Howard Dean is "anti-black" and opposed to Affirmative Action,
according to rival Al Sharpton. Congressman Jesse L. Jackson
responded in Dean's defense. Sharpton made his "anti-black" attack just after Jackson became the second Congressional Black Congress member to indicate his endorsement of Dean and just as other CBC members have said the CBC would collectively be endorsing a single candidate in the next two weeks. It is unclear whether the timing of Sharpton's attack was specifically aimed at thwarting a CBC endorsement of Dean.