Rev. Al comes to Chicago roundup...

Well I saw this story from the Sun-Times first. Mayor Daley goes after the Chicago Sun-Times with regards to Rev. Sharpton...

Mayor Daley on Wednesday accused the Chicago Sun-Times of trying to create conflict between himself and the Rev. Al Sharpton in a desperate attempt to sell newspapers by fanning racial tension.

"I don't know why you're trying to position me on that. It's really unfair. . . . My picture in the paper yesterday and today -- Al Sharpton on one [side] and me [on the other]. Pretty soon, they'll have boxing tournaments going on. It'll be a racial thing. They'll get us going," Daley said.

"It's a gig. They have to sell newspapers. And if they don't mention my name, maybe they can't sell 'em. . . . They need help, that paper."

Daley's charges came as Sharpton formally announced the opening of a Chicago chapter of his New York-based civil rights organization National Action Network. Speaking at the South Side's Regal Theater, Sharpton stood by his earlier characterization Daley has been "getting a pass" on police brutality scrutiny.

After seeing Wednesday's paper with headlines describing Daley as angry with him, Sharpton called the mayor. The two chatted briefly and the mayor offered a future meeting, said Sharpton.

After seeing the Sun-Times, "I wanted to know what base we were on,'' said Sharpton. "I've never had a problem when I've seen the man in the past. He called me right back. He said, 'This is not a problem with Al Sharpton.' "

You know I would like to think about what I read in a biography of the Mayor's father, Mayor Richard J. Daley (and instead of typing the whole title of the book I'll refer you to my book list in the sidebar) who had to deal with Rev. Martin Luther King. It was said in the book that Daley handed Dr. King was handed perhaps his only defeat in the Civil Rights movement. Unlike many of those hardline segregationalist politicians in the south, Daley refused to be made out to be the bad guy. He did this trying to cover his bases which were those whites in the bungalow belt who weren't too thrilled with the idea of integration with the "negroes" and of course the blacks who were an integral part of his Cook County Democratic machine.

I say all that to say that while Sharpton's extended stay in Chicago may not be at that level, I wonder what Mayor Daley the second would do when the pressure is on. And I do think it could be especially knowing about Sharpton's temperment. Hmm this is Daley's sixth term after all if nothing else I wonder if this Sharpton news might mark it negatively or positively. At least Mayor Daley the first was maybe two or three terms in when he met Dr. King.

Finally I would like to alert you to two other columns today about Rev. Sharpton's extended stay in Chicago from the Sun-Times. Let's start with Mary Mitchell...

The Rev. Al Sharpton may be the public face of the Chicago Chapter of the National Action Network, but it ain't all about Al.

What was launched Wednesday afternoon in front of the historic Regal Theater wasn't just a new chapter of Sharpton's New York operation. It was an anointing of Jeri Wright, daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah H. Wright.

Rev. Wright is pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, a congregation that has been at the forefront of several crusades, including the "Free South Africa Movement" and the "HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign."

He is also Sen. Barack and Michelle Obama's pastor. The South Side church, which has an Afrocentric theme, came under attack by right-wing conservatives as being "racist" when Obama announced he was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination last February.

Rather than upsetting the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sharpton's presence in Chicago as a mentor to Wright's daughter is much more likely to cause concern for the Obama campaign.

Not only has Sharpton not endorsed Obama, but his close ties to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's camp certainly must be raising eyebrows.

"I'm not announcing an endorsement," Sharpton told me after the news conference outside of the Regal, referring to Obama's bid. "But I think clearly anything that energizes the grass roots should be very helpful."

I'm not so sure about that.

Sharpton points out that it's "interesting" that Obama's pastor and his pastor's daughter are in Sharpton's National Action Network.

"It might help him nationally with a lot with blacks. When it hits the wires that his pastor and us are connected, a lot of people say that he is not connected to people like us. It could go either way."

A large crowd of grass-roots organizers, including a group holding a banner calling for the release of Aaron Patterson -- who was freed from Death Row under Gov. George Ryan's moratorium, only to be reincarcerated on drug conspiracy charges -- welcomed Sharpton with loud applause and cheers.

His remarks laid the groundwork for elevating Jeri Wright as a leading voice on the crusade to end indecent and denigrating lyrics in music. Next Tuesday, the newly established chapter will lead a march from Millennium Park to a yet-to-be announced location to bring attention to the issue.

"We cannot continue to allow our brothers and sisters to be called out of their names while others are being protected from name-calling," Sharpton said. "If there is a standard for anybody, there must be a standard for everybody."

But Sharpton also kept up his criticism of Mayor Daley on the issue of police brutality, telling the crowd that he called Daley and had set up a meeting.

"We are concerned about the repeated reports we hear about police," he said. "When the national media can say the mayor is a model mayor, he can be subjected to national scrutiny. You can't get a pass with praise and not with scrutiny. I'm not seeking favor from City Hall."

The Rev. Michael Pfleger, the longtime activist who pastors St. Sabina Catholic Church, stood with Sharpton and down-played the perception that Sharpton is stepping on other activists' toes. Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown, who ran an unsuccessful campaign against Daley, Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) and Mark Allen, formerly associated with the Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition, also stood with Sharpton.

This could be trouble won't it? You should read the part about trying to quell dissention amongst the other black civil right activists based in Chicago. Especially Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Another column Mark Brown from the Sun-Times today...

Mayor Daley thinks we're trying to sell newspapers by writing about Al Sharpton.
Is it that obvious?

Sharpton. Sharpton. Sharpton.

I just generated 10 more hits for the Web site.

Of course, we're using Al Sharpton to sell newspapers. It's always worked in New York.

Somebody says New York stuff doesn't go over well in Chicago. I think that's the idea. We don't need you to like Sharpton to take an interest in what he's got in mind by coming here.

But we're not pitting Sharpton against the mayor to sell newspapers. Sharpton is pitting himself against the mayor to sell Sharpton. Sharpton was going on the front page Tuesday before he'd ever said a word to us about Daley. That was gravy.

I wrote in Tuesday's column that Sharpton could be good for Chicago, which I suspected might be an unpopular point of view.

I stand by my opinion. Here we are starting the dog days of summer, and he's already helped us fill the paper three days running.

On Monday, when I first heard the news that Sharpton was coming here to open an office, I honestly had no strong opinion about the man, having always figured that he was New York's problem

Now I love the guy. How many other people do you know who can drive bigots up a wall -- and Jesse Jackson, too.

And no, I'm not saying you're a bigot if you think Sharpton is a schmuck. Let's concede the man has his baggage. I'm not endorsing him for office. I just want to hear what he has to say.

Then Brown shows feedback from some of his readers regarding what he has said in another recent column about Al Sharpton.

Yeah there are other news out there. I'm be sure to provide it. Especially in my del.icio.us links that if you're not exactly riveted to it all day are provided in my feed. Yeah I suppose you can call this a subscription drive if nothing else.