Al Sharpton

[AKA2D '91]

Sharpton files papers for possible presidential run
Wednesday, January 22, 2003 Posted: 6:38 AM EST (1138 GMT)



Sharpton told CNN he would formally announce his run in April or May.




WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Declaring that he will speak for the "disaffected," the Rev. Al Sharpton Tuesday filed paperwork to form an exploratory committee for a possible presidential run in 2004 as a Democrat.

"I think in the last several years, the majority of Americans have been left out of the political dialogue," he said. "I think there is no candidate ... that can speak to the disaffected, young people, minorities, women, gays and lesbians with more credibility and more of a track record of advocacy than I have."

He said the Democratic party cannot win the White House next year "unless it expands its base, unless it goes and gets those who have been disaffected."

Sharpton, 48, said his candidacy would not be "black only;" he would represent everyone.

"Not only blacks, but Latinos, working class whites, anti-war activists who don't understand why a lot of people who are talking about running voted to give Bush the authority to have military action in Iraq," he said after filing papers with the Federal Election Commission.

The longtime civil rights activist told CNN's Judy Woodruff on "Inside Politics" he would formally announce his candidacy in April or May.

Sharpton said the political process must be put back in the hands of the people.

"I think we have reduced America too much now to 'Who has the dollars?' rather than to 'Who has the message?'" he said. "We've got to stop the corporate mentality of politics and go back to the people."

Sharpton said he'll keep his campaign promises if he is elected to the White House.

"I'm the only one that is talking about running this race who is anti-war, anti-death penalty, anti-tax cut, across the board, not voting one way on the Hill and speaking another way on the trail," he said, referring to other Democrats who have already jumped into the presidential race.

The Democratic field for 2004 currently includes Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut; Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts; Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina; former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean; and former House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt.

Sharpton has never held public office. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and 1994 and for mayor of New York City in 1997.

He founded the National Action Network in 1991, which is described on its Web site as a "civil rights organization whose mission is to be the voice of empowerment for the disenfranchised throughout America."

Sharpton has also spoken out for Abner Louima, the Haitian immigrant who was assaulted by New York police officers in 1997; Amadou Diallo, an unarmed man shot by New York police dozens of times; and 16-year-old Donovan Jackson, who was punched by an Inglewood, California, police officer while he was handcuffed.

He also spent 87 days in jail for protesting the Navy's bombing exercises on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques