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Reverend Al's Campaign Unlike the Others
Date:February 1-2, 2004
Place:On the Road with Al Sharpton
Only 15 people are at Sunday services at the Faith on High Church in Aiken, S.C., and Al Sharpton makes a point of the small audience. "I come to the places others won't come to."
In fact, Sharpton has little time for the small church. After 10 minutes, he's out the door and on the way to a bigger congregation in North Augusta.
In the car, I find the next church's address on my wireless Blackberry and enter its location into the GPS receiver. The technology compensates for my terrible sense of direction.
At the larger church, Sharpton's sermon is an hour-long work of art. He provides humor, power, passion, and -- above all -- rhythm. Sharpton has been preaching from the pulpit since he was 4 years old, and the reverend is a rhetorical genius. To describe his preaching is as futile as describing a symphony.
The next day, Sharpton is scheduled to speak in Sumter at the "It's All About U" fast-food restaurant. The "U" refers to the fourth letter in "Jesus."
While waiting for Sharpton, who is two hours late, state Rep. Joseph Neal speaks candidly about race in South Carolina.
The black congressman cites from memory a dozen statistics about unemployment, education and incarceration rates. Neal seems driven by a combination of sadness, outrage and powerlessness. His state imprisons his people, while his legislature passes resolutions of praise for Bob Jones University.
After the event, I ride on my first press bus. I'm so excited that I leave the day's notebook at the restaurant.
On the bus, William March from the Tampa Tribune tells me the best thing about covering candidates is learning what drives them. He explains that black preachers are like rock stars in their communities. Out of this stardom, Al Sharpton developed a large ego. In his campaign, Sharpton is driven by a combination of ego and outrage, March says.
The evening ends with a gospel concert at the Reid Chapel AME Church in Columbia. When we arrive, the choir is at full volume, and the large congregation is standing, clapping, swaying and singing.
Sharpton speaks briefly and then gets to the point: money.
Ushers pass out envelopes. Sharpton makes everyone stand. With the band still playing, all walk to the front, row by row, where a smiling Al Sharpton waits for their money. The pressure to donate is enormous.
Next stop: Columbia, S.C.
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