Click on the (terrific) picture to enlarge it. Can you read the body language? The priceless expression on Sharpton's face?
Sharpton also met with Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton yesterday... and declined to make any endorsements.
Obama said the two talked about their shared agenda of fighting for the dispossessed. "I assured him that I not only want to hear his views and thoughts and policy recommendations, but publicly any of us who step into this fight for the nomination have to be held accountable and speak to these issues," he said.The normally loquacious Sharpton was unusually curt...
Sharpton said they talked about economics, health care and education issues. "We are going to keep talking and he knows I'm talking to everybody," he said.
The normally loquacious Sharpton was unusually curt and cut off further questioning by saying he was behind schedule. But he told reporters who followed him that he would decide about his own candidacy "once I see what these guys do or don't do."
Is it getting obvious that Sharpton can't stand Obama?
MORE: Here:
“I left the meeting a little curious, feeling that he was noticing our civil rights agenda, but I didn’t understand what his civil rights agenda is,” Mr. Sharpton said.
He was noticing our civil rights agenda ... Noticing! Come on, that's harsh!
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27 comments:
If so, Obambi's stock is going up in my book.
Well, if white Americans are ready and willing and, indeed, anxious, to vote for a black candidate, it undercuts a lot of Sharpton's rhetoric...
I have reservations about Obama because I think he's a bit too much of a dove and, well, I prefer smaller government (i.e. I'm a Republican), but I do see his potential as a unifying national leader.
That is a great picture. Sharpton is skepticism/annoyance personified.
Freddie's Fashion Mart is just one of many reasons why it is a disgrace that Sharpton is embraced by Democrats.
Obama could be a great unifying force if he could make it out of the Dem primaries without embracing Sharptonism. But he can't so he won't.
There is another fun thing I hadn't even thought about. Jackson, Sharpton etc have a great relationship with Bill. They'll be able to torpedo Obama and Hillary's prints won't be anywhere near the scene of the crime.
Obama is half white and what's worse, "white acting"
He probably also refrains from the fake down-home private ebonics that populists like Sharpton (and Oprah) love to affect when they need to "keep it real".
Is Sharpton annoyed in the photo, or just plain bored? Imagine having to meet with a bunch of Presidential Candidates right in a row. Sure, it was Sharpton's choice, but still! My eyes would be glazing over too.
Anyway, I agree that if BHO is annoying the good Rev by not kowtowing to him, it can only help Senator.
Zeb wrote: "It's all race. There's no other component."
I disagree. Senator Obama has charisma to spare. He reminds me of Harold Ford Jr here in Tennessee. I love to listen to Mr. Ford speak. He is intelligent, articulate, and charismatic! Differing from the Senator, he talks conservative. It is Mr. Ford's votes that turned me off.
Same with the Senator. Anyone with his charismatic and intellectual gifts would get lots of attention. That he is a black man certainly does not hurt.
And that is OK with me. I want black people to succeed too! It is good for the country when people from all races and backgrounds succeed. That is why I am proud that the coaches in the Superbowl are of African descent.
But if "not being black enough" means having command of the English language, having a great education, and success in something besides sports, entertainment, or crime (see Felon magazine) then what is wrong in the black community that they tolerate or even promote such harmful attitudes?
Trey
Yeah, I guess I have to hop on the "this makes me like Obama more" bandwagon.
If his mama had instead taken up with a Swede, and the rest of his bio and bona fides were otherwise the same, he'd be on nobody's radar, let alone be spoken breathlessly about as a presidential contender.
Maybe, maybe not... Edwards is considered a presidential contender for some bizarre reason, and he's no more qualified than Obama is.
Is it getting obvious that white people seem to think all black people should like each other?
Also, kudos for publishing the comments of Zeb Quinn and Jeff. Lesser bloggers might be embarrassed to attract the stormfront.org crowd.
Re the pic, and an exercise for observers: fill in the blanks
The Good? At least they're in the same room together.
The Bad? Ooh, stark opposites in style, even down to their ensemble/tie choices. Barack unconsciously went with an I'm Blacker Than You black suit, but tempered it a silver tie to suggest his hidden white agenda.
The Ugly? As ever, the Mary Tyler Moore flip hairdo sported by Rev. Sharpton.
Cheers,
Victoria
Jeff said...
"Obama is half white and what's worse, 'white acting'"
The premise that anyone thinks there is such a thing as "white acting" or "black acting" is deeply troubling. This is the same crap that people use to justify hurling appalling slurs at Condi Rice, Michale Steele, Clarence Thomas et al.
My question is, why doesn't Obama realize that by this point, he should do everything he can to avoid being photographed at all with Sharpton? It's only slightly better than being photographed with O.J. Simpson or Idi Amin.
this is all so catty! ho cares?
I'm a Jew. I'm a Democrat. I can't stand Joe Lieberman. Does he give a hoot? Nah.
Worry about a candidate that is in office and thinking of a higher office. Like him or not. Stop getting your undies in a knot over this one and that one of the same race likes or does not like the guy...very silly thing, right out of Peoples Magazine
Sharpton has run before. Sharpton is running again (enter "Sharpton" in the news section of any seaarch engine). Sharpton is furious that there is another black man with better chance to be President than he does. Sharpton actually thinks he would have a reasonable chance to be President if there were no such thing as Obama. Sharpton is a buffoon.
Sharpton: "saying he was behind schedule."
What a busy man Sharpton must be, all that civil rights work to accomplish,n'all.
I'm a Jew. I'm a Democrat. I can't stand Joe Lieberman. Does he give a hoot? Nah.
Yes, but Jews are minorities perceived to be rich and powerful.
Blacks are minorities perceived to be poor and under-represented.
Thus, say people who think this way, what you can afford to discount as a Jew, is not something that many black Americans are ready or willing to discount for potential leaders.
It's the argument of strength in numbers, but also, strength in unity of ideology -- which the bourgeois Obama embodies the opposite of.
Of course, all of this infighting and blacker-than-thou'ism is monumentally silly.
This is excess baggage your average, non-black voter just looks at, and wants to run a mile from.
(As well as Hillary's own personal baggage, effectively cancelling each other out, of course)
I'm sure Sharpton and Obama will sort this out, by Iowa...
Cheers,
Victoria
What does Sharpton mean by "his civil rights agenda"? The reason most people have such a negative impression of him and Jesse Jackson is the only time we see them is at some protest/rally. After awhile, this wears this-which happened about 20 years ago. I wander how much influence Sharpton has now in the black community.
I don't agree with much of what Sharpton represents but I do find him amusing at times.
Obama's smooth. I admit, I like to listen to him talk. It doesn't hurt that he is hot too. I have no clue what he stands for but he is enoyable to hear and see.
Hilary will kick him in the teeth in the primaries though.
Obama voted socialist when he was in the Illinois legislature.
However, I still voted for him over theocon Keyes. Can't abide theocons.
Projection thy name is Althouse!
Sharpton has previously indicated he finds Edwards' "agenda" most appealing of the early candidates - but he is still, of course, considering another run on his own.
I must disagree with the above comment that Sharpton thinks he can win. He doesn't, naturally. He's a huckster, a con man, and a cheat, but he is no fool.
Sharpton reveled in the free spotlight last time, and went first class in the campaign - leaving a trail of unpaid bills from four-star hotels and limo services behind. Why NOT run again? It isn't as if he can't afford to take the time away from his "job."
"If Obama, or any black man wins the presidency, race pandering is dead. Jesse and Al's entire schtick is that black people can't make it in a white country, and need race preferences, welfare, etc just to survive."
Bullseye, John. Well said. Obama not only does not advance Sharpton's self-promotional agenda, but he makes Al look, by contrast, like a pathetic, RACIST caricature. Jesse's in pretty much the same boat, much as he strives to present himself as a cut above Sharpton - but not SO far above that Al feels threatened.
If Obama should win the presidency (and it's a LONG way from here to there), both Sharpton and Jackson will be obliged to condemn him. There is no advantage to them doing so at this time, not with Obama riding the crest of a wave of approval. Criticizing Obama would only erode their bases right now, and keep them far from the warm and fuzzy Obama publicity glare. Yet if they come out too strongly in favor of Obama now, they'll have problems among their followers later.
At the same time, Sharpton knows he is going to be used and dumped. Jackson does, too. Neither of them is willing to spend much political capital on Obama, who will only distance himself from both of them in the long run.
So - what you're seeing in that picture, actually, is not Sharpton's 'dislike' of Obama. What you are seeing is a man who is in a very uncomfortable (and untenable) position.
this is all so catty! ho cares?
I'm a Jew. I'm a Democrat. I can't stand Joe Lieberman. Does he give a hoot? Nah.
Worry about a candidate that is in office and thinking of a higher office. Like him or not. Stop getting your undies in a knot over this one and that one of the same race likes or does not like the guy...very silly thing, right out of Peoples Magazine
It's a weird phenomenon, the media, and our friends on the right just can't help themselves. 99% of the coverage is solely on Democratic candidates, building ridiculous straw men they can tear down. Ironically, I don't see any great excitement from liberals of any of the candidates, quite honestly.
Hillary is outpolling Obama 2-1, but it seems people just can't wrap their brain around the fact that a black person might favor a white candidate, at least initially. This is Ann's what, 3rd post on Sharpton/Obama "controversy"? If Sharpton was hearting Obama, I'm guessing that would be a "controversy" too. How immature is that?
Wouldn't conservatives be better off promoting their candidates instead of focusing entirely on tearing down Dem candidates? If I was a conservative I would be hurling chunks by the wall-to-wall Hillary/Obama coverage. I know I am. My guy Bill Richardson hasn't a prayer, and it has nothing to do with him being the most qualified, (especially in Foreign Relations), which we desperately need, and everything to do with stupid high-school D.C. Dirt.
The vast majority of black people hate Al Sharpton. No, I can't prove that. Yes, it is true.
Obama is just trying to get Sharpton not to run a ruin his candidacy, like Sharpton did to Dean. Shaprton being in the race helps Clinton and allows her to pander more effectively.
"Simon said...
If so, Obambi's stock is going up in my book."
Exactly their plan...its all politics and it seems Obama understands the art of war very well...Obama benefits by staying cold to Sharpton in order to court voters who don't know him but fear he would be a radical on race relations. I believe you may be falling into just such a trap.
I'm starting to think Obama is unbeatable in '08.
But it's the fact that he's a young man of the racial composition that he is that has those qualities that makes him special.
Yeah, JFK was special only because he was Roman Catholic. Sheesh.
Is it getting obvious that Sharpton can't stand Obama?
If you read too much into a photograph.
Just saw Sharpton on the O'Reilly Factor where he spent most of the interview praising Obama. Not gushingly, but nice enough.
His position is that he doesn't want the issues he cares about taken for granted. It doesn't mean he "can't stand" Obama just because he's not automatically giving Obama his endorsement. Why would he do that when he can make the candidates try and win him over?
I must disagree with the above comment that Sharpton thinks he can win. He doesn't, naturally. He's a huckster, a con man, and a cheat, but he is no fool.
I couldn't agree more, Adjoran.
I'd say he is the Carol Mosley-Braun of black male candidates, only not as above-board about his lack of chances.
Sharpton runs because he likes the room service.
Cheers,
Victoria
I fail to see how uber-liberal Obama can "unify" this small government, low tax, strong national defense conservative. What will he (can he) offer people like me? Style can count for only so much.
Well, there are some things that can never be united into one.
But his speeches about "one America" are promising -- if we're going to be stuck having a president from the left (and these things do happen), he seems less bad than the others.
We're not always going to have presidents who mirror our own political philosophy. Obama at least isn't unpleasant about it.
That counts for something.
[Still, Giuliani in '08!]
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