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Web posted
Monday, January 26, 2004
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The Rev. Al Sharpton, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, addresses about 100 people Sunday at the First Euhaw Baptist Church in Jasper County's Old House community.
Thomas J. Turney/ Carolina Morning News
Even campaigners must eat
Al Sharpton was over an hour late for his scheduled 2 p.m. ribbon-cutting in Ridgeland. He had stopped just down the street at Jasper's Porch for lunch.
Debate this
Visit http://www.southcarolina
debate.com/ on the Internet for information about Thursday's Democratic candidates' debate in Greenville.
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Sharpton brings campaign to Lowcountry
RIDGELAND: Candidate says he'll stay in contest to bring issues to Democrats.
By Mark Kreuzwieser
Carolina Morning News
Democratic presidential nomination candidate Al Sharpton brought his campaign South on Sunday, declaring that he's in the run for the White House for the long haul.
"Because of the accelerated Democratic primaries, I have not had the time to be in Iowa and New Hampshire, so I'm concentrating on South Carolina for the next eight days," he said during an afternoon town meeting that was attended by about 100 people at First Euhaw Baptist Church in Old House just outside Ridgeland.
Moments before, Sharpton cut a ribbon marking the opening of his Lowcountry campaign headquarters at 107 Main Street in downtown Ridgeland. He said it's his third campaign office in South Carolina.
Asked if his campaign for the White House is viable, Sharpton said his main reason for being in the race is to bring issues to the national table that otherwise would be ignored.
"All of this is leading up to the important meeting in Boston," the Democratic National Convention, he said. "Before we can beat George Bush, we have to decide what we need to do to beat him." Bush is seeking re-election unopposed.
Sharpton's campaign is about getting national attention for issues "important to working people and the middle class," the Brooklyn, N.Y., minister said. "There's seven of us still running, and that means six will lose."
Most recent polls show John Kerry ahead of John Edwards, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman, Sharpton and Dennis Kucinich.
The Democratic primaries will flesh out the party's platform and help voters recognize which candidates truly stand for Democratic values and which do not, Sharpton said.
"I'll be in Boston, hopefully with a lot of delegates," he said. "You know I'm going to be in the campaign to the end. My supporters who share my beliefs will not be ignored. You will not be marginalized. I will continue to speak out for you."
Sharpton said his campaign platform includes getting the United Nations and other countries involved with the rebuilding of Iraq and pulling U.S. troops out, health care for every American, rejuvenating public schools, restoring American jobs and the economy, strengthening affirmative action and fighting discrimination, and ending tax cuts to the wealthiest and corporations.
He downplayed comparisons to Jesse Jackson's presidential run 16 years ago. "But, Jesse did more for this country and the issues in his loss than most people accomplish by winning," he said.
Sharpton pledged to make the controversial Confederate flag an issue in South Carolina meetings and debates. The first primary in the South is here on Feb. 3.
"I'll bring the flag issue up at the Greenville debate" on Thursday, he said.
He said bringing up issues such as racial equality is "not being divisive. Not bringing up racial and civil rights issues is divisive."
Reporter Mark Kreuzwieser can be reached at 305-0004 or markk@lowcountrynow.com
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