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Politicians Flock to Sharpton's King Event
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 22, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 22, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Photographs of Spitzer, Sharpton, Dinkins and Bloomberg at Sharpton's National Action Network by Tina Fineberg/AP
All over the city, events were held to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. One of the biggest events was the Reverend Al Sharpton's annual forum at his National Action Network in Harlem, which attracted Governor Spitzer, Senator Schumer, former Mayor Dinkins and Mayor Bloomberg.
Sharpton hailed Bloomberg's efforts to make the city less racially divisive, "It is important that even when we disagree that we not have a climate of disagreeability...Michael Bloomberg has torn down the curtain of polarized dialogue in the city and he has done it in an effective way." The Sun noted not only did Sharpton implicitly criticize former mayor Giuliani but Dinkins did as well, as he referred to Giuliani's denial of asylum to Haitian refugees while at the Justice Department.
Bloomberg touched upon the past 40 years' of progress - and challenges ahead, "I think Dr. King would say the world is a better place, and the country's a better place, and the city's a better place. But in spite of the fact that more and more people are climbing the ladder of success... there are still many people among us who are not." He also discussed his administration's initiatives to try to help young black men, "A lot of these people have criminal records and that presents us a challenge. We must go and make sure that we give them the opportunities so they get out of this endless turnstile of going in and out."
While Sharpton didn't discuss support for any specific candidate (his conferences are sometimes called the Al Sharpton Primary - Clinton, Edwards and Obama were at the last year's), he did tell Governor Spitzer that he should appoint Lieutenant Governor David Paterson to Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, if she wins the presidential election. So does that mean Sharpton is pro-Hillary?
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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