# Al Sharpton-PLEASE GO AWAY!!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [January 28, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413 "2004-01-28T14:13:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/1 "2004-01-28T14:13:41Z")
“Rev.” Al Sharpton is still in the race! This despite failing to place in the primaries so far…so why is this blatherskite still bothering to pretent to be a presidential candidate? What I would like to know …how much of MY MONEY is this boob getting? Is he still allowed Federal matching funds, despite his invisible showing in the voting?
Can I start a class-action lawsuit to get the “Reverend” to return the matching funds he’s taken from the taxpayers? 😕
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### Author:  [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/2 "2004-01-28T14:20:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Sharpton filed paperwork showing he raised just $114,000 as of the close of the March 31, 2003 federal reporting period – the second lowest amount of any of the “major” Democratic candidates.
[Link.](http://www.politics1.com/sharpton.htm)
Come on, he’s worth the entertainment value. You know, “Spank the donkey!”, all that crap? If he could just learn to squeal like Dean. . .
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### Author:  [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/3 "2004-01-28T14:40:49Z")
Heh. I actually like Sharpton. I wouldn’t want him to be president, but on the occaisons I’ve heard him speak he’s come across as an intelligent, articulate speaker whose viewpoint, though not necessarily congruent with mine, definately is worth having in the mix.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/4 "2004-01-28T14:51:05Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _ralph124c said_
> This despite failing to place in the primaries so far…so why is this blatherskite still bothering to pretent to be a presidential candidate?
I’m confused. Are you saying that the Sharpton camp _expected_ to do better in the primaries and that these losses should make them rethink their strategy? That’s an unusual view of the Sharpton campaign.
😉
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### Author:  [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/5 "2004-01-28T15:15:24Z")
I’ve only got two words to say about Al Sharpton.
_Tawana Brawley_
For me, that just won’t go away.
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### Author:  [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/6 "2004-01-28T15:16:18Z")
And why the quotation marks around “Reverend”? AFAIK, he’s a real preacher, delivers Sunday sermons and the whole nine yards.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/7 "2004-01-28T15:30:10Z")
The quote marks belong around “Reverend” Jackson, not Sharpton. I agree with those who think that Sharpton is worth it just for the entertainment value. Not unlike those who run for Parliament under the “Raving Loon” Party banner. I totally disagree with just about everything that comes out of Sharpton’s mouth, but he is a kick to watch.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/8 "2004-01-28T15:32:57Z")
I hear he’s been living well on the road. He stays in very nice hotels and eats very well.
The tab for this is, of course, picked up by the campaign.
> **[Newsday | Long Island's & NYC's News Source](https://www.newsday.com)**
>
> Breaking News, data & opinions in business, sports, entertainment, travel, lifestyle, plus much more. Newsday.com is the leading news source for Long Island & NYC.
He has so far failed to qualify for matching funds.
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### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/9 "2004-01-28T15:51:45Z")
> [@GrizzRich](#):
>
> I’ve only got two words to say about Al Sharpton.
>
> _Tawana Brawley_
Three more words: “Freddie’s Fashion Mart.” Back in 1995, Sharpton organized and led violent, racist protests against this Jewish-owned store in Harlem, calling the owners “white interlopers.” One of his followers burned the store down, killing seven people.
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/10 "2004-01-28T17:37:15Z")
Two more words: “ignorant” and “incorrigible”. In an interview with John Stossel, Sharpton said that the wealthiest one percent pay only 5 percent of the total taxes and that they should pay 10 or 15 percent. When twice informed that they actually pay 35 percent ([cite](http://www.detnews.com/2001/politics/0103/23/a05-202187.htm)), it was as though he pretended not to hear it.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/11 "2004-01-28T21:33:46Z")
> [@ralph124c](#):
>
> What I would like to know …how much of MY MONEY is this boob getting
As of 12/30/2003, not a [penny](http://fecweb1.fec.gov/press/20031230certification.html). Please feel free to start a class action lawsuit against those who use quotation marks in an attempt to remove legitimacy from a person’s valid title, though, if you like. There are many good reasons mentioned in this thread to dislike Sharpton; that he is spending your money is not one of them, “ralph124c”.
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### Author:  [@schplebordnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schplebordnik)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/12 "2004-01-29T03:25:32Z")
> [@GrizzRich](#):
>
> I’ve only got two words to say about Al Sharpton.
>
> _Tawana Brawley_
>
> For me, that just won’t go away.
I got three better words:
_Freddy’s Fashion Mart_
and of course the two words that go with that:
_white interlopers_
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### Author:  [@Mazikeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mazikeen)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/13 "2004-01-29T03:36:22Z")
I just want that hairdo to go away.
On Sharpton himself, I don’t really have that strong of an opinion. He has some interesting views, not all of which I agree with, but I respect his decision to run, even if I will not be voting for him in the primary.
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### Author:  [@Sqube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sqube)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/14 "2004-01-29T06:42:54Z")
> [@Mazikeen](#):
>
> I just want that hairdo to go away.
>
> On Sharpton himself, I don’t really have that strong of an opinion. He has some interesting views, not all of which I agree with, but I respect his decision to run, even if I will not be voting for him in the primary.
I’ve definitely gotta agree that the whole hair-do thing made him lose a lot of credibility in some people’s eyes (mine included).
I view this as more of an attempt to make politicians as a whole recognize that African-American needs/desires still need to be acknowledged, seeing as we are a significant minority. I don’t see it happening anytime soon though, because we’ve been indoctrinated as a whole into some sort of twisted “Vote Democrat” mindset which makes it pointless for Republicans and Democrats to take our desires seriously.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/15 "2004-01-29T06:54:57Z")
My take is that he’s angling to eventually be mayor of NYC. This presidential campaign is giving him tons of publicity. If the good folks in NYC are stupid enough to vote him mayor, they will deserve him. But hell, there’s probably been worse in that office in years gone by…
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### Author:  [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/16 "2004-01-29T08:05:10Z")
Sure, you don’t want to vote for him, but here you are thinking about him and discussing him. That’s probably all that he wanted out of this campaign: To get people to pay attention to him and his views.
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### Author:  [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/17 "2004-01-29T11:48:56Z")
Please excuse my ignorance on the subject, but who exactly is Al Sharpton? I mean, I’ve heard of him, but why is he so well known, and for what?
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/18 "2004-01-29T13:03:40Z")
Actually there would be one up side to an Al Sharpton administration; a cabinet with [James Brown](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040128/482/cf10201282238) as Secretary of Soul.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/19 "2004-01-29T13:59:17Z")
> [@XWalrus2](#):
>
> Please excuse my ignorance on the subject, but who exactly is Al Sharpton? I mean, I’ve heard of him, but why is he so well known, and for what?
[This](http://www.weirdrepublic.com/episode14.htm) is the only thing you need to know about Al Sharpton. He’s a disgusting liar and opportunist who for some reason garners a lot more support than he should.
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### Author:  [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-please-go-away/226413/20 "2004-01-29T15:19:54Z")
_Newsflash!_ The nomination’s a lock now that he has [Moby’s endorsement](http://www.moby.com/cms/viewdiary.asp?Diary_ID=1641&ViewType=Current). I’m not kidding.
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