Since Al Sharpton's successful appearence at the DNC, his political capital has been on the rise, and he's been cashing in on it in exchange for a growing influence on the NYC political scene.
Looking at the mayoral race, it appears as though Sharpton's silence will be golden for Bloomberg. According to an article in the
New York Post today, a friend of the Rev is quoted as saying:
"As things stand, Sharpton will likely sit out the election and concentrate on organizing nationally. He sees no urgency to replace a mayor who's doing a good job."
This isn't good news for any of the Democratic candidates because while a lot of you may see Al Sharpton as lacking credibility, polls show that in NYC, his ability to sway black and Hispanic voters is solid. After a recent ad blitz, in which Sharpton endorsed construction of Jets Stadium in Manhattan, approval of the project among minority voters increased:
Anyone who doubts Sharpton's influence among minority voters should take notice of a new internal poll conducted for the Jets by Mercury Public Affairs. Support among blacks rose from 60-40 against to 60-40 in favor, while Hispanics showed a similar shift with 53 percent of Hispanics now supporting the stadium, versus 37 percent opposed.
I find his support a tad peculiar, but Sharpton has said that he's putting his weight behind the project because he has been promised by the developers that efforts will be made to insure that a certain percentage of minority workers are included in the construction.
Sharpton Takes on Violence in Rap Industry
As well, Sharpton has recently jumped head first into the controversy over how to stem violence within the rap industry. And while the hiphop world may find his sudden interest in rap music disengenous, it's a win-win move from a p.r. standpoint and should win Sharpton big points with loads of rap outsiders, whose view of the genre is almost wholely negative.
This weekend, the National Action Network, an organization founded by Sharpton, will be hosting a convention in New York City, where he will advocate for a 90-day ban on artists who commit acts of violence.
The guest list includes Bill O'Reilly (aka falafel boy), as well, reps from the Daily News, the New York Times, and the New York Amsterdam News are also scheduled to participate.
It sounds like it's going to be nothing short of a nuthouse (which mean I will be there with bells on--If I do make it, look for me to diary on it early next week). If you're interested in attending you do need to preregister. You can call 212-603-3702 to do so.