Sharpton at the DNC

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Pretty good speech. He answered Mr. Bush's questions made last friday regarding the black vote. Even though he went away from the released prepared marks I felt that he kept himself in check and was a good speaker. Always one to excite the crowd.

[TheEpitome1920]

Yeah he sure did answer Pres. Bush, LOL. You could hear the AMENS in the crowd!

[Rudey]

Did Sharpton answer those questions about how he financed his lavish election as well as the questions about Tiwona Brawley and the lawsuits that were won against him for ruining someone's life?

-Rudey

[labeachgrl]

Trying to negate the speaker's credibility doesn't decrease the many truths that he spoke about Bush. Judging by the reaction, he spoke for many in the audience.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by labeachgrl
Trying to negate the speaker's credibility doesn't decrease the many truths that he spoke about Bush. Judging by the reaction, he spoke for many in the audience.

And what were those truths?

Credibility has a lot to do with truths usually.

-Rudey

Sharpton...the hair...the hair...ahhh

[Phasad1913]

There's nothing for him to answer about Tawana Brawley. He responds to any questions (usually all repetitive) about the issue and he always has to repeat that the girl made accusations, he believed her and sought to work on her behalf. SHE lied, not him.

[Kevin]

Didn't watch. He's always been a good speaker though. Again, it's just political entertainment though. Who cares if he speaks the truth? How is he relevant to the Democratic party? Is he Kerry's next HUD secretary or something? God, that'd be scary.

[DeltAlum]

The Reverends Sharpton and Jackson are two of the most gifted speakers/communicators of our era.

Whether or not you beleive as they do (and I'm not comparing the two in terms of dogma), they can electrify a crowd.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Phasad1913
There's nothing for him to answer about Tawana Brawley. He responds to any questions (usually all repetitive) about the issue and he always has to repeat that the girl made accusations, he believed her and sought to work on her behalf. SHE lied, not him.

Tomorrow I will fly in my magic flying car to work. Of course that isn't true. Moreover, generally you take on a responsibility if you make such claims. If you believe her, you better be right. In fact he attacked everyone, including Mario Cuomo and defended her not working within the bounds of the law and working with the prosecuter. Even funnier? When a security guard testified that Sharpton knew she was lying. He was ordered to pay restitution because he FUNKED up.

"Charge: In 1987, a 15-year-old black girl named Tawana Brawley went missing and was found four days later covered in dog feces and with racial slurs written on her body. She claimed that at least two and possibly six white men, one of them carrying a badge, had repeatedly raped her in the woods in upstate New York. Sharpton took up Brawley's cause and defended her refusal to cooperate with prosecutors, saying that asking her to meet with New York's attorney general (who had been asked by Gov. Mario Cuomo to supervise the investigation) would be like "asking someone who watched someone killed in the gas chamber to sit down with Mr. Hitler." According to the Associated Press, Sharpton and Brawley's lawyers asserted "on 33 separate occasions" that a local prosecutor named Steven Pagones "had kidnapped, abused and raped" Brawley. There was no evidence, and Pagones was soon cleared. Sharpton then accused a local police cult with ties to the Irish Republican Army of perpetrating the alleged assault. The case fizzled when a security guard for Brawley's lawyers testified that the lawyers and Sharpton knew Brawley was lying. A grand jury investigation concluded in late 1988 that Brawley "was not the victim of forcible sexual assault" and that the whole thing was a hoax. The report specifically exonerated Pagones, and in 1998 Pagones won a defamation lawsuit against Sharpton, Brawley, and Brawley's lawyers. Sharpton was ordered to pay Pagones $65,000. Johnnie Cochran and other Sharpton benefactors subsidized the payment.

Defense: Sharpton stands by Brawley's story. In May 2002, when the Associated Press asked whether he would apologize to Pagones, Sharpton replied: "Apologize for what? For believing a young lady?" Referring to his incipient presidential campaign, Sharpton continued, "When people around the country know that I stood up for a young lady ... I think it will help me." In March 2003, when the Washington Post asked whether Sharpton could have expressed sympathy for Pagones after the prosecutor was cleared, Sharpton replied that Brawley "identified Pagones. I was her spokesperson. I cannot turn around in what I said I believed." As to the jury verdict against him, Sharpton told the New York Daily News in July 2003 that "a jury said in the Central Park jogging case … that I was wrong, and it was just overturned 13 years later. Juries can be wrong. I've stood by what I believe. Juries are proven wrong every day."

-Rudey

[bethany1982]

I'll never be a liberal, but I kind of like the Rev. I don't care for his policies, at least those that I have heard him express, but I think he is an honest guy. I think he says what he believes, agree or not, and doesn't try to spread the BS that many politicians (from all sides) seem to spread.

[steelepike]

besides the fact i don't like Sharpton...

It was a good speech,just good not great not spectacular and not awe inspiring.


What i would love to see is a democratic giving his Convention speech to a republican crowd. or vise versa. there would be no pause for applause but pause for boos. it would be funny

[Kevin]

Originally posted by bethany1982
I'll never be a liberal, but I kind of like the Rev. I don't care for his policies, at least those that I have heard him express, but I think he is an honest guy. I think he says what he believes, agree or not, and doesn't try to spread the BS that many politicians (from all sides) seem to spread.

Except for in the above mentioned case of Tawana Bradley.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Yes there is. He is a demagogue who has never apologized for his actions.

For those he say that he made a good speech, yes he did. Effective demagogues always make good speeches.

Originally posted by Phasad1913
There's nothing for him to answer about Tawana Brawley. He responds to any questions (usually all repetitive) about the issue and he always has to repeat that the girl made accusations, he believed her and sought to work on her behalf. SHE lied, not him.

[bethany1982]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Except for in the above mentioned case of Tawana Bradley.

Good point.