to the campaign but many also Noted that they plan to vote for Howard Dean.

On Saturday, Sharpton mini-stumped for a group of 900 local politicians at the annual Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus brunch in New Orleans and then made his way to the Bayou Classic football game at the Super Dome, splitting his socializing time between the president of Southern University and the president of Grambling University so as not to show favoritism.

Up next: Sharpton's debut on "Saturday Night Live." The Reverend will be in rehearsals all week. Because of FCC rules, Sharpton can only be on-air for 22 minutes (of the hour-and-a-half show). The Reverend feels confident that 22 minutes is plenty of time for him to do his thing.

As for President Bush's hush-hush trip to Baghdad on Thanksgiving, Sharpton says Bush should've brought the troops home with him. Sharpton said, "He knows how to make a very secret trip to Iraq … But he'll make a very publicly planned trip back to Crawford, Texas, in January '05."

Last week, the Reverend wrote a letter to President Bush, asking his permission to go to Baghdad over Christmas with a group of clergy to minister to the troops. President Bush has yet to respond, but campaign operatives are optimistic (although Sharpton says it is NOT politically motivated).

Fired Up

Nov. 20 — Rev. Sharpton began his two-day South Carolina National Action Network voter registration bus tour today — minus the bus. Organizers said that the bus's windshield wipers didn't work, so they had to abandon it given the temperamental weather. So, it was more like a trickling caravan of Sharpton's SUV and reporters' rental cars.

Making stops at College of Charleston, Voorhees College, South Carolina State University and Morris College, Sharpton explained to students why the GOTV effort is so important. Along with NAN staff, some Sharpton campaign coordinators were along for the ride, asking for campaign volunteers at every stop. By the end of the day, the NAN effort registered about 200 students.

At the College of Charleston, a pair of conservative twin brothers went head-to-head with Sharpton on the war and abortion, concluding, "I hope you get [the nomination] because the re-election will be so much to easier for George Bush."

Sharpton faced some persistent questions from a reporter after the journalist seemed to perceive a weakened tone on gay marriage in front of a very Christian group. A man in the audience told Sharpton that he heard on the news that Sharpton supports gay marriage, and asked Sharpton what he "personally" thinks about gay marriage.

Yesterday, the campaign issued a statement calling Sharpton "the staunchest advocate for gay, lesbian and transgender rights." Sharpton explained — rather briefly — that "it should be human rights issue." When pressed by another member of the group, Sharpton said, "My personal belief is in a heterosexual relationship."

After the event, a reporter asked him why he toned it down. Sharpton denied he had — explaining the difference between his personal opinion and his public policy — but the reporter pressed, asking, "What is your position on gay marriage?"

Sharpton exploded. First, he suggested that the reporter "take a Tylenol." The reporter pressed some more. Then Sharpton called him "biased" and "ignorant" and suggested he "learn journalism." A little more pressing by the reporter, and Sharpton walked away … MAD.

The Reverend strikes back

Nov. 19 — Rev. Sharpton is in a bit of a jam. Statements that he made last week disapproving of the filibuster of Janice Rogers Brown but saying that she should have an up-or-down vote have come back to bite him — and John Edwards. His words and his face have been used in a Committee for Justice advertisement in South Carolina criticizing Senator Edwards for his part in the filibuster.

The Sharpton campaign issued a statement demanding that the ad be pulled from the air and insisting on a public apology. Sharpton says he is "outraged and disgusted to see the Committee for Justice — a White House front group — use my name, my face and my statements in a misleading manner to smear John Edwards."Don't be shocked if the campaign decides to sue the Committee for Justice for using Sharpton's voice without permission …

What Gives?

Nov. 18 — Rev. Sharpton has been getting slammed in black media outlets. Within the last couple of weeks, there have been more than a few very critical articles written about Sharpton's campaign and about him personally. When asked for his response, Sharpton barely acknowledges their existence. These critiques are written by prominent black people. And to a campaign whose success is based on the black vote, this could be detrimental.

Tavis Smiley, on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, after Sharpton made the statement opposing the filibuster of Janice Rogers Brown, called into question why he is in the race and "whether or not it's time to go home."

The Black Commentator wrote a biting analysis on Sharpton's "political-emotional breakdown."

Larry Elder for Town Hall asked, "Who appointed this race-baiter as the moral arbiter of the Democratic Party?"

Earl Hutchinson from the Hutchinson Report denounces Sharpton's "tirade" as "based on the commonplace notion that whites will only vote for white candidates, and that blacks must counter that by voting for blacks."

In addition, some politicos, behind the scenes, are circulating emails casting doubt on both Reverend Sharpton's intentions and his ability to mobilize.

Sharpton says that he does not support Brown on any level and that he clarified his statement. He says that everyone is entitled to support whomever they choose. He feels that he has plenty of black support among community leaders including Charles Ogletree, Associate Dean of Harvard Law, Congressmen Ed Towns, and former Mayor of Atlanta, Bill Campbell. Once again, Sharpton puts the criticisms in the context of Jesse Jackson's run in 1984, noting that most black leaders didn't support Jackson in his first run.

Campbell, a Sharpton supporter, says he has no doubt that Sharpton will be able to recover. He says although he may not agree 100 percent with Sharpton's views, he believes "his position on the issues, his thoughtful presentation in the debates, his life-long commitment to civil rights and his passion for representing minority communities" will hold him in good standing. Campbell says that criticism is part of politics but that Sharpton brings "commitment to the issues and intelligence in the discussion of where the country needs to go."

Sharpton addresses psychiatrists and soldier's funeral

Nov. 17 — Rev. Sharpton graced the Black Psychiatrists of Greater New York with his presence on Friday — albeit 30 minutes late. The purpose of the conference was to explore the relationship between psychiatrists and the faith-based community and to foster a relationship to bring better treatment to minorities. To that end, Reverend Sharpton, according to members of the group, was there in a religious capacity, NOT to talk politics. Despite that. He did the civil rights-heavy version of his stump throwing in a few references to mental health care. And perhaps it wasn't what the audience was expecting — or hoping for — but he had them on their feet by the end.

In South Carolina on Saturday, the funeral for Darius Jennings began shortly after another helicopter was shot down over Iraq. The Edisto High School gymnasium was full with nearly 1,000 people. Jennings' mother and sister cried out for their "baby" and teachers spoke of his uniqueness. When Reverend Sharpton took the podium in his preacher's robe, the crowd was somber and Darius Jennings' mother, Elaine Johnson, was sobbing uncontrollably. He asked the group to pause and honor the young man and the crowd rose to their feet and applauded. Sharpton began, "Today is not about politics. Today is not about Bush. Today is about a young man who came out of this community … It doesn't matter whether we're for the war or against the war. I've been against the war, but … no one is against those who gave their lives for all of us."

Reverend Sharpton pledged on behalf of the National Action Network a $1,000 scholarship at Edisto High School in the name of Darius Jennings. Sharpton said, "He could have been a gang-banger. He could have been a drug dealer. He could have been a criminal. But Darius became a soldier — and we can send him off with our heads held high." When he was done, the tone had changed. People were laughing and yelling, "Amen" and Elaine Johnson held her hands to the sky in praise. The family said Reverend Sharpton did a beautiful job — a perfect mix of preaching, eulogizing, memorializing and comforting.

The Broadway Democrats

Nov. 14 — Rev. Al Sharpton certainly will never get any big union endorsements, but he had a legitimate shot at getting the support of the Broadway Democrats, a political club made up of 50-75 neighborhood leaders encompassing the district from 106th Street to 125th Street — that is, from the Hudson to Central Park West.

One hundred people from the community gathered at Banks Street College of Education — as did two of Sharpton's lawyers — to listen to representatives from most of the campaigns, expecting Reverend Sharpton to be the only candidate to show up in person. Unfortunately, that was not in the cards.

According to Sanford Rubinstein, Sharpton's lawyer who spoke on his behalf, "he was caught up in a meeting."

So, who did the Broadway Democrats endorse? Howard Dean. In the first vote, Dean got 21 votes, Clark got 11, and Sharpton got 3, thereby forcing a Dean-Clark runoff. Dean squeaked by with 55 percent.

Of Sharpton's three votes, two of them came from a pair of 'Sharpton' T-shirt clad students at Columbia — white brothers from the outskirts of DC who said Sharpton is the "only true progressive candidate." They were extremely disappointed that he didn't show.

Looking forward: starting this weekend, Sharpton is gearing up to spend the majority of the next two months of his life in South Carolina. According to the early campaign schedule — which can and often does change on an almost constant basis — November and December are not holiday-themed, but palmetto-themed.

Sharpton to eulogize fallen soldier

Nov. 11 — The family of fallen soldier Darius Jennings has asked Reverend Sharpton to give the eulogy at his funeral to be held at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Edisto High School in Cordova, S.C. Jennings, 22, died on Nov. 2 when the Chinook helicopter in which he was riding was shot down near Fallujah in Iraq.

Campaign organizers indicate that the Reverend will only be wearing his "preacher" hat and that he will not discuss the politics of war.

Marjorie Harris, the Executive Director of the National Action Network — who accompanies Sharpton to all campaign events — issued a press release detailing the 'event' and almost made it through without talking politics … almost.

"Sharpton, who has spent most of his time campaigning in South Carolina, says this is not the time to discuss his political leanings on the war. He added, 'Even though I have spoken out unequivocally against the war, I will always show my support and condolences for the soldiers who give their lives for our country. Politics must be put aside when we bury our heroes.'"

Gen. Clark met with the Jennings family when he was in South Carolina on Nov. 6.

An intriguing development: Charles Halloran, Sharpton's campaign manager is in Bermuda. Why? Well, either he really needed a vacation, or he's scoping out the next campaign gig. Before Halloran climbed aboard the Sharpton roller-coaster, he was a campaign operative in Bermuda's election for Prime Minister.

Side Note: Howard Dean, at his endorsement yesterday, used one of Sharpton's lines again. "We need to start with the people who brought us to the dance.." Sharpton says that Dean has enough money — he should be able to hire someone to come up with his own material.