Al Sharpton Defends His New MSNBC Job

Al Sharpton has faced a barrage of criticism since he debuted on MSNBC, but the network's newly minted anchor took the chance to respond in an interview with the Daily Beast.

Sharpton's gig as the host of "PoliticsNation" became official on Tuesday. He first became the de facto host of the network's 6 PM hour in July after Cenk Uygur's public fall out with MSNBC executives. Since then, he has already made a splash by, among other things, criticizing Pat Buchanan for calling Obama "your boy."

But his arrival has been trailed by controversy, with reporters questioning his close ties to Comcast, which owns MSNBC, and with black journalists criticizing the network for hiring him when there are no black journalists hosting prime time shows on cable news.

Speaking to Lloyd Grove, Sharpton dismissed these criticisms. He said that his negotiations with Comcast about the company's diversity came before there was any anchor slot available on MSNBC. Responding to the criticism from black journalists, Sharpton said that the choice would have been between him and another non-journalist, and that his tension with the National Association of Black Journalists has been resolved.

“To be fair about it, the NABJ understood that if I didn’t get it, it wouldn’t have gone to a journalist," Sharpton said. "There are no journalists [as hosts] after 5 p.m. on MSNBC."

Sharpton also addressed his hosting style. Since he began the job, he has sometimes seemed a little stiff in the anchor chair. Like any newcomer, he is still getting used to the teleprompter.

For his part, Sharpton told the Daily Beast, “I hate Teleprompters," but also expressed confidence that he would improve. “I’m getting more relaxed and I’m getting more comfortable," he said.

He suggested that he might come into his own style now that the show is officially his, calling it "a different ball game." He noted that people might have been critical if he overdid his performance when he first substituted for Ed Schultz.

"But if I had come in all-guns-blazing-Al Sharpton, they’d say, ‘What are you doing? Trying to take over and get Ed out?’" Sharpton said.

Comments

[DocSAR]

05:01 PM on 09/30/2011

Al's a so called liberal. Liberals are all about taxation. Al owes more than 500K in taxes from '09.

[DocSAR]

04:45 PM on 09/30/2011

Al's a bigot/racist/lier

[hogman]

02:44 AM on 08/30/2011

One thing about Al Sharpton I admired is that he'd go on Bill O'Reilley's show and go toe to toe with him. Jesse Jackson never did AFAIK. Wimpy IMHO.

[sasseyfrass]

12:58 PM on 08/30/2011

Sharpton toe to toe with O'Reilley????? Not in a million years. He sounds like a kindergarten graduate compared to O'Reilly.

[hogman]

05:25 AM on 08/31/2011

You may be right but Sharpton doesn't duck tough interviews. Jackson does. My contempt for Jesse Jackson is immense. I don't care much for Sharpton, but the guy has guts and doesn't take the easy way out. That I can admire.

[bikerdude]

02:24 AM on 08/30/2011

Is he still on??? WTF?

[Edward Wilkes]

02:10 AM on 08/30/2011

Sharp tone Sharpton with a mouth as big as Don King... I think he is somewhat of a racist, but now; how can a black man be racist? I also think that sometimes he really makes a few good points, but so does the devil when disguised in sheep's clothing!

[khensu]

12:24 AM on 09/01/2011

look who is talking

[Edward Wilkes]

12:33 PM on 09/01/2011

Yea just follow along so you can understand a white persons point of view. When and if you come to understand then just maybe race/relations in America can go forward.

[jtabs]

09:55 PM on 08/29/2011

Sharpton can be a terrific guest and often an excellent speaker but doesn't have it as the host.

[bikerdude]

02:24 AM on 08/30/2011

He is none of the above..

[sasseyfrass]

12:56 PM on 08/30/2011

His voice is always full of hatred and racism. Of course if he didn't keep racism on the front burner, he would have no job.

[jtabs]

02:10 PM on 08/30/2011

Was at one time, much less now, but I agree he's not one of my favorites and he's totally out of his element as a host.

[octavia ash]

02:04 AM on 09/15/2011

If you WHITE people didn't keep racism on the front burner, it would not be an issue. Al calls them like he sees them, and I like that about anybody.

[Henry Massingale]

09:05 PM on 08/29/2011

I remember this, you know what I pass, its not my cup of Tea, but thank you

[phoebequeen]

09:00 PM on 08/29/2011

He has actually grown on me. I will miss Cenk though , but will give him a chance. Not sure about the Comcast info. Will have to read up more on it. Hate hypocrites.

[edejan]

07:26 PM on 08/29/2011

I like Rev. Al and, as for saying a journalist should have gotten the time slot, personality is more important on this type of show and Al has plenty of personality. He's got the knowledge base and has "walked the walk" too.

[newsdudeATL]

06:49 PM on 08/29/2011

I just want him to learn to read the PrompTer. I'll watch once he gets that all sorted out...

[bikerdude]

02:25 AM on 08/30/2011

Learn to read, period...Then the prompter

[alaschu]

06:00 PM on 08/29/2011

"The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones"

[Joleen Michele VanHoose]

06:00 PM on 08/29/2011

Sharpton can't read correctly. He stumbles over his words and speaks too loudly. His diction is a disaster and his improv sentence construction is incorrect and ill-bred.

[khensu]

12:28 AM on 09/01/2011

Al Sharpton looks just as ill bred and as awkward as white people do when they are surrounded by educated black people. Al Sharpton's anxiety would be relieved once he stops trying to please, perform and tap dance for white people like you.

[octavia ash]

02:05 AM on 09/15/2011

Sorry about that, he don't be white you know.

[Ricky Bobby]

03:13 PM on 08/29/2011

Obama should show brother Al how to use a teleprompter.

[khensu]

12:32 AM on 09/01/2011

Funny... Obama's ability to communicate effectively is now a liability. For black people if you do TOO well its a point for ridicule.

[DanSc]

11:00 AM on 08/29/2011

We all know the Zombie Jebus gave you the job Rev.

[Hwrd Sprague]

05:00 PM on 08/29/2011

Resist we must !!

[TruEngineHearing]

10:20 AM on 08/29/2011

I guess it's only the 'stiffness' issue, but he does not yet appear comfortable. That'll probably work itself out, but the main problem for me is that he's in 'pump it up' mode throughout the broadcast; trying to make small things sound like huge things, and too often making someone's 'mistake' sound like a felony.

I've come to respect Sharpton the politician, and to admire the Reverend Al - especially when I realized that he's an important and admired person to a lot of young people.