(Published November 30‚ 2003)

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate the Rev. Al Sharpton criticized the $87 billion price tag on the war in Iraq during a speech Sunday at Brookland Baptist Church, The (Columbia) State reported.

"Bush wants to give education and health care to Iraq, when we don't have health care and education for the people of South Carolina," Sharpton said, speaking to about 1,000 people in the predominantly black congregation.

Sharpton also said he supported President Bush's Thanksgiving trip to Iraq, the newspaper reported.

"I'm glad he went. I just wish he'd brought the troops home with him," he said.

Sharpton addressed the concerns of those who question whether he can win the Democratic nomination.

"There are nine running, and eight of them are going to lose," he said. "You vote for who stands up for what you believe in, and you vote because our forefathers fought to give us the privilege to vote.

"Jesse Jackson didn't win, but look what happened," he said, citing the inspiration and action Jackson's candidacy brought about in the black community. "We gained more with Jesse losing than we did with other folk winning."

The speech wasn't entirely political. The presidential hopeful called for strong black leadership and role models. "Many of us seem to have lost our way," he said. "We used to stand and fight, and we knew there'd be casualties. ... Now, it's almost as if they don't have to defeat us any more - there is a collective surrender."

Information from: The State