Al Fucking Sharpton

[Nick]

NEW YORK - Democratic presidential contenders are scrambling for support in what's being dubbed the
Al Sharpton primary. The civil rights leader livened up the 2004 Democratic primary with his pompadour hairdo and sharp, witty oratory. This election, the high-profile Sharpton, fresh from the fight over Don Imus' derogatory remarks, is attracting all the party's major candidates this week for his annual National Action Network convention.

The solid attendance — starting with
John Edwards on Wednesday and continuing with Sens.
Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) later this week — reflects Sharpton's prominence in the party, concern that he might run again and the Democrats' effort to appeal to the base, particularly black voters.

No wonder the event was being called the Sharpton primary.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_ ... 8_sharpton

I know it'll probably bemuse some of the one track minded uneducated fuckwits of this board that an omg filthy liberal is daring to question the heavenly Democrats or a saint-like leader like Al Sharpton over anything but for the sake of all our sanity I've decided to ignore them and post this despite their constant idiotic ramblings.

Do enough people in the US really give a fuck about what Sharpton thinks that he actually ends up being given actual credibility by the front runners of the Democratic Presidential race?

If so, that's a bit pathetic.

Is this an important meeting? Or am I giving this particular event too much political credit?

Why would anyone wishing to become President give this imbecile any credit or associate themselves with him in any way? Do people REALLY listen to Al Sharpton enough for this to have come about?

I hope not.

/boggle

[noel]

Sharpton appears to still have a lot of clout within the African-American community. The vote of said community is important to all of the candidates.

It seems that he and Jesse Jackson are still able to ride the coattails of Rev. King even to this day.

[kyoukan]

Al Sharpton brings a lot to the primaries. He knows he's never going to win, but he uses the platform to bring up issues that wouldn't be otherwise discussed among a bunch of over-privileged white men and women. He's also a lively debater. If you've ever heard him speak on any issue he's passionate about, you wouldn't ask this.

[Spang]

How can you people talk about politics at a time like this? 150 Iraqis were killed yesterday!

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

How can you people talk about politics at a time like this? 150 Iraqis were killed yesterday!

haha very nice

[Kluden]

Aren't him and Jesse Jackson part of the jew haten' brigade?

[Funkmasterr]

How can you people talk about politics at a time like this? 150 Iraqis were killed yesterday!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Jesse Jackson is a moron, and people giving him much of any attention is a disappointment. Of course he is going to be followed by other people who share a distaste for the "white devil" but who really cares what they think.

There is nothing bad about bringing up relevant issues regarding racism in society today - but a good deal of the things he gets up in arms about are absolutely ridiculous.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

Aren't him and Jesse Jackson part of the jew haten' brigade?

They hate all whites. They are racist scum.

[Vaemas]

It seems that he and Jesse Jackson are still able to ride the coattails of Rev. King even to this day.

I think if Rev. King could see them today, he'd be ashamed. Jackson and Sharpton shamelessly exploit the communities they are supposed to enable. Sometimes I wonder if they don't have a martyr complex.

Somewhat off topic...does anyone else sometimes think of Al Swearingen and Deadwood when they hear the name Al Sharpton? Shame Sharpton doesn't have a sense of humor. He could totally exploit that on SNL or something...

[Fairweather Pure]

Al Sharpton brings a lot to the primaries. He knows he's never going to win, but he uses the platform to bring up issues that wouldn't be otherwise discussed among a bunch of over-privileged white men and women. He's also a lively debater. If you've ever heard him speak on any issue he's passionate about, you wouldn't ask this.

I agree.

Al Sharpton has nothing to lose, so he's generally pretty entertaining to watch when he's debating anything.


I don't really like him though

[Al]

For some odd reason, this thread reminded me of Bill Brasky:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGfeIBzs ... ed&search=

[masteen]

Well, who else is going to lead Black America? Snoop? R-Kelly? Pacman Jones?

[Lynks]

I nominate Dave Chappelle. To quote him in Blockparty, "Old people love me"

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

Well, who else is going to lead Black America? Snoop? R-Kelly? Pacman Jones?

Isn't Obama the one being pushed as the savior of all that are abundant in melanin?

[Sylvus]

Well, who else is going to lead Black America? Snoop? R-Kelly? Pacman Jones?

Isn't Obama the one being pushed as the savior of all that are abundant in melanin?

No. I think he's actually being pushed as "a decent candidate for president".

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

Well, who else is going to lead Black America? Snoop? R-Kelly? Pacman Jones?

Isn't Obama the one being pushed as the savior of all that are abundant in melanin?

No. I think he's actually being pushed as "a decent candidate for president".

Is he? Cool. I wish him the best of luck being elected to top puppet of the powerful.

[Al]

Well, who else is going to lead Black America? Snoop? R-Kelly? Pacman Jones?

Isn't Obama the one being pushed as the savior of all that are abundant in melanin?

No. I think he's actually being pushed as "a decent candidate for president".

Is he? Cool. I wish him the best of luck being elected to top puppet of the powerful.

It is only that way because weak people run for the office. There was a time when cronyism was unheard of and the President of the United States of America was a man to be feared and respected. Fuck, FDR was in a wheelchair and he was at least 100x the man any President from the last 20 years has been.

edit: I got to thinking, and you have to go all the way back to President Ford just to get a man of admirable character in office. You may be able to say President Carter, but his Presidency was such a waste of time that I cannot in good faith put him on the same list as Ford or Roosevelt.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

Well, who else is going to lead Black America? Snoop? R-Kelly? Pacman Jones?

Isn't Obama the one being pushed as the savior of all that are abundant in melanin?

No. I think he's actually being pushed as "a decent candidate for president".

Is he? Cool. I wish him the best of luck being elected to top puppet of the powerful.

It is only that way because weak people run for the office. There was a time when cronyism was unheard of and the President of the United States of America was a man to be feared and respected. Fuck, FDR was in a wheelchair and he was at least 100x the man any President from the last 20 years has been.

Nods. I'm gotten way cynical over the past 6 years. I remember as a kid writing a letter to Ronald Regan in the hospital when he got shot, because he was such a powerful admirable figure for me. I'm very bitter that, that image has been stripped away for the kids of today. Maybe a lot of that comes from adulthood. Maybe the kids still see the President in a better light. They really need to find a less flawed person to stand as grand puppet, so there is less for the media and opposing party to rip apart. Just a few thoughts.

[Al]

While you very likely continue to refer to the President as a puppet to invoke a response, I am a sucker for a troll and not because I am a sucker. I prefer the confrontation because dissenting opinions ring the bell of freedom. I play the devils advocate in many political discussions with friends over beers (and often with myself, in my head, to debate decisions), so if you are trying to troll, you need not try so hard.


I don't like your metaphor. The President may be a puppet, even the greatest of them were directed by the peoples' best interests, but to say that there is someone pulling the Presidents strings in every case is certainly unfounded. I would say that our current President is a puppet, and a dunce, and an inconsiderate oaf, but I would not say that President Theodore Roosevelt was a puppet, nor would I say that President Lincoln was a puppet. President Bush is a puppet because he has no true willpower. He succumbs to the wishes of those that support him, and stands firm against the wishes of those that don't. He doesn't listen to reason, unless reason comes in the form of a wealthy benefactor to the Republican Party. He is a tool for the Republican Party, and a weak, pitiful man. I despise him and his blunders, and I pray that our nation can survive the political rift that has formed as a result of his ineptitude.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

While you very likely continue to refer to the President as a puppet to invoke a response, I am a sucker for a troll and not because I am a sucker. I prefer the confrontation because dissenting opinions ring the bell of freedom. I play the devils advocate in many political discussions with friends over beers (and often with myself, in my head, to debate decisions), so if you are trying to troll, you need not try so hard.


I don't like your metaphor. The President may be a puppet, even the greatest of them were directed by the peoples' best interests, but to say that there is someone pulling the Presidents strings in every case is certainly unfounded. I would say that our current President is a puppet, and a dunce, and an inconsiderate oaf, but I would not say that President Theodore Roosevelt was a puppet, nor would I say that President Lincoln was a puppet. President Bush is a puppet because he has no true willpower. He succumbs to the wishes of those that support him, and stands firm against the wishes of those that don't. He doesn't listen to reason, unless reason comes in the form of a wealthy benefactor to the Republican Party. He is a tool for the Republican Party, and a weak, pitiful man. I despise him and his blunders, and I pray that our nation can survive the political rift that has formed as a result of his ineptitude.

Laughable. You agree the president could be just a puppet, but only in the case of George Bush, because he is an evil Republican. You're too much.

If George Bush is as dumb and incompetent as he seems, then that only goes to reinforce my theory that the country (world) is run by the powerful people, not restricted by governments, figure heads, etc. If they can get a dumb fucker like him elected, they can do anything. And, it's not like it was a surprise. Everyone knew what a stumbling, muttering prick he was before the primaries even started.

Do you honeslty believe he's the only one? Do you truly believe all these candidates go into the primary with a fair chance of becoming their partys nominee? The partys and those behind the partys decide who they will push. Once they assume office they get feed whatever information and points of view they want to feed to the President who gets to make decisions. You can only make decisions based on the information received. The President cannot be all knowing about every issue globally and domestic.

[Vaemas]

If you think anyone can raise the estimated one hundred million dollars it's going to take to be a viable presidential candidate in 2008 and not have any strings attached, you're naive.

[kyoukan]

There's a huge difference between being influenced from other people and having basically all of your policy written by and ever decision made by somebody else.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

There's a huge difference between being influenced from other people and having basically all of your policy written by and ever decision made by somebody else.

Not really. If you want to believe that the 5% of the decisions the President thinks he's making all on his own information and will is some how proving a big point, then by all means, believe it.

[Al]

There's a huge difference between being influenced from other people and having basically all of your policy written by and ever decision made by somebody else.

Not really. If you want to believe that the 5% of the decisions the President thinks he's making all on his own information and will is some how proving a big point, then by all means, believe it.

It shouldn't ever be "all on his own information and will". He is the President of a nation of nearly 300,000,000 people. His every decision affects the image and well being of those people. If one person was solely responsible for every piece of information put towards every decision, we would be a nation of farmers living along the east coast. The cabinet was set up to assist the President in his decision making. The people of this nation can write (or email etc.) the President, their Congressman or their Aunt Jane and ask to have themselves better represented through policy change. It should be the will of the people that dictates popular policy, not the will of the wealthy. President Bush touts his tax cuts as one sign that he is a President for the people. He saved me a whopping $100. Meanwhile, major corporation like Exxon get enornoums tax breaks for putting several tens of thousands of dollars into researching bio-diesle technology. That's wonderful. You know what President Eisenhower did for the people while he was President? It wasn't a thrown-bone tax cut. It was this nation's Interstate Highway system. That was an unpopular thing to do for many strong-willed lobbying parties, but it was in the best interest of the populace, and it has stood the test of time. My $100 tax break will be gone as soon as the next President decides he needs to pay for President Bush's rampant spending. I can still drive on the Eisenhower Interstate system today, if I so choose.

That said, you are putting words in my mouth. Not once did I use the term Republican in a derrogatory manner, and if you took offense to how I put it, then maybe you should take a look at the party you support. Our "evil republican" President is a fool not because he is a Republican, but because he is a fool. President Bush won the 2000 election by the slimest margin ever, over Al Gore. Al Gore (the robot-talking, doomsday-preaching former Senator from Tennessee) was not an optimal candidate for the masses, and the fact that he very nearly beat a bumbling idiot who was able to more appeal to the masses speaks large volumes to the fact that President Bush is worthless. My choice in 2000 was Sen. McCain. I was not allowed to vote for him because I do not consign myself to a political party, feeling that they are the root of all of the problems in this nation (the fact that we are discussing this and it is boiling down to you saying I am defaming Bush for being Republican only backs up that opinion). Because I do not belong to a political party, I am not allowed to vote in any primaries. Therefore I would have had to write-in my vote for Sen. McCain, who had already withdrawn from the election because the Bush/Cheney fundraising machine was mammoth and all encompassing. That left Bush or Gore. Yay!

I don't know... I have to get going, but I don't believe I have come to the bread and butter of my argument yet, so maybe in the morning we can continue this.