The black candidate

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Am I the only person in America who noticed that Sharpton has kicked a$$ in the debates? I mean, i realize the republicans have branded him as a raving, race-bating lunatic(and no I do not agree with everything he has said on these matters) but shouldn't quick wit, good answers and personality/character count for something?

It is weird because I am an atheist and am very concerned about the civil liberties and seperation of C&S issues. In my mind, Rev.Sharpton has been the most sensible(or at least AS sensible as any of the others) of all the candidates on this issue and he has yet to give a really stupid or vacuous answer to any question.

How big a barrier is his race? Under what circumstances do you see a black candidate getting elected to the presidency? Does Hilary need to find her way into the White House (as a woman) first before the way is paved for blacks?

I am not being judgemental here either...i will likely vote for Kerry or whomever is running against shrub as well.

 

Personality and quick wit might win you a few votes but its still your policy that matters the most. If people don't aggree with things he has said he probably won't get their vote. However the majority of the black population will probably vote for him, guess that can't be bad for his chances.

Women before blacks? I think both are just as likely to come before the other 50/50 which one is first.

If so I guess NZ is due a Maori Prime-Minister sometime soon...

 

If you want to see a black president, someone other than Al Sharpton must step up.
It's not just the Republicans who brand him a race bater. The only ones who don't (publicly) are the other Democrat candidates.

Have you ever heard of Tawana Brawley?

 

Al Sharpton doesn't even really have issues. He has sound bites. Go to Wes Clarks site for example and compare his economic proposal with what you get from Al Sharpton. Ooops, Al Sharpton doesn't have an economic proposal. At least, not that I can find.

I make the comparison of the two primarily because Clark has had a relatively hastily thrown together campaign and yet he has a rather in depth, if at the same time slightly cliched, economic proposal. Sharpton's platform is that he wants to raise issues that otherwise wouldn't be raised. That is certainly fine and acceptable - I applaud it even (and we talked about it in another thread once). However, when his "platform" consists of things like, improving US relations with Carribean nations and supporting a number of largely symbolic constitutional amendments then he isn't a serious candidate.

The economy is probably the single most important issue to voters and his plan is at the very least, inaccessible. He isn't serious about being President. Until a candidate is serious about being President, you can't expect that candidate to garner substantial support, whatever his or her race may be.

Sharpton isn't the best debater - he has the best sound bites. He doesn't offer much in the way of substance. Frankly, I'd be concerned if he was doing better in the polls.

And Sharpton does have a dubious history of playing the race card, as Jack Funk has pointed out. It isn't an isolated incident.

All of that said - yes, race is a significant factor in electing a President BUT it probably isn't a huge factor in electing Sharpton President. It isn't a huge factor for Sharpton because he isn't even really serious about running. The first black President will be someone more akin to Powell or Rice (who are very different but have credentials making them at least palatable to independents) than Sharpton as well. I'm not saying this is right, just saying this is probably the way things are.

 

I largely agree with laches. First, he plays the race card way to much. Second, he isn't even running a serious campaign. Finally, given that he is garnering around 1% of the vote in the primaries, it suggests his support isn't that high even among blacks. Yes, I understand that Iowa and New Hampshire don't have large black populations, but they have to be considerably higher than 1%.

 

Let's kill two birds with one stone: Oprah for president!

 

I agree that Sharpton has made some blunders playing the race card in the past(the Tawana Bradley thing was just ridiculous) but I think the right-wing's characterization of him as someone who will drop the race card while playing a game of Monopoly is sort of overblown.

I don't know if I would go so far as to say he has no substance and only soundbites. He does have great soundbites but that does not mean that he does not have positions on issues anymore than a movie or comic book with excessive violence must necessarily be without substance.

I haven't heard Clark say much of anything yet so I will refrain commenting on his positions and proposals until he actually gives us some.

Good points all the same though. Much to reflect upon.