NY Observer > Sharpe James http://www.observer.com/taxonomy/term/25107/feed Articles from Observer.com en Sharpton in Brooklyn, Newark http://www.observer.com/node/29485 It's going to be an eventful weekend for Al Sharpton.

First, he'll be urging black leaders to coalesce in support of a single black candidate in the Congressional 11th, where Rock Hackshaw says Charles Barron is taking an interest as well.

And on Sunday, I'm told, Sharpton will be speaking at the church of his new ally Cory Booker in Newark, where the Reverend helped five-term mayor Sharpe James turn away a challenge from Booker four years ago. -- Josh Benson]]> http://www.observer.com/node/29485#comments Politics Al Sharpton Charles Barron Newark Sharpe James Fri, 16 Jun 2006 05:32:23 -0400 Observer Staff 29485 at http://www.observer.com Booker, Booker, Booker http://www.observer.com/node/29463 It's a New York political blog, but it's worth diverting your attention for a moment to the sweet-smelling state across the river to ponder what Cory Booker managed to do yesterday.

He carried carried six of six council candidates to victory yesterday in Newark's runoff elections, ensuring that his allies will be sitting in each of the council's nine seats when he takes office on July 1.

It's a pretty amazing political accomplishment. Although Booker had a multi-million dollar financial advantage over his opponents, it wasn't as if the candidates who lost yesterday were nobodies. Several well-known incumbents went down, including Ras Baraka - the son of 9/11 conspiracy theorist and former state poet laureate Amiri Baraka. And another surprise loser was John James, the son of the city's domineering five-term Mayor Sharpe James.

The guy's a media monster. My guess is he's going to get more coverage in New York over the next few years than all but a handful of city and state officials.

The challenges Booker's going to be grappling with in one of the country's poorest cities makes for a compelling story, whether he succeeds or fails. (A documentary about his first, unsuccessful bid for mayor was nominated for an Oscar last year.)

And he's going to attract national attention for some of his more controversial ideas. He's a Democrat, for example, but has made himself a hero to national conservatives (and an enemy of the local teachers union) by proselytizing for school vouchers.

My Baghdad-bound former colleague Damien Cave has the wrap-up. -- Josh Benson]]> http://www.observer.com/node/29463#comments Politics Cory Booker John James Newark Sharpe James Wed, 14 Jun 2006 06:46:41 -0400 Observer Staff 29463 at http://www.observer.com New Political Editor, Same Politicker http://www.observer.com/node/29276 After a weeklong stint on this blog last summer, I'm back again.

"Who cares?" I can hear many of you asking, not unreasonably.

After all, it was Ben Smith who built The Politicker into a local phenomenon. It was Tom McGeveran and company who nurtured it over the last few weeks.

My only job, then, should be not to screw it up.

Some things will certainly stay the same.

As always, it will be a source of relevant and frequently updated material from me and the scary-smart Observer staff, geared towards the sorts of people whose hearts sink each time they reach the end of a Fred Dicker column.

More importantly, The Politicker will continue to serve as a vehicle for interaction with our readers, giving us the chance to tap directly into your politely-rendered collective wisdom about who to look at, what to write and when we've got it wrong.

The catch, of course, is that with the recent proliferation of New York politics blogs -- Ben remarked on it with the resigned air of a local whose neighborhood has just been overrun by hipsters -- it's going to be more of a challenge than ever to distinguish ourselves.

We accept it.

In the meantime, as I slowly recover from two years of writing about people with names like George Norcross, Sharpe James and Jim McGreevey, The Politicker may veer unpredictably. You may well read it for the same morbid reason that you watch car chases, magicians in water bubbles or a Jeanine Pirro campaign speech: it's a live spectacle that can go horribly wrong at any time.

That's fine. We're here to amuse as well as to inform.

Either way, we'll give it everything we have. All we ask in return is your continued attention, comments and tips.

Please. -- Josh Benson]]> http://www.observer.com/node/29276#comments Politics Ben Smith George Norcross Sharpe James Tom McGeveran Mon, 15 May 2006 04:40:56 -0400 Observer Staff 29276 at http://www.observer.com Cory Booker Wins; Megalopolis Has New Superstar http://www.observer.com/node/38849 Are you still looking for the mystical sixth borough—that El Dorado of cheap rents, decent bag  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/38849#comments Politics Cory Booker Joseph Marbach Newark Sharpe James Sun, 14 May 2006 20:00:00 -0400 Jason Horowitz 38849 at http://www.observer.com Cory Booker Wins; Megalopolis Has New Superstar http://www.observer.com/node/52218 Are you still looking for the mystical sixth borough—that El Dorado of cheap rents, decent bagels  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/52218#comments Politics Boykin Curry Cory Booker Newark Sharpe James Sun, 14 May 2006 20:00:00 -0400 Jason Horowitz 52218 at http://www.observer.com The Morning Read: April 27, 2006 http://www.observer.com/node/29181 The Times reports on a a feud between Jon Corzine and Sharpe James; and the legislature overrides most of George Pataki's vetos, but the governor says he will block the property tax rebate. Newsday reports on the Yanks and Mets stadium deals.

The Sun reports that Department of Education Deputy Chancellor Carmen Fariña will retire at the end of the school year.

And the Albany Times Union reports that Chuck Schumer opposes President Bush's VA plan. —Nicole Brydson]]> http://www.observer.com/node/29181#comments Politics Sports George Pataki Jon Corzine New York Mets Sharpe James Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:17:55 -0400 Observer Staff 29181 at http://www.observer.com Class Warfare At Work In Many Local Campaigns http://www.observer.com/node/38600 There is an elephant in the room of New York politics. It is the issue of social class.    read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/38600#comments Politics Cory Booker John Faso John Spencer Sharpe James Sun, 26 Mar 2006 19:00:00 -0500 Niall Stanage 38600 at http://www.observer.com Class Warfare At Work In Many Local Campaigns http://www.observer.com/node/52021 There is an elephant in the room of New York politics. It is the issue of social class.  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/52021#comments Politics Cory Booker John Spencer Kathleen Troia McFarland Sharpe James Sun, 26 Mar 2006 19:00:00 -0500 Niall Stanage 52021 at http://www.observer.com Best Actress, Bluestein? http://www.observer.com/node/28543 Up for an Oscar this year is Marshall Curry's documentary about the Newark Mayor's race, Street Fight, featuring a memorable line from former Ferrer spokeswoman Jen Bluestein.

"As formidable an opponent Sharpe James is, the penguins are just as tough," says Jen.

]]> http://www.observer.com/node/28543#comments Politics Jen Bluestein Sharpe James Fri, 03 Feb 2006 05:32:28 -0500 Observer Staff 28543 at http://www.observer.com Cory Booker Back, But This Campaign Has Newark Game http://www.observer.com/node/37525 By the time Cory Booker lost his 2002 run for mayor of Newark, the young African-American lawyer, fo  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/37525#comments Politics Cory Booker Newark Oscar James Sharpe James Sun, 21 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Jessica Bruder 37525 at http://www.observer.com