Fox News Network The O'Reilly Factor

February 25, 2004 Wednesday

HEADLINE: Personal Story
Interview with Al Sharpton

GUESTS: Al Sharpton

BYLINE: Bill O'Reilly

BODY:
O'REILLY: "Personal Story" segment tonight, reports say Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton may have campaign money problems, but the reverend is still in the race. And he joins us now from Atlanta, Georgia.

So the feds, according to some published reports, are questioning some of your campaign money. Are you taking this seriously, reverend?

REV. AL SHARPTON (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Absolutely not. I think that every candidate gets inquiries when there are groups that raise questions. Certain right-wing groups every week raise questions and we respond to it. They have not sent us any letter any differently than they sent in the past. And we will respond as we have in the past. We're not concerned about that at all.

O'REILLY: Now you like to live well. I mean, I think that's a fair assessment. And you wear nice clothing. And you stay at nice hotels. Do you think that that is violating the money that people give you to run for office when you stay at a Four Seasons and a Mandarin-Mandarin I should say?

SHARPTON: Well, if I was staying there, Bill, you could say that we had fundraisers at certain hotels.

O'REILLY: But you still have to pay a bill. You know, you could stay at...

SHARPTON: Absolutely.

O'REILLY: ...they could leave the light on for you at Motel Six down the street. You don't have to stay at the Four Seasons.

SHARPTON: But you might not raise the money at Motel Six. What they're talking about...

O'REILLY: No, no, no, you just go over to the expensive hotel, reverend. And then after you get the money, you would go back to Motel Six. That's how I do it.

SHARPTON: Well, if you rent a suite at the Four Seasons...

O'REILLY: Right.

SHARPTON: ...to have a fundraiser, and they give you two or three rooms with the suite, why would you then add another bill going to Motel Six when you've already paid for the suite and the rooms you have?

O'REILLY: Because...

SHARPTON: That makes no sense.

O'REILLY: No, but the people at the Four Seasons sometimes frighten me. That's probably, I think...

SHARPTON: Well, no, but since we have fundraisers at places sometimes...

O'REILLY: I got it, OK.

SHARPTON: ...you have to pay the bill. I think that that is-you know, everybody running has private jets, which I'm on commercial planes. They're living everywhere they can. No one questions that.

O'REILLY: That's a good point.

SHARPTON: I decide to have fundraisers and they want to question that. That's ridiculous.

O'REILLY: OK. What do you think is going to happen on Super Tuesday? You see a Kerry win and then he marches in with the nomination?

SHARPTON: I think on Super Tuesday that Kerry wins some. I think we will be very strong in many of the urban areas. I'm in Atlanta now with Georgia Rep. Ron Salle (ph). I think we'll do good in Georgia. I think we'll do very well in New York, California, Connecticut around. I think that, again, it is not just who wins. It's who is represented. This body can't win without inclusion. And the only way that I have seen urban voters and minority voters that will have a stake, an input on who will be the nominee for vice president, what will be the platform, is if we go with delegates to the convention. And my running gives us the option to do that.

O'REILLY: All right, fine, fine.

SHARPTON: There's no other way to do it.

O'REILLY: But Kerry's not going put you on the VP ticket. I mean, he's not going to do that.

SHARPTON: No, but whoever he puts on the ticket will have to deal with our delegates. Why be outside protesting if we can be inside...

O'REILLY: Whoa, that's fine.

SHARPTON: ...delegates?

O'REILLY: Reverend, I said this from the get-go. You have the perfect right to run for president and do what you think is right. And we respect that here. Do you think it's going to be Kerry-Edwards ticket? Is that how you're assessing it right now?

SHARPTON: I have no idea. This race is far from over. I think that Kerry...

O'REILLY: No, it's not. It's over in four days. It's not far from over. It's over next Tuesday.

SHARPTON: I don't think so.

O'REILLY: Oh, reverend.

SHARPTON: I think that it's over when he gets 2,100 delegates. And then, we will all have delegates, run a platform (UNINTELLIGIBLE) vice presidential nominee...

O'REILLY: No, it's over next Tuesday. If Kerry wins in New York and California, which he's going to win because the polls are way ahead, it's over. So let's just say conjecture now. Conjecture. Can a Kerry- Edwards ticket beat Bush, in your opinion?

SHARPTON: I think that anyone that has a message and an inclusive party can beat Bush. I think if they limit the party...

O'REILLY: But that's two white guys, two rich white guys.

SHARPTON: Well, but it's according to who they would speak for and speak to, which is why...

O'REILLY: Well, they can tell you he's going to speak for you, but...

SHARPTON: ...I...

O'REILLY: ...it's two rich white guys.

SHARPTON: Well, so is Bush. But I say to people if they vote for me and we have delegates, we can make sure the party is broad enough and inclusive enough where we are represented to come out in the right numbers. That's why-since they don't need votes to win a nomination, you say Kerry's already there, people can give me the votes. And we have delegates that will keep him accountable.

O'REILLY: All right, but my question is...

SHARPTON: Don't waste your vote. Vote for Al Sharpton.

O'REILLY: Right, I'm not going to get anywhere here. Hey, when are you going to start helping me with this rap music? You said you were going to help me with it. You know, I'm right on this thing. And every time I turn around, I'm getting attacked by the black community, the hip-hop community, being a racist because I'm telling these people to knock it off and stop hurting the kids.

SHARPTON: Well, first of all...

O'REILLY: You got me all excited on this one.

SHARPTON: Well, first of all, I told you after the fireworks, we need to talk about it. But I don't think that everybody that you and I talk about, we agree bad. I think some people that said some...

O'REILLY: How about Little Kim?

SHARPTON: ...very profane...

O'REILLY: Little Kim?

SHARPTON: ...things. But I think others have not. And I'm not going to jump on people because I'm told to. Little Kim, I understand-what do you asking about Little Kim?

O'REILLY: She's profane. I mean, she's ridiculous.

SHARPTON: Well, we're have to talk about it. I'm more worried about big Bush right now than I am Little Kim.

O'REILLY: Than Little Kim. All right, good luck. All right, reverend. Thanks you very much as always. We'll see you soon.

SHARPTON: Take care.

O'REILLY: Plenty more ahead as THE FACTOR moves along this evening. Martha Stewart will not testify. Why not? And reviews are split along ideological lines regarding "The Passion." And we hope you stay tuned for those reports.

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