MIGHTY WHITE

Al Sharpton's strategy (Robert Novak, July 12, 2003, townhall.com)

The Rev. Al Sharpton is telling friends he welcomes the sudden rise of Howard Dean to the top tier of Democratic presidential candidates because the former governor of Vermont dilutes the white vote without attracting African-Americans.

Sharpton's strategy is to capture black voters while seven white candidates split the white vote. Off all top tier candidates, Dean has the least African-American support but now is near the lead of the largely white electorate in the first two tests of Iowa and New Hampshire. Sharpton counts on Dean to divide white voters in important primaries in South Carolina and Michigan, where African-Americans play a potentially decisive role.

Even NPR always notes, when they do their daily story on Howard Dean and MoveOn.org, that nearly everyone at his events is white. He's a brie and chablis candidate. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 12, 2003 5:37 AM