Al Sharpton... Republican stooge?

February 4, 2004 8:59 AM

Al Sharpton... Republican stooge? A Village Voice investigation finds that his presidential campaign is being financed and staffed by Roger Stone, "the longtime Republican dirty-tricks operative who led the mob that shut down the Miami-Dade County recount in 2000." Article details some interesting financing arrangements and reveals that Stone has bragged that he gave Sharpton the ax handle he waved at a NAACP meeting to denounce Democratic racism. Sharpton wants to teach the Democrats a lesson (as he did in helping to elect Republican Mike Bloomberg mayor of New York), and Republicans are anxious to help create a division with black voters. But black voters must have seen through him, refusing to give him the South Carolina victory he needed to speak for them at the convention.
posted by Slagman (53 comments total)

Though Stone and Sharpton have tried to reduce their alliance to a curiosity, suggesting that all they do is talk occasionally, a Voice investigation has documented an extraordinary array of connections. Stone played a pivotal role in putting together Sharpton's pending application for federal matching funds, getting dollars in critical states from family members and political allies at odds with everything Sharpton represents. He's also helped stack the campaign with a half-dozen incongruous top aides who've worked for him in prior campaigns. He's even boasted about engineering six-figure loans to Sharpton's National Action Network (NAN) and allowing Sharpton to use his credit card to cover thousands in NAN costs—neither of which he could legally do for the campaign. In a wide-ranging Voice interview Sunday, Stone confirmed his matching-fund and staffing roles, but refused to comment on the NAN subsidies.

Sharpton denounced the Voice's inquiries as "phony liberal paternalism," insisting that he'd "talk to anyone I want" and likening his use of Stone to Bill Clinton's reliance on pollster Dick Morris, saying he was "sick of these racist double standards."
posted by Slagman at 9:01 AM on February 4, 2004

Barbra Streisand also donated to Sharpton's campaign.

'Course her motivation was probably a little different.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 9:07 AM on February 4, 2004

Sharpton denounced the Voice's inquiries as "phony liberal paternalism," insisting that he'd "talk to anyone I want" and likening his use of Stone to Bill Clinton's reliance on pollster Dick Morris, saying he was "sick of these racist double standards."

Typical Sharpton gambit. Deflect all criticism with accusations of racism.

To those of us in the tri-state area, it's been obvious for years that Fat Albert is nothing but an oppurtunistic media whore and tinhorn extortionist who has about as much chance of occupying the White House as Jabba The Hut.
posted by jonmc at 9:07 AM on February 4, 2004

*smack*
why, i oughta...
woob-woob-woob!
nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!
posted by quonsar at 9:08 AM on February 4, 2004

To those of us in the tri-state area, it's been obvious for years that Fat Albert is nothing but an oppurtunistic media whore and tinhorn extortionist who has about as much chance of occupying the White House as Jabba The Hut.

The fact that he's fat makes me dislike him even more. Yep.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 9:09 AM on February 4, 2004

I'm with you. Down with fatties.
posted by xmutex at 9:09 AM on February 4, 2004

XQUZYPHYR, "Fat Albert" has been used as a disparaging nickname (for a man who needs disparaging) for years. If he was short, I'd be happy to call him Al The Midget.

But you win. You're a better person than me. Go polish your halo and give me a fucking break.
posted by jonmc at 9:12 AM on February 4, 2004

jon, here's a clue for ya: not everyone who comments is attempting to impugn your character. give it a rest.
posted by quonsar at 9:14 AM on February 4, 2004

Truth time. I've been financing Al from the far right for years, so as to make a mockery of everything I told him to pretend to stand for. It's been a great investment.
posted by jfuller at 9:18 AM on February 4, 2004

Well, who cares about Sharpton. It's this cynical business of using him to meddle with another party's primaries and candidate selection... And I'm not saying Democrats don't do this sort of thing. They're just not as good at it.

But this effort to mess with black Democrats' heads isn't working...

"He is not catching fire with the black vote," said David Bositis, an analyst with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington. "The black vote is looking for a winner and they are not looking to make a statement about race. John Kerry is one of the whitest guys, you know what I mean. The fact that he is getting almost twice as much as Sharpton is getting, that sends a message."

The Dems should feel free to schedule Al's convention speeches for well after midnight. Put a legitimate black Democrat on the stage, not this back-stabbing supporter of everyone from D'Amato to Pataki. (It appears he was coached to beat up on Dean at a vulnerable moment in the NH debate... after Republican ads slammed Dean in Iowa).
posted by Slagman at 9:18 AM on February 4, 2004

quonsar, I could give a shit what he thinks of my character, I'm irked at his need to puff up his own. He ignores the substance of my comment to nitpick about "Fat Albert." Why else would he do it, except to show off his moral superiority?
posted by jonmc at 9:18 AM on February 4, 2004

And to think, I was just going to shift my support from Howard Dean...
posted by VulcanMike at 9:21 AM on February 4, 2004

If he was short, I'd be happy to call him Al The Midget.

Most people don't realize that Mel Gibson is only 4'8". Low camera angles and teeny-tiny co-stars have given The Aussie Dwarf quite a career...
posted by 327.ca at 9:22 AM on February 4, 2004

Didn't people say this about Nader in 2000? That he was really a republican stooge? hmm. I can't find anything online about it, though, so maybe it's hearsay. Is the allegation against Sharpton any more credible?
posted by whatnot at 9:23 AM on February 4, 2004

Why else would he do it, except to show off his moral superiority?

never mind. you're right. he prolly sat up all night planning it. while throwing darts at your picture.
posted by quonsar at 9:25 AM on February 4, 2004

Barbra Streisand is 5' 5".
posted by ZenMasterThis at 9:27 AM on February 4, 2004

I sat up all night as well, planning the same attack, but overslept this morning, so XQ beat me to it. Damn.
posted by soyjoy at 9:28 AM on February 4, 2004

That's 9" taller than Mel Gibson.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 9:32 AM on February 4, 2004

As usual, you all are missing my point but I've come to expect that. I don't take it as a personal attack. I'm sure if someone else had called Sharpton "Fat Albert," XQUZPHYR would've felt the need to get snide and superior with them, too. It's the self-righteousness that stinks to me.
posted by jonmc at 9:41 AM on February 4, 2004

whatnot -- the link details Republican contributors who gave enough to qualify Sharpton for matching funds and also gives other examples where he backed Republicans like D'Amato and Pataki and Bloomberg, while also having close ties to black GOP businessmen. One of the givers is a well-known Al Jolson imitator who performs in blackface. And by his own written statements, Sharpton in his book has said his goal is to teach the Democratic Party a lesson for its continual snubbing of him. While some might argue that Gore would be president had Nader not run, at least Nader did not have Republicans running his campaign.
posted by Slagman at 9:47 AM on February 4, 2004

She went on a liquid diet, y'know. That's how she stays slim.

Okay, I'm done.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 9:50 AM on February 4, 2004

p.s. Fat Albert is not so fat anymore, but I've seen him on the street and he's rather tiny. There's nothing wrong with being fat, though it's been a long time since we put a total porker in the white house. Bill Clinton was as pudgy as it gets. Being slightly fat myself, I can attest that it is a character flaw. I have poor impulse control and I'm greedy, devouring all in my wake. Since I saw Al going into a bakery that day, I'm sure he is the same -- Beware. He wants to steal America's fries when America isn't looking.
posted by Slagman at 9:50 AM on February 4, 2004

It's not about Sharpton being fat, it's about him being an opportunistic sleazebag--and many of us will never forget the whole Tawana Brawley thing, which he used to make a national name for himself. If this story is true, it actually makes him the one being used this time.
posted by amberglow at 9:57 AM on February 4, 2004

Exactly, amberglow.
posted by jonmc at 10:00 AM on February 4, 2004

Tactically speaking, why don't the republicans also support that other democratic candidate whose name may not be spoken: Lyndon LaRouche?

Seriously, hasn't he been giving the democratic party headaches for years?
posted by kablam at 10:01 AM on February 4, 2004

Is this the same Roger Stone fired by the Dole campaign after being caught advertising himself and his wife on the internet seeking group sex in 1996?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

"The Post quoted Mr. Stone as conceding that the bills for the postings on the Internet site were paid for with his credit card. He told the newspaper the post office box number listed on the Internet site belonged to him, but had been improperly obtained."

Oh, Stone was also involved in the "White Collar Riot" during the Florida recount in 2000.
posted by dglynn at 10:06 AM on February 4, 2004

I watched Fat Albert. Fat Albert was a friend of mine. Mr. Sharpton, you're no Fat Albert.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 10:19 AM on February 4, 2004

Anybody else miss Sharpton's 80/90s hairstyle?
posted by davidmsc at 10:44 AM on February 4, 2004

No but Roy Orbison says he wants it back.
posted by jonmc at 10:58 AM on February 4, 2004

Bloomberg isn't much of a Republican. He's been on record stating that he ran as one just because it gave him more of a chance of winning rather than running as independent or having his vote split amongst the large number of Democrats that were running.

He also was the person who attempted to eliminate the party system in New York for the same reason.

Sharpton's connections with him mean nothing as far as party affiliation goes.
posted by destro at 11:47 AM on February 4, 2004

I'm sure if someone else had called Sharpton "Fat Albert," XQUZPHYR would've felt the need to get snide and superior with them, too.

Why not? Why shouldn't someone attack a derogatory term based solely on physical appearance? Sharpton is a media whore? Sounds like a perfect politician to me!
posted by Pollomacho at 12:19 PM on February 4, 2004

"He is not catching fire with the black vote," said David Bositis, an analyst with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington. "The black vote is looking for a winner and they are not looking to make a statement about race. John Kerry is one of the whitest guys, you know what I mean. The fact that he is getting almost twice as much as Sharpton is getting, that sends a message."

I guess that's why Al got his butt kicked so bad in the Chocolate City primary then?
posted by Pollomacho at 12:23 PM on February 4, 2004

Media Whore = Perfect Politician, birdbrain?
No, Media Whore = Typical/Average Politician.

That "Fat Albert" thing is so-o-o-o wrong on multiple levels.
It's ofensive to Afrian-Americans, the overwueight AND Marv Albert, as well as falsely suggesting an endorsement by Bill Cosby. I have been authorized by Anthony Anderson to send his pet kangaroo over to kick your ass.

As for Sharpton & Bloomberg, connections with "the person who attempted to eliminate the party system in New York" does mean something as far as party affiliation goes.

Barbra Streisand is categorized in my Brief Republican Field Guide to California Liberals which is still inexplicably a top Google search pick for "enemas".

And jonmc, your reference to Roy Orbison is offensive to dead rock singers everywhere.

;) ;) ;) ;) ;) - universal sign for "don't hit me, I'm just kidding around!"
posted by wendell at 12:35 PM on February 4, 2004

And the word "overwueight" is offensive to the people who remember to use Spell Check.
posted by wendell at 12:37 PM on February 4, 2004

And jonmc, your reference to Roy Orbison is offensive to dead rock singers everywhere.

Dead, mostly blind, pasty rock stars!

Put me down for one of wendell's signs too please by the way!
posted by Pollomacho at 12:38 PM on February 4, 2004

The Village Voice did a whole article exposing the truth behind Al Sharpton something like 18 years ago. I read it and thought "what a good for nothing stooge". Yet, today he is running for President. What is his secret for political survival all these years? Did he sell his soul to the devil, (and get a bad deal)?
posted by Eekacat at 1:15 PM on February 4, 2004

Reading over this I’m reminded of a Tucker Carlson piece in Esquire from late last year where he documented traveling to Africa with Al Sharpton. In the piece Tucker didn’t explain really how or why he had been tapped by the Sharpton people to come along for the trip… he did go one to call him the “president of black America…”

Further, I think we all realize that Bush’s Faith Based Initiative is really a nod to black churches across the nation. (As pointed out by Matt Taibbi in a Playboy article entitled Keeping the Faith - Sept. 2003 - sorry, can't find a link)

So – sure – I believe that the GOP is trying to take away black voters from the Dems. After all – if it wasn’t for welfare and equal opportunity blacks would make the perfect GOP voting block.
posted by wfrgms at 1:23 PM on February 4, 2004

Re Bloomberg. Yeah, he likes to pretend he's not really a Republican, since he's the mayor of a majority Democrat city, but he cooperates with the Republican governor and the Republican president and his effort to eliminate partisan primaries was all about ending Democratic dominance in New York, which is why the fiercest opponents of the idea was the Democratic establishment. There's nothing stopping him from becoming a Democrat now that he won the election. He could change his afililiation at any time. He hasn't. He's in that liberal NY Republican tradition -- but he's still a Republican.
posted by Slagman at 1:29 PM on February 4, 2004

wfrgms -- the goal is not to win black votes for Republicans, though I guess they'd like that. It's
to rile them up and disillusion them so they stay
home on election day. Doesn't seem to be working.

Re: LaRouche -- he has no credible supporters, so
there's no point giving him any help.

And yes, Roger Stone was the one who posted the swinger ads during the Dole campaign. Duh.
posted by Slagman at 1:31 PM on February 4, 2004

To those of us in the tri-state area, it's been obvious for years that Fat Albert is nothing but an oppurtunistic media whore and tinhorn extortionist who has about as much chance of occupying the White House as Jabba The Hut.

He shoots! He scores!

While it is indeed our civic -- nay, patriotic duty to ridicule Sharper Image Sharpton whenever applicable, it is amazing how much less evil he has seemed while running for president. Kind of like the greaser who takes his first shower in three months before asking the head cheerleader to the prom.
posted by Ptrin at 1:33 PM on February 4, 2004

Sorry, but Sharpton is only a down market, different market, somewhat more extreme version of Howard Dean. Oh, to be young, hate the establishment, and be seduced by the Outsider!
posted by ParisParamus at 1:36 PM on February 4, 2004

Or to be old, hopeless, somewhat psychotic, and seduced by the Outsider!
posted by ParisParamus at 1:41 PM on February 4, 2004

Worked for Reagan.
posted by wendell at 1:52 PM on February 4, 2004

For those of you who are destined to misunderstand, I mean to say that Reagan seduced the old, hopeless and somewhat psychotic, NOT that he was old, hopeless and somewhat psychotic. Okay. Prepared for incoming attack.
posted by wendell at 1:54 PM on February 4, 2004

I don't think, I could have brought myself to vote for Reagan, but really, if he was that bad, why are we all still here; why was the deficit paired to nil in 1990's, etc. I just think Leftists need a boogey man, and create him, whether he's really out there or not (Reagan was certainly more of a boogey man than Bush).

By the way, is it spelled "boogey" ?
posted by ParisParamus at 3:07 PM on February 4, 2004

if he was that bad, why are we all still here
some of us aren't...

boogey man or boogie man?
Googlefight!!
Boogie Man by a landslide. Joke intended.
posted by wendell at 4:07 PM on February 4, 2004

I just think Leftists need a boogey man, and create him, whether he's really out there or not

Yeah, those Leftists are nutty, aren't they? Good thing the right never does anything like that...
posted by Ty Webb at 5:06 PM on February 4, 2004

ParisParumus

From a lefty perspective, Bush is worse than Reagan in practice, because Bush gets things done. Reagan was mostly just talk; he had a Democratic Congress that served as a partial check,
and then Daddy Bush actually had to raise taxes to deal with the problems Reagan created deficit-wise, an actually decent and substantive act of policy -- which cost him the election to Clinton, who took the credit for cutting the deficit (well, he did have something to do with it).
But overall, Reagan talked a good game, but he didn't do much of the stuff the right really wanted, except for some loony stuff here and there.
posted by Slagman at 5:09 PM on February 4, 2004

It's bogey man.
posted by jpoulos at 5:32 PM on February 4, 2004

boogies at 12 o'clock high!
posted by quonsar at 5:46 PM on February 4, 2004

Most people don't realize that Mel Gibson is only 4'8".

Man, I can't believe I fell for it. He's 5'10", by the way.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:40 PM on February 4, 2004

Man, I can't believe I fell for it. He's 5'10", by the way.

Yeah, well...lots of people think the reason Mad Max had to be dubbed into English was that the dialogue was in Australian. True enough, it was. But the real reason is that Wee Mel has a severe speech impediment and a tendency toward projectile drooling...
posted by 327.ca at 11:54 PM on February 4, 2004

Rev. Sharpton isn't a Republican stooge. He's just a plain old, run-of-the-mill stooge.
posted by moonbiter at 12:05 AM on February 5, 2004