# Kerry to Sharpton - Here's your kickback. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 9, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922 "2004-12-09T14:57:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/1 "2004-12-09T14:57:18Z")
[Sharpton was paid to help Kerry campaign.](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041209/ap_on_el_pr/sharpton_democrats) My views on Al Sharpton aren’t a secret. I think he’s nothing but a race-baiting charlatan and an inveterate liar. His actions in the past have ruined reputations and even killed people. He does the Democratic Party a great disservice by associating with them, and they worsen the situation by pandering to him. Turns out now, he was paid by the Kerry Campaign for his endorsement. All of the other losing Democratic contenders, it should be noted, gave their endorsements freely. Now, the real question is, which is greater, the Kerry campaign’s stupidity in pandering to Sharpton in this way, or Sharpton’s greed and hunger for power that led him to demand a kickback? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/2 "2004-12-09T15:13:47Z")
(Shrug) So we learn once again that Sharpton looks out for for the interests of Sharpton. The Democrats were trying to win the election, so I don’t fault them all that much for caving in to his demands. Personally, aside from the fact that it was wasted money it’s not much of an issue for me as my decision whether or not to vote for Kerry had nothing whatsoever to do with whether Sharpton endorsed him or not. Too bad he decided to be an asshole, but it’s nothing new. I would hope that next time such an opportunity presents itself, the DNC politely tells him to piss off. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/3 "2004-12-09T15:16:22Z")
Much better value than a TV ad. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/4 "2004-12-09T15:19:51Z")
Anther _shrug_ from me. Nothing surprising here. It’s just a shame that the current crop of black leaders in the US are such scumbags. Sharpton taking a payment for backing Kerry pales in comparison with the extortion that Jesse Jackson regularly engages in. We can only hope that eventually these people will stop getting attention from the press and legitimacy from the democrats. But, I for one am not holding my breath. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/5 "2004-12-09T15:27:31Z")
I wrote that guy off after the Freddy’s fire, and now even [the Village Voice](http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0449/barrett.php) is [after him](http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0449/barrett2.php) in a big way. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/6 "2004-12-09T16:05:27Z")
Better to pay your supporters with your money than with the taxpayers’ money, as Bush did with the Swift Boat Thugs. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/7 "2004-12-09T16:23:56Z")
First off, it should be noted that the article does not say what the OP claims it does. I.e., it is not clear whether the payment was made in order to secure Sharpton’s endorsement. It may have been, but all that is known is that Sharpton was reimbursed for travel expenses when he went to campaign for Kerry (which seems pretty reasonable to me…I am actually surprised to hear that others don’t get this sort of reimbursement) and that he was paid an additional $35 K as a “political consulting fee” over and above the travel reimbursement costs. > [@Debaser](#): > > It’s just a shame that the current crop of black leaders in the US are such scumbags. You mean, as opposed to the current crop of Republican leaders like Tom Delay? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/8 "2004-12-09T16:43:34Z")
**jshore** , please tell me how many people died in riots incited by Tom DeLay. And how would you characterize a $35,000 consulting fee, considering that the other Democratic candidates gave their support for free. Would _you_ have asked for such a fee? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/9 "2004-12-09T16:55:53Z")
> [@ITR champion](#): > > Better to pay your supporters with your money than with the taxpayers’ money, as Bush did with the Swift Boat Thugs. 1. _Tu quoque_, if true. 2. Is it true? ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/10 "2004-12-09T17:01:01Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > **jshore** , please tell me how many people died in riots incited by Tom DeLay. Well, I may not be able to tell you that but I could probably, for example, give you some estimate, based on EPA numbers, of how many additional people would die every year from air pollution if we follow what Delay and Co. want to do in regards to air pollution laws relative to what they would be without such relaxations. I could also tell you how many American soldiers have died and estimates of how many Iraqi civilians have died in a war that Delay wholeheartedly supported. > [@](#): > > And how would you characterize a $35,000 consulting fee, considering that the other Democratic candidates gave their support for free. > > Would you have asked for such a fee? Well, I honestly don’t know the line tends to get drawn is this sort of thing. (To be honest, I was kind of shocked to learn that most of the other former candidates paid their own travel expenses to campaign for Kerry.) Is Karl Rove working for free? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/11 "2004-12-09T17:02:41Z")
I don’t have any real problem with the money. Perhaps it’s more than other candidates received, but it’s a fraction of what any number of other political consultants doubtless received. From multiple candidates from either side – no slam against Kerry here. But there is kind of a WTF rating around the whole thing. Whilst Sharpton did a good job in the debates (and _there’s_ something for Democrats to think about – your lead candidates couldn’t debate around a lying race baiter), I don’t recall that he got all that much traction among black voters in the primaries. I could see dealing with the racist scumbag if that’s what it took to win, but I’m not aware that the available evidence indicated that doing so would have increased Kerry’s chances. So why do it? Was there no one else to accompany Kerry to the black churches he visited? ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/12 "2004-12-09T17:04:51Z")
> [@jshore](#): > > I could also tell you how many American soldiers have died and estimates of how many Iraqi civilians have died in a war that Delay wholeheartedly supported. In fact, the analogy is even better than I thought once I think about it more. On the one hand, we have a minister too willing to believe the word of a Black girl who claims she was raped in police custody; on the other hand, we have a President and Congress too willing to believe a bunch of Iraqi dissidents who make up all sorts of fanciful stories about Saddam’s WMD. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/13 "2004-12-09T17:09:33Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > And how would you characterize a $35,000 consulting fee, considering that the other Democratic candidates gave their support for free. Most other Dem candidates either didn’t camapaign as heavily as Sharpton did, or they were independently wealthy before hand. Sharpton has had well publcized money problems, and has now taken a job hosting a TV show. It really doesn’t seem that sketchy for him to take money to help the campaign. I worked for the Dean campaign for a few months and took (a very small amount) of money. I certainly would’ve put in some work for free, but I doubt I could’ve done as much as I did without some financial compensation. And your OP is a lie. No one’s suggesting Kerry paid Sharpton for his endorsement. You should have the mods edit it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/14 "2004-12-09T17:11:50Z")
I gotta join the “who cares” chorus here, as long as everything was legal. I have no indication that it wasn’t, just offerring that as a sanity check. You have to wonder, though, how many votes Kerry got that he wouldn’t have otherwise gotten… Maybe it was more a get-out-the-vote thing. I do look forward to the day when a credible Black politician can knock Sharpton out of his spot in the limelight, though. The press needs a “go to guy” on racial issues, and Sharpton fills that niche now. There’s gotta be someone better…!! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/15 "2004-12-09T18:33:39Z")
> [@ITR champion](#): > > Better to pay your supporters with your money than with the taxpayers’ money, as Bush did with the Swift Boat Thugs. This is a lie. Provide a cite, or retract it. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/16 "2004-12-09T18:47:09Z")
Aside from wondering why the Democratic Party continues to waste its time with Sharpton, this OP is just an attempt to stir the pot and make a mountain out of a molehill. Compared to the ethical lapses in trying to find new ways to circumvent the Geneva Convention, authorize the use of torture, and dinking around with rigged e-voting machines, paying $30K to Sharpton is strictly amateur hour material. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/17 "2004-12-09T19:46:22Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Aside from wondering why the Democratic Party continues to waste its time with Sharpton, Ditto. > [@](#): > > this OP is just an attempt to stir the pot and make a mountain out of a molehill. Compared to the ethical lapses in trying to find new ways to circumvent the Geneva Convention, authorize the use of torture, and dinking around with rigged e-voting machines, paying $30K to Sharpton is strictly amateur hour material. Gotta agree. Despite feeling that calling Sharpton slimy is an insult to slime, I’m scratching my head, trying to figure out why I should bother having strong feelings about this. It goes into the same category as Madame Tussaud’s turning Bush into one of the Three Wise Men: worth a :rolleyes:, but not much more. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/18 "2004-12-09T19:54:04Z")
Well, because of the precedent it sets (or continues, if others have done it), the more I think about it. In isolation, it’s not a big deal, as I said. But. But there’s already enough dirty dealing in politics of the “drop out now and endorse me and you’re frontrunner for Secretary of the Whatever” variety. Imagine a future self-financed candidate inducing a non-self-financed candidate to drop out of the race in exchange for a Metric Assload of cold, hard consulting cash. Say the number 2 guy offers it to the not-dissimilar number 4 contender in hopes of picking up enough votes to pass the frontrunner. Despite the wide disparity of each candidate’s personal financial resources in this case, I don’t think for a second that that’s what happened here. But as I think about it it does kind of have an oogy quality which I think both parties might usefully address. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/19 "2004-12-09T22:50:18Z")
On the scale of shady ethics moves that are routinely committed by both parties, this is barely a blip. I can cite more Republican ones now only because they are the party in power; see Jim Wright for how the Democrats were probably no better. But when government officials resign and immediately get hired as highly paid lobbyists, when K street firms are blackballed for hiring members of the opposition party, when there is an over 95% incumbency rate due mainly to both parties’ fundraising machines, I’m not that concerned. I do share **manhattan** ’s concern that money may be used to buy out the weaker candidates. But that assumes that these guys can be bought; call me naieve but if you have spent two years mobilizing the army that it takes to make a run for the President, $35K is not going to buy you out in most cases. Even if you are strapping for cash. Given the effort put into even a Kucinich or a Green Party run; given the motives for doing so, I can’t see even the longest-of-shots calling it in for cash. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922/20 "2004-12-09T23:14:31Z")
> [@edwino](#): > > call me naieve but if you have spent two years mobilizing the army that it takes to make a run for the President, $35K is not going to buy you out in most cases. Even if you are strapping for cash And beyond what they’ve raised for their own campaigns, I would imagine that the personal earning power of even the most lowly candidate would allow them to pull in 35K without the necessity of taking bribes. Sharpton, for example, is surely making many times that for his TV show now, and even Braun probably could’ve pulled in that much after dropping out by going on the lecture circuit and consulting for TV networks during the pre-election, post-convention period. I don’t like Sharpton either, but I’m willing to say that he probably took a financial loss for a few months to help (or hinder depending on your point of view) the Kerry campaign. If some future candidate drops out, takes a hundred thousand dollars or more consulting fee and then doesn’t do anything for the campaign, I’ll say suspicions are waranted, but Sharpton met none of these criteria, and it’s hard to see how a future candidate _could_ do this while making it look legit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-to-sharpton-heres-your-kickback/278922.md?page=2)