Mayoral Candidates Jockey for Endorsement of Al Sharpton

Article by C. Zawadi Morris

My, how quickly the tables can turn: They used to run away from him; now they’re running after him! 

Reverend Al Sharpton’s endorsement is a hot commodity these days in New York City, and the Democratic mayoral candidates are furiously courting it, reported The New York Daily News.

The reverend was one of the first people Rep. Anthony Weiner called after announcing his campaign for mayor, reported the paper.

And according to Shaprton – who now hosts a one-hour political television show on MSNBC and a daily syndicated radio program – mayoral candidates Bill Thompson and Bill de Blasio call him pretty much every week, while John Liu and Christine Quinn check in every other week. 

All of the candidates believe Sharpton’s endorsement could be crucial in deciding who will become the party’s nominee this fall.

Sharpton remarked of the candidates: Thompson is a “good guy,” but needs “to stand for something;” Liu’s fund-raising scandal will ultimately hurt his poll numbers. 

He added, Quinn is “very fiery and passionate but has gotten the image of being too close to Bloomberg,” while de Blasio “has probably been unfairly labeled as being more to the left than he really is, which is a handicap.”