CBS: Clintons Butter Up Sharpton For Endorsement

<Bill Becomes Rev.'s New Best Friend At NAN Convention

Marcia Kramer
Reporting

(CBS) NEW YORK Former President Bill Clinton was in New York City on Thursday, speaking at the National Action Network convention and rallying behind Rev. Al Sharpton. Though he was there to offer up his support and respect for Sharpton, his real motive was likely to help sway the outspoken civil rights leader toward an endorsement of his wife and presidential candidate, Sen. Hillary Clinton.

With 10 months before the first primary election, a new Washington Post poll currently has Clinton leading her Democratic opponents at 41 percent of the votes. Barack Obama accounts for 25 percent, with John Edwards at 17 percent.

While Clinton humored attendees with stories of playing saxophone for James Brown on Thursday, in the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter what he spoke about -- his goals were reportedly to get Sharpton in Hillary's presidential camp and prevent him from endorsing Obama.

Despite the lead, the Clintons know that a Sharpton endorsement could mean a lot to Obama in terms of support and money.>

Comment: This "Al Sharpton primary" angle is overblown. I see pros and cons for any candidate who "wins." If this were about the race for the mayor of New York, it would be different. In a national set of primaries, not so much.

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_109134800.html

he's a faux news whore who loves the sound of his voice. he can't get enough of rigged debates with o'reilly and hannity.
who cares who that self-serving publicity hound endorses?

He has a long history of that sort of thing.

<...Evan Mandery, a staff member of Ruth Messinger's campaign, reveals in his recent book The Campaign that after Mr. Sharpton lost the Democratic primary to Ms. Messinger, he tried to shake down her campaign in return for an endorsement.>

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=3498

And, if it's not an outright payoff, Al will certainly receive a generous travel expense account (with loose requirements on itemization), contributions to the Action Network, etc.