The Rev. Al Sharpton says he's certain blacks will vote overwhelmingly Democratic in a rally that mixed politics and religion.
By Jeffrey Patch
Rigers Correspondent
Des Moines Register
Waterloo, IA - If a barrier representing the separation of religion and politics existed in the minds of parishioners at Payne Memorial AME Church, the Rev. Al Sharpton obliterated it Saturday afternoon in a passionate plea for blacks to vote for Democrats.
About 120 people gathered at the church for a 4 p.m. get-out-the-vote service and rally. Sharpton, a former presidential candidate for the Democratic nomination, was the keynote speaker and led a strong push intended to boost voter turnout in Iowa, especially among blacks.
Sharpton, who arrived 30 minutes late, sat next to U.S. House candidate Bill Gluba of Davenport in the front of the church during the rousing service mixed with political speeches and gospel choirs. Gluba is challenging incumbent Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Manchester.
After the rally, Sharpton scoffed at attempts by President Bush and national Republicans to connect with black voters and said that on Nov. 2 blacks, who generally support Democrats overwhelmingly, will vote solidly for Democrats.
"The civil rights movement always was in the churches, and that's where they've tried to corrupt politics with the Christian right," Sharpton said. "I've said through the campaign that the Christian right wasn't reaching the right Christians - and that's what we're trying to do."
Sharpton fed off of the energy in the crowd and bellowed out political marching orders to the faithful. The New York-based preacher said black voters should vote based on their interests, rather than on a candidate's personality or media image.
Sharpton charged that Bush tried to cast John Kerry as a flip-flopper in the three presidential debates because the Massachusetts senator voted to authorize the war and later criticized it, but Sharpton said Bush "misled" Congress and the American people about the threat Iraq posed.
"The only mistake John Kerry made on the Iraq war was he believed George Bush," Sharpton said. "Can you image somebody saying, 'You should have had more sense than to believe in me?'"
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