Reverend Al Blows Up the Spot: Sharpton Tells Bush 'Our Vote Not for Sale'

Reverend Al Blows Up the Spot:
Sharpton Tells Bush 'Our Vote Not for Sale'
Al Sharpton brought the house down at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night with a spirited response to President Bush's speech last Friday to the National Urban League. Sharpton prompted a roar of agreement from delegates when he sent this message to Bush about the black community: "Read my lips, our vote is not for sale." Bush, in his Urban League speech, had asked if the Democrats were taking the black vote for granted. He asked if blacks might be better off by aligning themselves with Republicans as well. Sharpton, straying from his prepared text, said blacks have not come this far by "playing political games." He said the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the right to organize came under Democrats. [more] and [more]

• Text of Sharpton address [more]