NYC-WTC_000230705

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

THE NEW York TIMES, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2001

’ Sharpton, in Attack on Green,. Hints He May Sit Out Election By ABBY GOODNOUGH As Mark Green tried to build sup­ port among black voters yesterday Candidate calls for in Brooklyn, the Rev. Al Sharpton called Mr. Green’s campaign tactics unity after a divisive racially divisive and hinted that he might not endorse either Mr. Green Democratic runoff. or his Republican opponent, Michael r; Bloomberg. During a rally at the National Ac­ In Brooklyn, Mr' Green spent tion Network headquarters in Har­ about an hour walking along Flat- • lem, Mr. Sharpton and a number of bush Avenue with several black law­ black and Hispanic lawmakers makers and a crowd of supporters. fumed about Mr. Green’s runoff vic- He ducked into beauty salons, Carib­ ■ tory Over Fernando Ferrer, the bean restaurants and discount shops Bronx borough president. The race to shake hands and pose for pictures was sharply divided along racial as an aide with a loudspeaker lines, with the vast majority of black chanted, “Mark Green wants to unite and Hispanic voters supporting Mr. the city!’’ Ferrer. Mr. Green reiterated two goals Mr. Sharpton and the politicians at that he outlined on Friday: reaching his rally — including Representative out to Mr. Ferrer and his supporters Jose E. Serrano and Assemblyman to "persuade them to join our Ruben Diaz Jr., both of the Bronx, cause,” and accelerating planning so and Assemblyman Boger L. Green of that if elected mayor, he would have Brooklyn — also spoke angrily about selected a cabinet and begun shaping the appeal that Mr. Green has made an agenda long before taking office in recent days for their support. on Jan. 1. Mr. Sharpton complained about Mr. Green again denied any asso­ ' telephone calls that he said some ciation with the phone calls warning white households received last week white voters about Mr. Sharpton, warning that Mr. Ferrer would ap­ calling them “despicable” and “in­ point Mr. Sharpton as the police com­ defensible.” He also said, as he has missioner if Mr. Ferrer were elected.' several times since winning the run­ Mr. Green has denied that the calls off, that he would welcome Mr. were made by his campaign, Sharpton's support: “This big city “There will not be silence'and con­ needs a big tent where all the promi­ sent Id the insult that we’ve been nent leaders work together, and that dealt in this race,” Mr. Sharpton said certainly includes Rev. Sharpton.” to loud applause, addressing about Mr. Bloomberg met yesterday 200 people. with downtown business and commu­ Mr. Sharpton did not go so far as to nity leaders who are worried about say he would not endorse Mr. Green the economic health of the area in the general election. But he took around the World Trade Center, Mr. every opportunity to suggest that he Bloomberg, who is expected to unveil might sit out the election and urge an economic recovery plan this his supporters throughout the city to week, has made a point of publicly do the same. consulting with some of the city’s . “I’m not endorsing Bloomberg,” most worried communities. Mr. Sharpton said. “But I’m not en­ Continuing an early theme of the dorsing nothing that doesn’t stand general election campaign that he for us. And if 1 could survive eight regards the entire city as up for years of Giuliani, I can survive four grabs, Mr. Bloomberg also visited years of Bloomberg.” Mr. Sharpton another traditionally Democratic and others suggested that supporting neighborhood, greeting shoppers at Mr. Green would amount to a capitu­ the Fulton Mall in Downtown Brook­ lation, saying that white voters may lyn. His campaign also confirmed have turned away from Mr. Ferrer that he met privately with Repre­ simply because of his association sentative Major R. Owens, a Brook­ with Mr. Sharpton, and that Mr. lyn Democrat and one of the city’s Green’s campaign had encouraged leading black politicians. No details them to do so. of the session were made available.

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NYC-WTC_000230705